Sukhoi Su-2
Sukhoi · Soviet Union · first flew 1937 · bomber
The Sukhoi Su-2 was a Soviet single-engine light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, the first production design credited to Pavel Sukhoi's design bureau.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 10.25 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- single radial engine on a low tapered wing
- glazed rear gunner position behind the main cockpit
- main legs retracting inward into the wing centre-section, and a tailwheel that retracts into the tailcone
Identified by its single radial engine, low tapered wing, and glazed rear gunner's position behind the pilot, giving it a silhouette similar to other early Soviet light bombers of its era.
Specifications
- The Sukhoi Su-2 has a length of 10.25 m (34 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14.3 m (47 ft).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in 1937, it entered Red Army Air Force service shortly before the Second World War and saw extensive but costly action during the 1941 German invasion, where it proved vulnerable to enemy fighters.
Variants
Variants included the baseline Su-2 with the M-88 engine and an uprated Su-2M-82 with a more powerful radial engine, alongside a small artillery-spotting derivative.
Where you'll see it
Withdrawn from front-line service by 1942 as losses mounted and it was superseded by more capable types; none survive today, and it had no UK service history.
Related aircraft
- Sukhoi Su-1
- Sukhoi Su-6
- Sukhoi Su-8
- Sukhoi Su-15 (1949)
- Aero A.104
- Amiot 350 family
- Arado Ar 195
- Boeing XB-15
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