Polikarpov Po-2 "Mule"
Polikarpov · Soviet Union · first flew 1928 · light aircraft
The Polikarpov Po-2 is a Soviet biplane trainer and utility aircraft that became the most-produced biplane in history, with approximately 40,000 examples manufactured between 1928 and 1952.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.17 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
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Spot it by:
- Most-produced biplane in history, with over 40,000 built
- Associated with the Soviet Night Witches all-female night bombing regiment in WWII
- Fabric-covered two-bay biplane with fixed tailwheel undercarriage
Small equal-span biplane with a round-nosed fuselage, open tandem cockpits, and a fixed tailwheel undercarriage; fabric-covered wings with no sweepback.
Specifications
- The Polikarpov Po-2 has a length of 8.17 m (27 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.4 m (37 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 152 km/h (94 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed by Nikolai Polikarpov and first flown in 1928 as the U-2, it was renamed Po-2 after Polikarpov's death in 1944. The type served as the primary Soviet basic trainer for two decades and was famously employed as a nuisance night bomber on the Eastern Front by the 588th Night Bomber Regiment, whose female crews were dubbed 'Night Witches' by German troops.
Variants
Principal variants include the U-2VS military trainer, U-2LNB night bomber, U-2S ambulance version, and numerous agricultural and communications sub-types; production continued in Poland as the CSS-13.
Where you'll see it
Served with the Soviet Air Forces throughout the Great Patriotic War and into the 1950s; exported to numerous Warsaw Pact countries and used in the Korean War by North Korea as a harassment bomber.
Related aircraft
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