72110 ERMOLAYEV ER-2 WWII SOVIET LONG DISTANCE BOMBER

The Ermolayew Er-2 was a Soviet long-range bomber from World War II. The drive was provided by two ACh-30B diesel engines with a capacity of 1500 HP each. The first flight of this machine took place in May 1940. Serial production began in 1941, which led to the creation of about 360 aircraft of this type. The deck armament consisted of two 12.7 mm UBT machine guns and one 20 mm ShVAK cannon. The machine was able to carry a bomb load of up to 5,000 kilograms. The Ermolayew Er-2 was developed as a new, basic long-range bomber for strategic aviation of the USSR. Its design was largely based on the prototype of the Bartini Stal-7 passenger and transport aircraft. Unusual elements of this aircraft are the fact that the wings are used in the configuration of the so-called the inverted wings of the gull and - which was quite unusual - the use of diesel engines. The latter solution turned out to be a little hit. Airplanes of this type were designed as long-range bombers and in this role they were used in 1941 to bomb targets in Germany. However, in connection with the development of combat operations, they were used in the same year to directly support the troops fighting near Moscow, which led to high losses by the regiments armed with Er-2. In the period 11942-1943 they were used primarily as training machines, but in 1943 their production was resumed and remained in the line as combat aircraft until the end of the war. They were replaced as long-range bombers by the Tu-4 at the turn of the 1940s and 1950s.