Russian Stuka types ?

[coldam]

Did the Russians use tank-buster planes in World War two?

if so, when did they start using them - Kursk?
How successful were they?

After our trek('the day AH died')
we were told that a burned out German tank near our village was
destroyed by a Russian plane.

thanks,

...peter

[Caldric]

Yes the Russian's had the best Tank Buster of the war, well at least in my opinion, and many historians also. The IL-2 Sturmovik was a terror on German forces.


I have also read from Russian writers that it was also a flying coffin.

[Starinov]

There was the Il-2 and the Pe-2. The first was a tank-buster, the second, a dive bomber... Both were tactical support planes and lethal ones.

Both were introduced prior to June 22nd 1941. There were around 250 Il-2 and some 450 Pe-2 available at that time.

[Logan Hartke]

They also used the American P-39 Aircobra and the American Bell P-63 Kingcobra and the Sukhoi Su-2.

Bell P-39 Aircobra


Bell P-63 Kingcobra


Su-2


The Polikarpov I-16 and the Petlyakov Pe-2 were also used in this role.



Petlyakov Pe-2


Logan Hartke

[White Leopard]

I remember seeing an article about the P-39 in a book on airplanes that were examples of bizzare or faulty design. The P-39 had the engine placed behind the pilot and the crankshaft ran under the cockpit. If I remember correctly, a fuel tank was placed in the nose. It was disliked by most American flyers for obvious reasons. The articule also stated that as a pure fighter it's manueverablity and speed were only medicore.

It found it's niche in Russia. But was the Russian front the only place where it was extensively deployed?

[Logan Hartke]

It found it's niche in Russia. But was the Russian front the only place where it was extensively deployed?

Basically, yes. Many were deployed in the Pacific, but technically, many of those were not P-39s. They were P-400s, the export model taken into service by the US. The planes deployed to the Pacific were not well liked and many were shot down in staggering numbers. Also, even though many were deployed to the Pacific, not all of them saw action.

Logan Hartke

[Oleg Grigoryev]

You forgot IL-10

SU -4 and TU-2 tu some extend

[Oleg Grigoryev]

http://wio.boom.ru/tacftr/atak.htm

[Victor]

As I understand Logan, the P-39s were not used in ground attack as many tend to believe. They were generally escorts for Il-2s or interceptors and they fared pretyy well.
The P-63 Kingcobra arrived to late to be used on the front in Europe. It was kept as a bomber interceptor in home defense and later as a trainer for jets, due to its tricycle landing gear.

[Victor]

Btw, wasn't there in 1941 also a dive bomber version of the SB?

[Korbius]

The Il-10 came late in '44, therefore it didn't see extensive use as Il-2, even though it was used as a main tank buster in the Korean War.

[Juha Tompuri]

Victor,

Right, Arhangelskij Ar-2

Juha

[Victor]

Victor,

Right, Arhangelskij Ar-2

Juha

Thanks, I couldn't remember the name.

[LeoAU]

I reckon Yak's versions of tank busters with high caliber gun should me mentioned as well. If I am not mistaken, it's Yak-9T. They weren't good as fighters and small numbers were used as ground attacking planes.

[Oleg Grigoryev]

YaK-9T (tankoviy - tank) was armed with 1 37mm NS-37 canon AP ammo had weight of 770 g and muzzle velocity of 810 m/s HE ammo had mass of 732 and muzzle velocity of 865 m/s. AP capabilities 45 mm at 400 m, 50 mm at 200m. total ammount of ammo -32.