The Polikarpov Po-2, known as the U-2 before 1944, was a Soviet utility and trainer biplane designed as a replacement for the U-1 trainer (a copy of the British Avro 504) in 1928. Due to its STOL capability and ease of production, between 20,000 and 30,000 Po-2s across all variants were produced from 1928 to 1953, making it one of the most produced aircraft in history. The Po-2 was widely used in the USSR in both civilian and utility roles. Due to its agricultural usage, the Po-2 earned the nickname Kukuruznik (lit. "cropduster"), which it later shared with its successor, the Antonov An-2.

Among the various military variants of the Po-2, the Po-2VS is perhaps the most well known. The Po-2VS was a ground-attack variant featuring bomb racks and a defensive ShKAS machine gun. Despite its outdated design, the Po-2VS was widely used as a night bomber due to its gliding capability, which allowed the pilot to silently approach the target. The Po-2VS's most famous pilots were the all-women aircrew of the 588th Night Bomber Regiment, better known as the "Night Witches", who took part in numerous night raids against German positions. The Po-2VS also held the distinction of being the only biplane to take down a jet aircraft, when a North Korean Po-2VS managed to stall an American F-94 Starfire jet fighter, causing it to crash during the Korean War in 1953.

The Po-2 has been in the game since the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27. One of the most infamous planes in War Thunder, the Po-2 has earned the affectionate nickname "2-OP" thanks to its poor characteristics, especially its notoriously slow top speed and structural speed limit. It does not come without its strengths, though — the Po-2 can carry an effective bombload, and it can be very evasive against enemy aircraft thanks to its slow speed and impressive manoeuvrability. However, due to its simple construction, the Po-2 is so fragile that even small machine guns are sufficient to send it back to the hangar.