Petlyakov Pe-3

Long-Range Heavy Fighter / Night-Fighter Aircraft

Soviet Union | 1941

"The Petlyakov Pe-3 heavy fighter / night fighter variant developed from the successful Petlyakov Pe 2 line."

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 05/18/2016 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The Petlyakov Pe-2 was an original Soviet twin-engined aircraft design emerging in the late-1930s, becoming one of the most important aircraft of the Soviet effort during World War 2 (1939-1945). Initially conceived of as a dive bomber in the mold of the successful German Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka", the Pe-2 graduated to undertake a myriad of battlefield roles including fighter-bomber, light bomber, close support, reconnaissance and night fighter. For the heavy fighter/night fighter role, the aircraft was designated separately as the "Pe-3" and this version served in the Soviet aviation inventory until the end of the war in 1945. While the Pe-2 managed the astounding production total of 11,427 aircraft, the specialized Pe-3 was seen in just 360 units. Introduction was marked in 1941 with manufacture spanning from 1941 to 1944.

The Pe-2 naturally served as the basis for the Pe-3 sans its dive bombing capabilities and three-man crew. First flight was recorded on August 7th, 1941 and the aircraft's arrangement was largely faithful to the original. The crew of two sat back-to-back under a revised, framed canopy with the rear crewman serving as a dedicated machine gunner/observer. The bomb bay was outfitted with additional fuel stores to increased the aircraft's operational range. Armament was made up of 1 x 20mm cannon in the nose assembly coupled with 2 x 12.7mm UBK machine guns in fixed-forward firing mountings on the fuselage. The dorsal turret contained 1 x 12.7mm UBT machine gun while a tail unit was given a 7.62mm machine gun installation. A bomb load of up to 1,500lbs was possible as well, allowing for fighter-bomber strike sorties. Structurally, the Pe-3 followed the Pe-2 with its low-mounted wings, split rudder tail fin and wholly retractable "tail dragging" undercarriage.

Power was served through 2 x Klimov M-105RA V12 liquid-cooled inline engines of 1,100 horsepower each driving 3-bladed propellers. Maximum speed was 330 miles per hour with an operational range out to 930 miles. Its service ceiling was listed at 29,860 feet and could reach 16,400 feet in under seven minutes.

Production of the new aircraft began in the summer of 1941 to which deliveries ensued in August. As the Pe-3 was born of the Pe-2, they shared production lines and Pe-3s were simply modified for their heavy fighter/night fighter roles where they lay. The initial production version was designated simply as "Pe-3" and appeared in 207 examples. The Pe-3bis was an improved, upgraded form appearing in 1942 and seeing production reach 152 units. Subtle variations in the design ultimately produced the Pe-3M of 1944.

Beyond the Soviet Air Force and Navy, the Pe-3 was utilized through one sole captured example by the Finnish Air Force and never offered for export. Its operational use ended with the end of World War 2 and the subsequent arms and budget drawdowns that followed.

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Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Petlyakov Pe-3bis Long-Range Heavy Fighter / Night-Fighter Aircraft.

2 x Klimov M-105RA V-12 piston engines developing 1,100 horsepower each.
Propulsion

329 mph
530 kph | 286 kts
Max Speed

29,856 ft
9,100 m | 6 miles
Service Ceiling

932 miles
1,500 km | 810 nm
Operational Range

750 ft/min
229 m/min
Rate-of-Climb

City-to-City Ranges
Operational range when compared to distances between major cities (in KM).

NYC

LON

PAR

BER

MOS

TOK

SYD

LAX

NYC

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Petlyakov Pe-3bis Long-Range Heavy Fighter / Night-Fighter Aircraft.

2
(MANNED)
Crew

41.3 ft
12.60 m
O/A Length

56.2 ft
(17.13 m)
O/A Width

11.2 ft
(3.42 m)
O/A Height

12,919 lb
(5,860 kg)
Empty Weight

17,637 lb
(8,000 kg)
MTOW

Design Balance
The three qualities reflected below are altitude, speed, and range. The more full the box, the more balanced the design.

RANGE

ALT

SPEED

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the Petlyakov Pe-3 Long-Range Heavy Fighter / Night-Fighter Aircraft .

STANDARD:
1 x 20mm ShVAK cannon in nose assembly
2 x 12.7mm UBK heavy machine guns (fixed, forward-firing) in fuselage.
1 x 12.7mm UBT heavy machine gun in dorsal position.
1 x 7.62mm ShKAS machine gun in tail position

OPTIONAL:
Up to 1,540lbs of internal/external stores.

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Petlyakov Pe-3 family line.

Pe-2 - Original Dive Bomber Form from which the Pe-3 is derived from.

Pe-3 - Dedicated heavy fighter based on the Pe-2; original production models; appearing in 1941; night fighter form with specialized equipment also developed.

Pe-3bis - Improved, upgraded Pe-3 mounts appearing in 1942.

Pe-3M - Production models of 1944 onwards with subtle changes.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Petlyakov Pe-3. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 360 Units
Contractor(s): Petlyakov - Soviet Union

[ Finland; Soviet Union ]

Relative Max Speed

Hi: 400mph

Lo: 200mph

Aircraft Max Listed Speed (329mph).

Graph Average of 300 MPH.

Era Crossover

Showcasing Aircraft Era Crossover (if any)

Max Alt Visualization

Production Comparison

360

36183

44000

Entry compared against Ilyushin IL-2 (military) and Cessna 172 (civilian) total production.

MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

Aviation Timeline

EarlyYrs

WWI

Interwar

WWII

ColdWar

Postwar

Modern

Future

♦

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Mission Roles
Some designs are single-minded in their approach while others offer a more versatile solution to airborne requirements.

AIR-TO-AIR COMBAT

Recognition
Some designs stand the test of time while others are doomed to never advance beyond the drawing board; let history be their judge.

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Going Further...
The Petlyakov Pe-3 Long-Range Heavy Fighter / Night-Fighter Aircraft appears in the following collections:

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