Petlyakov Pe-2

what is it?

The Petlyakov Pe-2 (Russian: Петляков Пе-2 — nickname «Пешка» (Pawn); NATO reporting name: Buck) was a Soviet twin-engine dive bomber used during World War II. One of the outstanding tactical attack aircraft of the war, it also proved successful as a heavy fighter, as a night fighter (Pe-3 variant) and as a reconnaissance aircraft. The Pe-2 was, numerically, the most important Soviet bomber of World War II, at their peak comprising 75% of the Soviet twin-engine bomber force. The Soviets manufactured Pe-2s in greater numbers (11,430 built) during the war than any other twin-engine combat aircraft except for the German Junkers Ju 88 and the British Vickers Wellington.

🔎How to recognise it: 2 piston engines with propellers · 17.2 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 540 km/htop speed
• range 1,315 kmwithout refuelling
• size 8,520 kgmax take-off weight
• built 11,427made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 87 years ago, in 1939.
• 🏎️Top speed is 4.2× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 🚗Wingspan of 17.2 m: about 4 cars parked nose to tail.
• 🌍Range of 1,315 km: 7× Amsterdam to Brussels.

piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.

spec sheet

first flight

1939-12-22

introduced

1941

retired

1954

status

retired

number built

11,427

role

dive bomber

origin

🇷🇺 Soviet Union

makers

Kazan Aircraft Production Association, Petlyakov

engines

2× Klimov M-105RA / Klimov M-105

crew

3

length

12.7 m

wingspan

17.2 m

height

3.4 m

max take-off weight

8,520 kg

top speed

540 km/h

cruise speed

428 km/h

range

1,315 km

ceiling

8,800 m

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.