Tupolev Tu-2 "Bat"

Tupolev · Soviet Union · first flew 1941 · bomber

The Tupolev Tu-2 was the principal Soviet medium bomber of the Second World War, combining high speed, good range, and a useful bomb load in a robust and versatile airframe.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	2 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	13.8 m fuselage
T — Tail	Twin fin

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Twin-engine Soviet WWII medium bomber with glazed nose and twin tail fins
Widely regarded as the best Soviet bomber of the Second World War
Mid-wing layout with long greenhouse canopy and ventral gondola

Mid-wing twin-engine monoplane with a glazed nose, prominent twin vertical tail fins, an underslung ventral gondola, and two large radial engines in long-chord cowlings.

Specifications

The Tupolev Tu-2 has a length of 13.8 m (45 ft).
It has a wingspan of 18.86 m (62 ft).
Its maximum speed is 547 km/h (340 mph).
Typical crew: 4.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Designed under Andrei Tupolev while he was imprisoned in a sharashka design bureau, the Tu-2 first flew in 1941 and entered service in 1942. It proved markedly superior to the Pe-2 it supplemented and was produced in large numbers despite the disruptions of the war.

Variants

Variants included the Tu-2S standard bomber, Tu-2T torpedo bomber, Tu-2R reconnaissance aircraft, and the Tu-2D with extended wingspan; the type also served as the basis for post-war development.

Where you'll see it

Served with the Soviet Air Forces from 1942 until the early 1950s, also equipping Polish, Chinese, and North Korean air arms; North Korean Tu-2s flew missions in the Korean War.

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