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World War II: Soviet Union
Russian aircraft of WWII
Hosted by Rowan Baylis
The best Russian bomber?
pampa14
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Santa Catarina, Brazil
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Posted: Saturday, October 03, 2015 - 04:16 PM UTC

The link below provides a collection of photos, including some rare showing planes captured by the Germans with Finnish markings. Do you agree with the statement that the Petlyakov Pe-2 was the best light bomber of World War II? Visit the link, see the photos and give your opinion.


http://aviacaoemfloripa.blogspot.com.br/2011/01/petlyakov-pe-2.html


Best Regards.
48thscale
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Limburg, Netherlands
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Posted: Saturday, October 03, 2015 - 08:02 PM UTC
For me that would be the de Havilland Mosquito...

A seriously fast wooden (!!!) airplane that did some quite amazing things.

Sorry, not the Russiian for me, I'm afraid;-)

H.
Kepler
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Genova, Italy
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Posted: Saturday, October 03, 2015 - 10:32 PM UTC
Among the Pe2s, there are a couple of intruders. Third from top is a fighter prototype: DIS-200 or Mig 5. Second from bottom is a Tu2, and another one is in the middle (Polish markings, battle number 8 ).
It’s always hard and subjective compare different planes designed for different missions. We can say that both the Pe2 and the Tu2 were successful and very advanced types for their days.
Redhand
#522
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Posted: Sunday, October 04, 2015 - 03:06 AM UTC
If you are asking what the best "light" bomber of WWII was I assume you are talking twin engine aircraft.

Comparisons are difficult because of the variety of missions such aircraft performed but for effectiveness and versatility I would have to say the Mosquito. An absolute engineering marvel, with incredible speed and altitude capabilities.

The Ju-88 has to rank near the top too. On the U.S, side I think the twin-engine nod has to go to the B-25.

I really don't know enough about the Pe-2 to form an opinion, but I suppose the Tu-2 and IL-4 are its only Russian competitors. It would be interesting to know if Russian airmen preferred their own aircraft to the B-25s and A-20s received under lend lease.
Kepler
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Genova, Italy
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Posted: Sunday, October 04, 2015 - 02:56 PM UTC
Pe2, Tu2 and Il4 were quite different beasts. The Peshka had overall dimensions similar to Mosquito, but was stressed for dive-bombing, and was well suited for tactical conditions on Eastern front. It had a top speed of around 350 mph and there are no comparable western bombers, the A20 was much heavier and slower.
For the Il4 a comparison may be attempted with the British Hampden or the German Do17, all non-outstanding types.
The Tu2 was a little bigger than the Pe2, and was so successful that it was built from 1941 to 1948. It was heavily armed, very manoeuvrable and able to survive heavy damage. A little smaller than the Ju88, it was faster and had better defensive armament (in my opinion, it was overall a better bomber).
All that said, I think that this kind of comparison is always subjective and questionable. Bias come often into play, and anti-Russian bias are very common.

spaarndammer
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Posted: Sunday, October 04, 2015 - 04:43 PM UTC
I don't have enough knowledge of the subject matter to make comparisons, but I like the pictures very much. Especially the 6th picture from the top is nice. Looks some sort of white wash was applied to the machine.



Jelger
GastonMarty
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Posted: Tuesday, October 06, 2015 - 02:09 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Pe2, Tu2 and Il4 were quite different beasts. The Peshka had overall dimensions similar to Mosquito, but was stressed for dive-bombing, and was well suited for tactical conditions on Eastern front. It had a top speed of around 350 mph and there are no comparable western bombers, the A20 was much heavier and slower.
For the Il4 a comparison may be attempted with the British Hampden or the German Do17, all non-outstanding types.
The Tu2 was a little bigger than the Pe2, and was so successful that it was built from 1941 to 1948. It was heavily armed, very manoeuvrable and able to survive heavy damage. A little smaller than the Ju88, it was faster and had better defensive armament (in my opinion, it was overall a better bomber).
All that said, I think that this kind of comparison is always subjective and questionable. Bias come often into play, and anti-Russian bias are very common.




I agree the Tu-2 was probably among the best, being able to out-turn single engine fighters. (I think the light for its size Ki-67 might have been a serious contender, even in maneuverability).

But the Tu-2 is a much later design than the Pe-2: The Tu-2 was not really in service until late 1943, and is mostly a 1944 aircraft: Not a fair comparison.

For a pure bomber aircraft that served from 1941, Pe-2 and the A-20 are strong contenders.

Of course the Mosquito was probably the best of all, but it was also a night fighter and a daylight fighter-bomber, and so then at least the P-38 also deserves to get mentionned...

With bombload I think the Mosquito beats them all in range, and is a match for the P-38 in speed. Is range an important requirement for a light bomber?

Gaston
Kepler
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Posted: Tuesday, October 06, 2015 - 01:12 PM UTC

Quoted Text


I agree the Tu-2 was probably among the best, being able to out-turn single engine fighters. (I think the light for its size Ki-67 might have been a serious contender, even in maneuverability).



Perhaps this is a little exaggerated, but surely the Tu2 was highly manoeuvrable for a machine of its size. The same could be said, despite its appearance, for the Lockheed Hudson.


Quoted Text

But the Tu-2 is a much later design than the Pe-2: The Tu-2 was not really in service until late 1943, and is mostly a 1944 aircraft: Not a fair comparison.


Actually, the Tu2 prototype flew on December 15th, 1941, exactly a year later than Pe2. Pre-production machines flew combat sorties beginning February 1942 but, in October, Stavka (supreme command, actually Stalin) took the decision to stop production, to leave room for the Yak9. It was a bad mistake, but the Tu2 was so good that Stalin changed his mind and production was reinstated, the type returning to combat in 1944.


Quoted Text


With bombload I think the Mosquito beats them all in range, and is a match for the P-38 in speed. Is range an important requirement for a light bomber?

Gaston


This is a very good question. The Mosquito was designed as a strategic bomber, a radical alternative to Lancasters, Halifaxes and the like. If crew casualties, fuel consumption, airframe and engines costs are factored against bomb tonnage dropped on target, the Mosquito was probably better than four engine heavies, B17 included (the B29 was in a different league). At 2.000 Km, the Tu2 was not bad in range either.
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