Petlyakov Pe-2 experimental versions

Purpose: To test various items on modified Pe-2 aircraft.

Design Bureau: Basic aircraft, ‘100’ in special prison CCB-29 (TsKB-29), later V M Petlyakov’s own OKB.

Production of this outstanding fast tactical bomber totalled 11,427. One of the experi­mental wartime versions was the Pe-2Sh (Shturmovik, assaulter) with various combi­nations of20mm ShVAK cannon and 7.62mm ShKAS either firing ahead from a gondola or installed in one or more batteries firing obliquely down from what had been the fuse­lage bomb bay. The Pe-2VI and Pe-2VB were
special high-altitude versions with pressur­ized cabins and VK-105PD engines with two – stage superchargers. The Pe-2RD was fitted with a Dushkin/Glushko RD-1 or RD-lKhZ rocket engine installed in the tailcone, with the tanks and control system in the rear fuse­lage. This aircraft was tested in 1943 by Mark L Gallai. Like the similarly modified Tu-2, the Pe-2 Paravan (paravane) had a 5m (16ft Sin) beam projecting ahead of the nose from the tip of which strong cables led tightly back to the wingtips. While the Tu-2 had a tubular beam, that of the Pe-2 was a truss girder, and the balloon cables struck by the wires were deflected further by large wingtip rails. From
1945 one Pe-2, as well as at least one Tu-2, was used by CIAM and Factory No 51 to flight test a succession of pulsejet engines begin­ning with captured German Argus 109-014 flying-bomb units. Test engines were mount­ed above the rear fuselage, with fuel fed by pressurizing the special aircraft tank to 1.5kg/cm2 (21.31b/in2). In 1946-51, under V N Chelomey, Factory 51 improved this Ger­man pulsejet into a succession of engines designated from D-3 to D-14-4. All the early models were tested on the Pe-2, despite fatigue caused by the severe vibration.

Top left: Twin ShVAK-20 cannon in Pe-2Sh (two more were further back).

Right: Pe-2VI.