Tupolev TU-2

Tupolev TU-2
Country	Soviet Union
Role	Bomber aircraft
First flight	29 January 1941
Built	2257

Photo gallery of a Tupolev TU-2S, The Tupolev Tu-2 (development names ANT-58 and 103; NATO reporting name Bat) was a twin-engine Soviet high-speed daylight and frontline (SDB and FB) bomber aircraft of World War II vintage. The Tu-2 was tailored to meet a requirement for a high-speed bomber or dive-bomber, with a large internal bombload, and speed similar to that of a single-seat fighter. Designed to challenge the German Junkers Ju 88, the Tu-2 proved comparable, and was produced in torpedo, interceptor and reconnaissance versions. The Tu-2 was one of the outstanding combat aircraft of World War II and it played a key role in the Red Army’s final offensives

Source: Tupolev TU-2 on Wiki

Tupolev TU-2
Photographer	Unknow
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	13

Tupolev TU-2S 01

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Tupolev TU-2S 04

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Tupolev TU-2S 08

Tupolev TU-2S 09

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Tu-2 Bat Walk Around
Photographer	Michael Benolkin
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	47

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Tu-2 Bat 01

Tu-2 Bat 02

Tu-2 Bat 03

Tu-2 Bat 04

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Tu-2 Bat 07

Tu-2 Bat 08

Tu-2 Bat 09

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The “Bat” Born in Captivity

The Tupolev Tu-2 (NATO reporting name “Bat”) was a twin-engine high-speed daylight bomber that many historians consider the finest Soviet aircraft of World War II. Its development story is legendary: Andrei Tupolev designed the aircraft while imprisoned in a Sharashka (a secret NKVD prison laboratory). Despite its troubled beginnings, the Tu-2 was a triumph of engineering—fast enough to outrun many German fighters, rugged enough to survive intense flak, and versatile enough to act as a dive bomber, torpedo bomber, and interceptor.

Attribute	Technical Specification (Tu-2S)
Role	Frontline / Dive Bomber
Crew	4 (Pilot, Navigator/Bombardier, Gunner, Radio Op/Gunner)
First Flight	January 29, 1941 (ANT-58)
Powerplant	2 × Shvetsov ASh-82 radial engines
Horsepower	1,850 hp (1,380 kW) each
Maximum Speed	340 mph (547 km/h) at altitude
Internal Bomb Load	1,500 kg (Standard) / 3,000 kg (Maximum)
Fixed Armament	2 × 20 mm ShVAK cannons in wing roots

Design Engineering: Speed and Survivability

The High-Lift Wing: The Tu-2 featured a large mid-wing design with high-lift devices that allowed it to operate from short, muddy frontline airfields that grounded other heavy bombers.
ASh-82 Radial Engines: By using air-cooled radial engines instead of liquid-cooled ones, the Tu-2 became incredibly durable. A single bullet to a radiator would down a Pe-2, but the Tu-2 could fly home with cylinders shattered by flak.
Defensive Firepower: The “Bat” was bristling with defense, usually carrying three flexible 12.7mm UBT machine guns in dorsal and ventral positions, covering almost every angle of approach for enemy fighters.
Modular Bomb Bay: The internal bomb bay was designed to be modular, allowing for a single massive 1,000kg bomb or a cluster of smaller anti-tank munitions. It also featured external racks for heavy torpedoes or rockets.

A Career Across Eras

Battle of Kursk and Beyond: Although it arrived in small numbers initially, the Tu-2 proved its worth during the massive battles of 1943. Its speed and dive-bombing accuracy made it the preferred tool for smashing German rail hubs and panzer concentrations.
The “Fire Hedgehog” (Tu-2Sh): In a terrifying experimental variant, the Soviets fitted a Tu-2 with a pallet of 88 PPSh-41 submachine guns in the bomb bay, tilted downward to strafe enemy infantry columns.
Cold War Veteran: After WWII, the Tu-2 remained a staple of the Soviet Air Force and was exported to China, North Korea, and Poland. It saw significant action during the Korean War, flying missions against UN forces.
The Basis for the Tu-4: The experience Tupolev gained with the Tu-2’s airframe and systems was vital when he was tasked with the “reverse-engineering” of the American B-29 Superfortress to create the Tu-4.