Shcherbakov Shche-2

The Shcherbakov Shche‑2 was a Soviet utility transport designed in the latter part of World War II by the modest yet inventive engineer Aleksei Shcherbakov. Conceived in 1943 to meet the Red Army’s urgent need for a simple, rugged aircraft capable of operating from improvised airstrips, the Shche‑2 entered limited production in 1944 and remained in service through the early post‑war years. Its all‑wooden airframe, low‑mounted wing and fixed landing gear gave it a low‑cost, easy‑maintenance profile that suited the austere conditions of the Eastern Front. Powered by a single Shvetsov M-11 radial engine delivering roughly 110 kW, the plane could cruise at 190 km h⁻¹, carry up to six passengers or equivalent cargo, and even be equipped as a makeshift air‑ambulance. The Shche‑2’s short take‑off and landing distances allowed it to use unprepared fields, forests, and riverbanks, making it invaluable for supply runs, liaison duties, and medical evacuation in remote areas. Though produced in modest numbers, the aircraft demonstrated the practicality of wooden construction in wartime scarcity and laid groundwork for later Soviet light transport designs, securing its niche place in aviation history.

Aleksei Shcherbakov

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Design & Classification