Petlyakov Pe-2 and Pe-3
attack bomber, heavy fighter and ground attack

Petlyakov Pe-2

Petlyakov Pe-2, Pe-3
Type: Attack bomber, dive bomber, heavy fighter, ground attack, reconnaissance aircraft.
History: Not until long after World War II did Western observers appreciate the importance of the Pe-2. Built throughout the war, it was one of the outstanding combat aircraft of the Allies and, by dint of continual improvement remained in the front rank of tactical fighting along the entire Eastern front right up to the German surrender.

It was planned by Vladimir M. Petlyakov's design team in 1938 as a high-altitude fighter designated VI-100. When adapted to high-level bombing it kept the fighter's slim fuselage and this feature, coupled with intensive aerodynamic refinement always made it fast enough to be difficult for German fighters to intercept it. Level bombing at height proved inaccurate, so dive brakes were added under the wings and the Pe-2 went into service in August 1940 as a multi-role dive and attack bomber, with crew of three and four 7.62-mm ShKAS machine guns, two fixed firing ahead above the nose, one aimed from the upper rear position and one aimed from a retracting ventral mount with periscopic sight. Up to 2,205 lb (1,000 kg) of bombs could be carried, either all externally or partly in the bomb bay and part in the rear of the long nacelles.

These Pe-2 examples have the lower ventral gun but no loop aerial under the nose.

The Pe-3bis fighter of 1941 had manoeuvre flaps instead of dive brakes, and additional fixed 20-mm ShVAK and 12.7-mm BS guns.

During 1942 a 12.7-mm-MG power turret replaced the upper rear gun, the lower rear gun was made 12.7mm calibre and two 7.62-mm beam guns were added. Extra armour, self-sealing tanks with cold exhaust-gas purging, detail drag-reduction and PF engines followed.

Comparable with the somewhat later Mosquito in performance, these are Pe-2FT models with PF engines.

The final versions had M-107 (VK-107) engines, various heavier armament and up to 6,615 lb (3,000 kg) bomb load.
Total production was just over 11.400.

The open bomb doors give a clue to the remarkable internal load of 6,615 lb that could be carried by later models with the M-107 engine. There were many different types of nose and countless equipment and armament variations.

From the basic three-seat low-level attack bomber, itself derived from a high-altitude fighter, stemmed numerous research or stillborn developments. One was the Pe-2VI high-altitude fighter, for which Dr M. N. Petrov's pressure cabin (planned for the original fighter) was resurrected. It had a heavy nose armament, but the high-flying threat (which was expected to include the Ju 288) never materialised. One of the leaders on the VI team was Myasishchev, who later accomplished important designs in his own right. Another fighter version, about two years later in timing than the Pe-3bis, was the Pe-2I with direct-injection M-107 A engines and a speed comfortably in excess of 400mph. Other versions included the Pe-2R long-range low- and high-level reconnaissance aircraft with a large camera installation instead of a bomb bay, and the Pe-2UT trainer with tandem dual controls. In 1943-45 a Pe-2R was also used for ground and flight rocket tests by the RD-1 nitric acid/kerosene engine, installed in the tail; 169 firings were made.

Loading Petlaykov Pe-2 dive bombers with bombs on an airfield east of Nowosil during the Battle of Kursk in July 1943.

Users: Soviet Union.

3d model of Petlyakov Pe-2.

This 3d model is a current element of the WW2 game WW2 Total. The data for production, movement and combat of the Axis and Allies units are here !

Petlyakov Pe-2 attack bombers.

Bombing attack of Petlyakov Pe-2 bombers.