RUSSIAN BOMBER PETLAKOW PE-2 FT

The Petlakow Pe-2 is a Soviet, two-seat light bomber designed to support the battlefield, in a low wing design with a double tail with a metal structure. The prototype flew on December 15, 1940. In the course of serial production, which started in 1941, almost 11,500 copies of this successful aircraft were created. The Pe-2 was created on the basis of the prototype WI-100 fighter plane. On its basis, a machine designated as PB-100 was created, with a crew of three, which, after minor modifications, gave rise to the mass-produced Pe-2. During the war, a dozen or so versions of this aircraft were created. One can mention, for example, the Pe-2FT, with better defensive armament and more powerful engines, which entered service in 1942. Another version is the Pe-2R-photographic reconnaissance machine or the Pe-2UT-training machine. Technical data: length: 12.66m, wingspan: 17.13m, height: 4m, maximum speed: 540km / h, rate of climb: 11.9m / s, practical ceiling: 8800m, maximum range: 1315km, armament: permanent- Four 7.62mm SzKAS machine guns, suspended, up to 1600 kg of bombs.