RuAviation

The Petlyakov Pe-2 dive bomber, designed under the leadership of aircraft designer Vladimir Petlyakov, became one of the most iconic aircraft of the Great Patriotic War (Eastern Front of WWII). Its development began within the walls of a closed design bureau of the NKVD (TsKB-29), where Petlyakov worked alongside other prominent aircraft designers such as Andrei Tupolev and Vladimir Myasishchev.

Initially, the aircraft was conceived as a high-altitude fighter, designated VI-100, but in May 1940, the decision was taken to convert it into a dive bomber. By the beginning of 1941, the first production Pe-2s had started to arrive in air regiments, and by the time the war began, the Soviet Air Forces had around 500 of these machines on strength.

The Pe-2 became the most widely produced bomber of Soviet manufacture. Over the course of the war, more than 11,000 aircraft were built, with the Kazan Aviation Plant alone producing up to 13 aircraft daily in 1942. Pilots affectionately nicknamed it Pawn, but in combat, it earned the title of Royal Pawn on the chessboard of war.

The Pe-2 possessed outstanding flight characteristics for its time. It reached speeds of up to 540 km/h (c. 335 mph) at an altitude of 5,000 metres (c. 16,400 ft) with a take-off weight of 8,500 kg (c. 18,740 lbs). Its bomb load was 600-700 kg (c. 1320-1540 lbs). By today’s standards, this isn’t much, but during the war years, the aircraft effectively accomplished its combat missions. Without a bomb load, the Pe-2 could rival the German Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter in speed, making it not only a bomber but also a dangerous opponent in air-to-air combat.

The aircraft was actively deployed on all fronts of the war, carrying out bomber, fighter, and reconnaissance roles. One of the most famous Pe-2 tactics was the Whirligig, developed near Stalingrad by the air regiment of I.S. Polbin. This tactic involved using a group of bombers that covered each other’s tails and delivered precision strikes from low altitude.

The Pe-2 was the first Soviet aircraft to introduce widespread use of electric actuation. Electrical controls were used for radiator shutters, trim tabs, landing flaps, and other mechanisms. This significantly simplified aircraft handling, but required increased attention from ground crew in the field.

In addition, the Pe-2 served as a flying testbed for testing rocket boosters designed by Valentin Glushko. Experimental flights with rocket installations were carried out from 1943 to 1945, opening new horizons for the development of aviation technology.

After the tragic death of Vladimir Petlyakov in an air accident in 1942, leadership of the project passed to Vladimir Myasishchev. Under his direction, the aircraft continued to be modernised, taking into account the requirements of the frontline aircrews. Production of the Pe-2 was established at aircraft factories in Kazan and Moscow.

From 1941 to 1945, 11,427 aircraft of various modifications were produced, of which 10,162 were manufactured in Kazan. In September 1945, the staff of Kazan Plant No. 22 were awarded the Order of the Red Banner, and the enterprise was given the Challenge Red Banner of the State Defence Committee of the USSR for permanent safekeeping.

The Pe-2 became not only a symbol of Soviet aviation during the war, but also a hero of literary and cinematic works. It is mentioned in the book “Chronicle of a Dive Bomber,” on which the film of the same name, starring Oleg Dal, was based.

The last combat sortie of the Pe-2 took place on the eve of Victory Day, May 7, 1945, when Soviet pilots bombed the runway of Sirava airfield, from which the Germans planned to flee to Sweden. This episode became a symbolic conclusion to the combat career of one of the most legendary aircraft of the Great Patriotic War. The Pe-2 remains in history as a reliable, technologically advanced, and effective bomber that made a huge contribution to the victory over Nazism.