WarSimBox
Petlyakov Pe-2, the in-game model
1941Soviet UnionDive bomber

Petlyakov Pe-2

The Petlyakov Pe-2 was a fast twin-engined dive bomber. It had originally been designed as a high-altitude fighter and was turned into a dive bomber just before the war. At about 11,400 built, it was the most-produced Soviet bomber of the war; crews called it the “Peshka” (pawn).

An aircraft designed in prison

Vladimir Petlyakov had been arrested in the purges of the Stalin era and sent to a closed design bureau where imprisoned engineers were put to work. There he designed the VI-100, a twin-engined high-altitude fighter with a pressurised cabin. In 1940, when the Soviet air force needed a fast dive bomber more, the design was turned into one in a few weeks: that is how the Pe-2 was born.

Petlyakov was released, but did not see his aircraft’s success for long: he died in a Pe-2 crash in January 1942.

Petlyakov Pe-2, side view
Petlyakov Pe-2: the in-game model from the side.

On the Eastern Front

The Pe-2 was fast and could dive steeply with the dive brakes under its wings; at low altitude it was as fast as many fighters. Its defensive armament was weak, though, and the aircraft took experience to fly, especially on take-off and landing. Besides dive bombing it was used for level bombing, reconnaissance and as a heavy fighter.

The 587th Bomber Regiment, formed by the woman pilot Marina Raskova and crewed by women, also flew the Pe-2.

In WarSimBox

In the game it is a dive bomber: it dives at about 70 degrees with its dive brakes open and releases at about 800 m. It is much faster than the single-engined dive bombers, but its defence is weak.

Unlocked in the aircraft tree after researching Junkers Ju 87 B-2 Stuka, Perforated dive flaps and Improved V12 inline engine.

Top speed
540 km/h · 4,000 m
Climb
11.5 m/s
Sustained turn
22.6 s
Stall speed
159 km/h

These figures come from the game’s flight model (climb, turn and stall at sea level).

Fly it in WarSimBox