Sukhoi Su-2
A long with Germany, Great Britain and the USA, in the mid-1930s the Soviet Union saw the need to develop a multi-purpose tactical bomber. The resulting Su-2 never achieved the air superiority enjoyed by the Germans and suffered terrible losses at the hands of Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Focke-Wulf 190 fighters. These losses resulted in the Su-2's premature relegation to second-line tasks in 1942.
Pavel Osipovich Sukhoi was undoubtedly one of the greatest Soviet aircraft designers of all time. However, his first design to see combat the Su-2, suffered greatly at the hands of German fighters in 1941 and 1942.
Developed from the ANT-51, the first production Su-2 (then designated BB-1) flew in April 1940 and by September 1941, five aircraft were being produced every day. With its two-man crew, cockpit armour and robust, mainly wooden construction, the aircraft was initially successful, carrying out short-range bombing, reconnaissance and artillery-spotting missions in the first weeks of the German invasion. However, once the Su-2 encountered the Bf 109 fighters, losses rapidly began to mount.
Desperate fighting in 1942, when some Su-2s were converted into makeshift fighters, resulted in severe attrition rates. By the end of the year, the surviving Su-2s had been withdrawn and assigned to second-line duties.
Throughout the Su-2's service life, a number of different variants were produced, including a version carrying eight unguided rockets and the more powerful Su-4 with an M-82 engine.
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| Built only in prototype form, the aerodynamically improved ShB strike bomber was based on the Su-2. Its modifications enhanced performance. |
Even when fitted with the more powerful M-88 engine, the Su's performance was inadequate. Losses to German fighters were prohibitively high. |
Many of the 500 Su-2s that were hastily constructed to provide the Soviet air force with a close-support bomber were lost in the first few months of Operation Barbarossa. |
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Sukhoi Su-2 (Technical Specification) |
| Role |
Two-seat armed close-support bomber and reconnaissance aircraft |
| Manufacturer |
Sukhoi |
| Maximum Speed |
455 kmh (282 mph) |
| Maximum Range |
850 km (525 mil) |
| Ceiling |
8,900 meters (29,200 feet) |
Weight
Empty
Maximum Takeoff |
2,875 kg (6,325 lbs)
4,150 kg (9,130 lbs) |
Dimensions
Wingspan
Length
Height
Wing Area |
14.30 meters (46 ft 11 in)
10.25 meters (33 ft 8 in)
3.94 meters (12 ft 11 in)
29.00 square meters (312 sq ft) |
| Engines |
One Tumanskii M-88B radial piston engine which provides 820.3-kW (1,100 hp) |
| Armament |
Four 7.62 mm (0.30 cal) ShKAS machine-guns in wings
One 7.62 mm (0.30 cal) ShKAS machine-guns in turret
600 kgs (1,320 lbs) of bombs |
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