Tu-2T. Production torpedo-bomber version (torpedonosets) built for the AVMF
The Tupolev Tu-2 was one of the best medium bombers of WWII and although the first prototype took to the air in 1941, it was only closer to the end of the conflict that it started to appear in serious numbers. After the war, it continued to be produced and had a long career in many air forces, China withdrawing the last of them from service in 1982. The depicted aircraft saw service during the postwar years in Naval Aviation, operating over the Black Sea, from one of their Crimean bases.
ANT-62T, or Tu-2T: A torpedo carrier version with two ASh-82FN engines and extra fuel tanks installed in the bomb bay. Its first flight took place on 2 August 1946 with Fiodor Opadchi in command. After its trials, it was handed over to the Navy and a small production run followed. Tu-2Ts replaced the Ilyushin I1-4T in naval service and were assigned to squadrons based on the Black Sea and Baltic Sea. It remained in service until the mid- 1950s.
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Tupolev has the ‘honour’ of building one of the worst Soviet bombers, and one of the best Soviet bombers used during World War 2. The worst was the SB-2, not because of design but because of being obsolete and other reasons. One of the best bombers was this aircraft, the Tu-2. The Tu-2 started it’s life when Tupolev was imprisoned in the NKVD (forerunner of KGB) State Prison were more aircraft designers were held after being falsely accused of spying for and collaboration with the Germans. The project was originally called ANT-58, or Type ‘103’. By Februari 1940 the preliminary design was ready. The Tu-2 would be a very clean cantilever mid-wing monoplane with an all-metal structure, a dihedraled tail unit with endplate vertical surfaces and fully retractable landing gear including main units that retracted into the underside of the nacelles for the two wing-mounted engines. There followed an improved ANT-59 prototype with the same powerplant of 2 × Mikulin AM-37 Vee, rated at 1,400 hp (1.044 kW) each, but these were then replaced by a pair of Shvetsov ASh-82 radials that were retained in the ANT-60 that was the simplified production prototype for the ANT-61 that entered operational evaluation service in November 1942 and was redesignated as the Tu-2 early in the following year.
The Tu-2 was the USSR’s third (historically) important twin-engined bomber (after the Il-4 and Pe-2), and brought A. N. Tupolev back into favour after a period of detention. Heavy armament, powerful engines and incredible construction strength allowed the crew after dropping bombs to turn back and engage… enemy fighters.
Tu-2 was a mid-wing monoplane with large bomb bay under the wing and twin tails. Production aircraft differed slightly from each other by nose section shape and size, except long-range versions (those had noticeably larger wing and tail surfaces). Standard crew included pilot (in the front cockpit), navigator (behind him), gunner and radio operator/gunner in rear cockpit behind the wing. Long-range variants sometimes had crew of five, in some missions crew was cut to 2-3.
Bomb load was 1000kg inside the fuselage and 1000kg externally. Tu-2 was often used in overload configuration, carrying up to 4000kg of bombs. Maximum bomb calibre – 1000kg. Normal armament included pair of 20mm ShVAK cannons in the wing roots and 3…5 7.62mm ShKAS in three (navigator, gunner, operator/gunner) defensive positions. Those were replaced by heavy 12.7mm UBT machineguns. Optional RS-132 launchers could be carried under the wing (up to 10). In later modifications (including the most built) those launchers were deleted.
