Pe 2 Apr 2026

The Pe-2 entered service in 1941 and quickly became the backbone of the Soviet Air Force. It was incredibly versatile:

Working under the threat of execution, Petlyakov’s team met the impossible deadline. They stripped the VI-100 of its pressurized cabin, added dive brakes, and modified the fuselage to hold a bomb bay. Stalin was so impressed with the result that he granted Petlyakov his freedom. The Pe-2 entered service in 1941 and quickly

: Its handling allowed pilots to be exceptionally accurate, with some famously able to "plant a bomb down a chimney stack". Stalin was so impressed with the result that

The aircraft was a technical marvel for its time, featuring a pressurized cabin and all-metal construction. However, after witnessing the terrifying effectiveness of German "Stuka" dive bombers during the invasion of France in 1940, Stalin personally ordered Petlyakov to scrap the fighter and redesign it as a —and he gave him just 45 days to do it. A Masterpiece Under Pressure a rare feat for a bomber.

: It was so fast that it could often outrun German Messerschmitts, a rare feat for a bomber.