Pe-2 1940, V.M.Petlyakov

The Pe-2 was designed by an imprisoned team as a very advanced high-altitude fighter, the '100'. There was no need for such aircraft, and the aircraft went on to become a very good fast light bomber.

Necessary modifications included reducing of nose armament to pair of ShKAS and adding of glazing necessary for performing bombing missions. Navigator was moved close to pilot's cockpit, his seat was shifted to the right, providing better front-down sight for navigator. Remotely controlled turret was replaced by single ShKAS in Navigator's cockpit. This (quite primitive) installation (Toropov's setup) provided rear hemisphere protection 200° horizontally and 56° vertically.

Pilot had 9mm armored seat, pair of 9mm armor plates protected him and navigator from the sides.

Radio-operator had single ShKAS in ventral position. Radio operator could use hatch on top of fuselage to observe rear hemisphere (in case if navigator is killed or wounded).

During production and service armament was gradually increased by replacing ShKAS machineguns by more effective UB and adding another ShKAS (which could be moved to right or left side position) to the gunner's inventory.

Three internal bomb bays could accommodate six FAB-100 bombs: four in the fuselage and one in each engine nacells, behind the wheel niches. This bombload was obviously insufficient, and four external hardpoints allowed to carry up to 1000kg (four FAB-250) bombs.

Radiators located in wing tunnels. Soft protected fuel tanks (number varied from 5 to 9) are in the fuselage and wings, all equipped with external and internal neutral gas filling. Wing equipped with flaps (assisting on both takeoff and landing), ailerons and airbrakes. Airbrakes (grid of steel tubes) were activated by AP-1 (dive automatics unit) to limit dive speed. Another AP-1 automatically started dive sequence (by signal from bomb sight) and pulled aircraft out of dive on preset altitude.

Pe-2 was the first Soviet aircraft with wide use of electric motors. About 50 (2 to 30Watt) were used for various control goals.

With advance of German troops, production of Pe-2 was moved to Siberia. Mass production restarted in early 1942.

Pe-2s were commonly used in loose formations to take maximum advantage from its speed and agility, deserving the nickname 'Russian Mosquito'. To be fair - beautiful Mosquito should be dubbed "British Peshka" (Peshka=Pawn was front-line nickname of Pe-2), because Pe-2 was of earlier design.

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References	Links
"History of aircraft construction in the USSR", Vol.2 p.157-160;	Pe-2 at Watson's Military Pe-2 at Virtual Aircraft Museum Pe-2 at Michael Fletcher's Site; PB-100, Petlyakov Pe-2, Petlyakov DOO Flightsimulator page by Oleg Devjatkin; Soviet female pilots on WWII by Rolando Silva

Created January 25, 1996 Modified January 12, 1999

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