Pe-8

Pe-8

Pe-2-359

Yer-2 (ACh-30B) (e)

Pe-8

Pe-2-359

Yer-2 (ACh-30B) (e)

USSR

III Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
4.3	4.3	5.3

Class:

Bomber

Long Range bomber

Research:33 000

Purchase:105 000

Show in game

Description

The Pe-8 is a rank III Soviet heavy bomber with a battle rating of 4.3 (AB/RB) and 5.3 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.53 "Firestorm".

The Pe-8 (Petlyakov-8) is the first heavy bomber in the Soviet tree, known best for its incredible defensive armament and its ability to carry the FAB-5000 bomb, the largest bomb in the game. Weighing 5,080 kilograms and a payload of 3361 kilograms of TGA-16 explosive (5041.5 kilograms TNT equivalent), it gives the Pe-8 a payload rivaling many tier IV bombers, only outclassed at the same battle rating by the Halifax. Due to this, the Pe-8 has earned the reputation of being a Russian death star - It's very, very hard hitting, but, you will be targeted as a large heavy bomber. Enemies will make you a high priority target and will try to attack you at any cost, even if they lose their lives in the process.

General info

Flight Performance

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed (km/h at 5,900 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
412	398	10500	37.2	37.6	4.9	4.9	1,500
Upgraded
Max Speed (km/h at 5,900 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
445	422	10500	35.1	36.0	10.2	7.2	1,500

Details

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

Limits
Wing-break speed (km/h)	Gear limit (km/h)	Combat flap (km/h)	Max Static G
			+	-
535	300	480	~1	~1

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
250	261	391	> 200

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
2,050 m	6,160 hp	7,478 hp

Survivability and armour

• 8 mm Steel - Plate behind pilot's seat
• 8 mm Steel - Plate behind copilot's seat
• 8 mm Steel - Plate for underwing nacelle gunners x 2
• No armour glazing
• Critical components located in front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)
• More fuel tanks located in throughout wings

Armaments

Suspended armament

The Pe-8 can be outfitted with various payloads:

• 40 x 50 kg FAB-50 bombs (2,000 kg total)
• 40 x 100 kg FAB-100 bombs (4,000 kg total)
• 12 x 250 kg FAB-250M43 bombs (3,000 kg total)
• 6 x 500 kg FAB-500 (welded) bombs (3,000 kg total)
• 4 x 1,000 kg FAB-1000 bombs (4,000 kg total)
• 1 x 5,000 kg FAB-5000 bomb (5,000 kg total)

Defensive armament

The Pe-8 is defended by:

• 2 x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns, nose turret (750 rpg = 1,500 total)
• 1 x 12.7 mm Berezin UB machine gun, 2 x engine nacelle turret (200 rpg = 400 total)
• 1 x 20 mm ShVAK cannon, dorsal turret (200 rpg)
• 1 x 20 mm ShVAK cannon, tail turret (230 rpg)

Usage in the battles

The Pe-8, as mentioned earlier, is basically a Russian Death Star (a.k.a Tu-4 at a lower tier). It both boasts a very effective cannon armament and a high bomb load, able to kill two bases in one pass. It's 5000 kilo bomb is especially useful in Ground Battles as a "tactical nuke" of sorts, able to wipe out large concentrations of enemy tanks.

However, the FAB-5000's practicality ends there. In Air Battles, the FAB-5000 is woefully overpowered against most targets and makes it inferior to most of the plane's other bomb combinations. In addition, it peculiarly does less damage against an airfield than the 4 x 1,000 kg payload, further decreasing its usefulness. Instead, use the other payloads. The stock payload of 40 x 100 kg bombs, while difficult to aim, can still be used to base bomb, simply drop 12 on a base to destroy it (remember that the first 16 are pylon mounted meaning they drop in pairs, so the first base will require only 6 presses of the bomb release button). Keep using this payload for base bombing until you unlock the 4 x 1,000 kg modification, as all the other payloads yield less damage. You can use your bombs to destroy ground targets as well, however, be sure to be high enough or use a timer so that the bomb's splash damage doesn't kill you.

Try to side climb around the main battle when going after bases - though your defensive armament is powerful, you will be an easy target for experienced players, heavy fighters, and groups of fighters that encounter you. If you see an enemy, always turn the plane to make sure the rear cannon-armed guns face the pursuer so you can focus as much of your defensive firepower on them as possible while also increasing the time you can put your guns on the target. Make sure to fire in bursts as your guns will jam if fired for too long.

Counter-tactics

When pursuing the Pe-8, try to go for a head-on - nearly all the time there is critical damage and "pilot snipes" to down the aircraft - with the added bonus that the front is the least defended area of the Pe-8. Use your mobility to do so. When in a not so optimal position, try to come up at a angle above the Pe-8 - with a sharp enough angle, you will stop the 12.7's from reaching you, and with a bit of luck, you will make it past the single 20 defending the plane.

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Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Not controllable	Not controllable	Not controllable	Separate	Not ontrollable	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage Repair	Radiator		Turret 12 mm		Der-13P
II		Compressor	Airframe	New 12 mm MGs (turret)		Der-19P
III	Wings Repair	Engine		Turret 7 mm	Turret 12 mm	Der-20P
IV		Engine Injection	Cover	New 7 mm MGs (turret)	New 12 mm MGs (turret)	Der-20U

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Largest bomb in game - the 5,000 kg FAB-5000
• Good overall payload for its tier
• Incredible defensive armament, third to only the G8N1 and Tu-4
• Durable airframe - can take some damage and make it home
• Can resist being up-tiered for a while; possible to bring in tier IV matches
• A big step up from the Yer-2's ShKAS
• Matchmaking can be gracious
• Reputation - reason weaker fighters will stay low (Enemies)
• Decent Silver Lions and Research Points earner

Cons:

• Large, heavy, and slow
• Poor climb rate and speed
• Prone to very devastating fires
• Stock bomb load is prone to missing when used for base bombing
• Defensive turrets lack ammo and jam easily, resulting in frequent reloads that essentially leave you defenseless
• Turrets lack armor and gunners die easily
• Reputation - a reason fighters will climb up to bomber altitude (Enemies)
• Frontal defensive ShKAS machine guns aren't particularly effective.
• While coverage to the rear is pretty good, frontal coverage is poor. Aircraft coming from high altitude can avoid the defensive fire power.
• In Mixed Battles, it is very easily to accidentally team kill as the blast radius of the FAB-500 is very large.

History

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Media

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Read 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.

Sources

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