Petlyakov Pe-8

The Petlyakov Pe‑8, originally designated TB‑7, was the Soviet Union’s only four‑engine heavy bomber to reach operational status during World II. Designed in the late 1930s at the Tupolev design bureau and later placed under the leadership of Vladimir Petlyakov after his arrest, the aircraft entered service in 1941. Its all‑metal airframe featured a wingspan of 38.5 m and could carry up to 4 000 kg of bombs, while a pair of Shvetsov M-62 engines powered the inner nacelles and later versions used more powerful Mikulin AM-34FRN engines, giving a maximum speed of about 440 km/h and a range exceeding 3 500 km. Defensive armament consisted of multiple 12.7 mm machine guns in dorsal, ventral and tail positions, providing all‑round protection. The Pe‑8 was used for strategic night bombing, high‑altitude photo‑reconnaissance, and transport missions, including the historic delivery of Soviet diplomats to the Tehran Conference. Though only 93 examples were built, the aircraft demonstrated the feasibility of long‑range, multi‑engine bomber design for the USSR and influenced post‑war projects such as the Tu‑4 copy of the B‑29. Its operational record and technical achievements cement the Pe‑8’s place as a milestone in Soviet aviation history.

Tupolev

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