Pe-2-31

Pe-2-31

Pe-2-1

Pe-2-83

Pe-2-31

Pe-2-1

Pe-2-83

USSR

II Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
3.3	3.3	3.7

Class:

Bomber

Frontline bomber

Dive bomber

Research:5 600

Purchase:22 000

Show in game

This page is about the Russian bomber Pe-2-31. For other versions, see Pe-2 (Family).

Description

The Pe-2-31 Peshka is a rank II Soviet bomber with a battle rating of 3.3 (AB/RB) and 3.7 (SB). It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27. For French, German, Italian, Castellano, and Japanese, this aircraft is known as Pe-2-21 in the localisation files, instead of Pe-2-31. There is no difference between them.

General info

Flight performance

Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 5,100 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	511	495	8400	29.6	31.3	7.2	7.2	326
Upgraded	___	___		__._	__._	__._	__._

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
✓	✓	✓	✓	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
740	450	___	___	320	~9	~5

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 380	< 380	< 440	> 307

Survivability and armour

Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.

Armaments

Offensive armament

The Pe-2-31 is armed with:

• 1 x 12.7 mm Berezin UB machine gun, nose-mounted (150 rpg)
• 1 x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine gun, nose-mounted (450 rpg)

Suspended armament

The Pe-2-31 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• 6 x 100 kg FAB-100 bombs (600 kg total)
• 2 x 250 kg FAB-250M43 bombs + 4 x 100 kg FAB-100 bombs (900 kg total)
• 4 x 250 kg FAB-250M43 bombs (1,000 kg total)
• 2 x 500 kg FAB-500 bombs (1,000 kg total)
• 10 x RS-132 rockets
• 10 x RBS-132 rockets

Defensive armament

The Pe-2-31 is defended by:

• 1 x 12.7 mm Berezin UB machine gun, ventral turret (230 rpg)
• 1 x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine gun, dorsal turret (750 rpg)
• 1 x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine gun, 2 x beam turret (225 rpg)

Usage in battles

Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Controllable Not auto controlled	Not controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Auto control available	Separate	Controllable 2 gears	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage repair	Radiator	Offensive 7 mm	Turret 7 mm	DZ-40
II		Compressor	Airframe	New 7 mm MGs	New 7 mm MGs (turret)
III	Wings repair	Engine	Offensive 12 mm	Turret 12 mm	RO-132
IV		Engine injection	Cover	New 12 mm MGs	New 12 mm MGs (turret)

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Light weight
• Great rate of climb
• Manoeuvrable

Cons:

• Low bomb Load
• Large silhouette

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).

In-game description

Since the Pe-2's mass production had begun, its defensive armament was recognized by the military as weak for a modern bomber. Beginning with series 13 (launched in April to May of 1941), the ShKAS hatch mount was replaced with a VUB-2 turret with a 12.7mm BT machine gun and a magazine capacity of 200 rounds. The starboard ShKAS machine gun mounted to port forward was replaced with a 12.7mm BK machine gun with 150 rounds. Also, the magazine capacity of the port ShKAS was decreased to 450 rounds.

By June 22, 1941, when Germany invaded the USSR, factories had managed to produce 490 new dive bombers. Subsequent upgrades of the Pe-2 were then made based on combat experience.

Series 22 saw the installation of M-105RA engines with floatless carburettors, which improved the aircraft's behavior when diving. Beginning with series 23, an extra ShKAS machine gun with 225 rounds was installed in the radio operator/gunner's cockpit. It was designed to fire from side ball mounts and through the upper fuselage hatch. The area of the navigator's and the radio operator/gunner's protective armor was increased, and the robustness of the fuel system was improved. The aircraft was equipped with an inert gas filling system, and duralumin tanks were replaced with fiber ones, which were more effective at dealing with bullets. By series 32, the aircraft could be fitted with guide rails to hold 10 RS-132 unguided rockets under the wings. Some Pe-2s were equipped with RO-82 launchers to fire RS-82 unguided rockets backwards, to defend against any fighters attacking from the aircraft's lower rear. Since September 1941, the Pe-2's bomb load was upgraded by adding KMB-Pe-2 bomblet clusters, which enabled the efficient bombing of soft area-type targets.

A total of 1,671 dive bombers were manufactured by four mass production factories during 1941. The new plane served on all front lines from the Barents Sea to the Black Sea. The Pe-2s were received not only by regiments of the Air Force of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army but also by aviation units of the Northern, Baltic, and Black Sea Fleets.

From February 1942 (series 64) on, the side ball mounts were replaced with pivot mounts and the turret's sighting angle was increased. Series 80 saw yet another defensive upgrade: the navigator's and the radio operator/gunner's positions were given upgraded armor.

On 12 January 1942, chief designer V. M. Petlyakov died in an air crash while flying in a Pe-2. His position was filled by his deputy, A. M. Izakson, who was later replaced by another of Petlyakov's colleagues, A. I. Putilov.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• encyclopedia page on the aircraft;
• other literature.