Thanks a lot for the excellent table, JonS!
I could find an interesting info about Soviet TB-7 (Pe-8) last week, here it is.
Zygmunt wrote:
From August 1941 to May 1942 the regiment flew 226 operational missions and dropped 606 tonnes of bombs. The total attrition was 14 aircraft (nine were non-combat losses) and 61 crew members.
I’ve already written about the first raid of Pe-8s from 432th regiment of heavy bombers (81st division of Long Range Air Force) against Berlin on 10 August 1941. After that unsuccessful raid almost all heavy bombers Pe-8 were collected in 746th bomber air regiment for some period of time. They were used in bombing raids (long-range and short-range, that time bombers were based at the airfields near Moscow, also at Pushkino airfield near Leningrad till 10.1941) – several successful raids against Berlin and Konigsberg were done.
http://www.aviapress.com/magaz/avk/avk2 ... 0205_4.jpg (TB-7in summer 1941)
In autumn 1941 almost all heavy bombers Pe-8 were transferred to Kovrovo airfield (near Vladimir) and was used quite widely in winter 1941/1942. Since the end 1941 all new Pe-8s were equipped with gasoline engines AM-35A, which were much more reliable than diesel engines M-40F (but Pe-8s with diesel engines continued long-range raids as they had better flying range). In October 1941 three Pe-8 with diesels made the raid against Berlin (those bombers were equipped with additional 400 l oil tank), all Pe-8 with gasoline engines made raids (usually with 30-40 100-kg bombs) against more closer targets: Konigsberg, Danzig, Marienburg, Innsburg, Allenstein, occupied Soviet cities (Smolensk, Vitebsk). Many bombing operations were made by single plane on high altitude at night.
http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/ushakov_sf/08.jpg (crewmembers near TB-7 before bombing raid)
http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/ushakov_sf/02.jpg (TB-7 in flight)
http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/stefanovsky/20.jpg (TB-7 on skis)
Several heavy bombers Pe-8 were used for close-range tactical bombing during the day against German troops near Moscow in autumn 1941. For example, two Pe-8 under the command of famous polar pilot Vodopianov attacked German tank units near Kaluga during German offensive towards Moscow. All two bombers were damaged by German AA fire but could destroy tank column by heavy bombes and returned back. After that all Pe-8s were used at night only.
The losses of Pe-8 from Kovrov airfield were very low in autumn/winter 1941 – they were used at night on high altitudes mainly and had very experienced ex-polar civil aviation pilots. Several bombers were damaged during take-off/landing but they were repaired. On 7th November Pe-8 No 42025 (1st pilot – Pusep, future commander of the regiment) bombed Danzig, destroying power plant of the city. On its return trip Pe-8 got down for orientation and was damaged by strong AA fire (the forth engine was burned), all crewmembers bailed out.
432th regiment of heavy bombers (the single regiment, equipped with Pe-8) had 14 Pe-8 in October 1941 (only 8 from them were serviceable). As Pe-8 was a single type of modern 4-engine long-range heavy bomber of Soviet Air Force, those bombers were used according to the orders of Supreme High Command General Headquarters (30.11.1941 81st division of Long Range Air Force was renamed as 3rd division of Long Range Air Force, all Pe-8 bombers were transferred from Kovrov airfield to Kratovo airfield near Moscow). 05.03.1942 Long Range Air Force, ADD (eight air divisions) became the independent service arm under the direct command of Supreme High Command General Headquarters. But there were only few Pe-8 in ADD in spring 1942 (all Pe-8 were collected in 746th bomber air regiment from 45th division of ADD) – the regiment had 11 Pe-8 (8 were serviceable) in March 1942. The majority of Pe-8 were equipped with diesel engines, but in the end of 1942 almost all were reequipped with gasoline engines AM-35A. Pe-8 were used widely during 1942 (long-range and short-range raides, the last ones were made during hard situation in summer/autumn 1942)
Stalin decided to produce thousands of new modern Pe-8 but that was impossible for several reasons: heavy bombers were very expensive and complicated in production by evacuating plants, engines and aluminium must be use for the production of medium/dive bombers and battle planes IL-2 especially (for example air factory N 22 produced 8 dive bombers Pe-2 per day and 1-2 heavy bombers Pe-8 per month), also the wide use of thousands heavy bombers caused expensive great reequipment of airfields and construction of many new ones (with concrete air strips near 2.2 km length as Pe-8 had 570 m run) – that was very hard during war time. Another reason - chief engineers of TB-7 (Pe-8): Tupolev and Petlyakov were arrested before WWII as well as many high-rank air commanders, which caused great delay in the serial production of that bomber before WWII.
So only several tens of Pe-8 were used in next operations. They dropped super-heavy 5.4-t bombs FAB-5000 (the most powerful world air bomb in 1943) since the beginning 1943. For that purpose several Pe-8 were reequipped. 29.04.1943 Pe-8 No. 42029 dropped FAB-5000 on Konigsberg, in May 1943 such bombs were dropped on German troops near Mogilev and 04.06.1943 Orel central railway station was completely destroyed by such bombs, which troubled transportation of German tanks towards Kursk. In July 1943 several FAB-5000 were dropped during the tank Battle of Kursk, also on Helsinki in 1944. 13 FAB-5000 were dropped from Pe-8 till spring 1944.
Special missions: heavy bombers Pe-8 were used for flights to UK over the Germany during the whole WWII (transported Soviet ferry pilots for Lend-Lease aircrafts). The most famous mission took place in May 1942 (Pe-8 No 42066 with AM-35A engines, additional fuel tanks and additional oxygen equipment for 6 passengers transported Soviet foreign minister Molotov from Moscow to Washington and back with intermediate landing in Scotland) over occupied Europe and North Atlantic (17800 km route). Bomber made flight on 7 km altitude at maximal speed near 500 km/h. US president was very impressed (he had the talk with all crew members of Pe-8) as well as general public. After return back to USSR both pilots (Pusep and Obukhov) were awarded with the Star of the Hero of USSR, other crewmembers – with different orders.
http://www.aviapress.com/magaz/avk/avk2 ... 0205_8.jpg (Pe-8 No. 42066 surrounding by USAAF B-17 bomber pilots)
In July 1943 746th regiment (in 1944 it was renamed as 25th Guard air regiment, later as 203rd Guard regiment) and 890th regiment of 45th division of ADD had 18 Pe-8 (11 were serviceable). They were used very active during 1943-1944.
Zygmunt wrote:
In July 1943 the Germans strengthened their defences against Soviet heavy night bombers, and their Messerschmitt Bf 110 night fighters shot down four aircraft. This was due firstly to the increase in night fighter activity in the Kurskaya Duga area, and secondly to the fact that the new Pe-8s with M-82 radials were more visible in the night sky because they lacked flame-damping exhausts.
The reasons of high losses of Pe-8 in 1943-1944 (in comparison with 1941-1942) were the following: 1943-1944 was the period of the most active use of heavy bombers Pe-8 (short-range raids against German troops near Kursk, long-rainge raids against German cities, bombing raids against German artillery positions at Leningrad, bombing raids against Helsinki and other cities of Finland in 1944, bombing raids against railway stations in Ukraine and Byelorussia),
they were used also as tactical day bombers which caused the highest month losses; they had excellent defense armament with several 20mm guns but their speed (still good) was not enough already to avoid German fighters (in 1940 Pe-8 had higher speed at 8-10 km altitude than last types of I-16 and Bf-109). Also German AA defense had good experience in combats with British and US heavy bombers, so raids of Pe-8 over Germany in 1943-1944 were also not easy, of course.
Pe-8s were used also for transportation of paratroopers (50 soldiers with ammunition)
http://www.aviapress.com/magaz/avk/avk2 ... 0205_6.jpg (Pe-8 No 42015 with the compartment for paratroopers)
Those four Pe-8 you’ve mentioned were Pe-8 with M-82 air-cooled engines (knocked down by German fighters between 15-23.07.1943), also one was knocked down by Soviet AA fire by mistake. That was indeed because of engine exhaust manifolds (one for several engine cylinders), which gave flares very visible at night and blinded bomber gunners also. In August and September 1943 two more Pe-8 with M-82 were knocked down by German night fighters. So in autumn 1943 all Pe-8 with M-82 engines were equipped with effective flame dampers (several types were tested, original and copies of German from captured Fw 200).
As I've mentioned Pe-8 had powerful defense armament (nose turret with 1-2x7.62-12.7mm MGs, upper turret with 1x20mm gun, tail turret with 1-2x20mm guns, two underwing turrets in inboard engine nacelles with 1x12.7mm MG each). But once during the Battle of Kursk in July 1943 one Pe-8, returning back after bombing raid, found the German airfield. Pe-8 attacked German bombers during their landing and gunners knocked down one plane.
http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/ushakov_sf/09.jpg (upper turret of Pe-8 with 20mm gun)
Pe-8 could continue the flight on two engines; also engines were equipped with special fire-extinguishers. All 19 ing fuel tanks were self-sealing with neutral gas gassing and emergency defueling. Nevertheless, engines were the most vulnerable place of Pe-8 and German fighter pilots always tried to damage them. Pe-8 could continue the flight with heavy damages of the hull (pilots, navigator and gunners were protected by 9mm armor plates), also its 20mm guns and 12.7mm MGs were very dangerous for fighters, so it was not an easy target.
Since spring 1944 Soviet Air Forces could use medium bombers Pe-2, Tu-2 and Lend-Lease B-25 against Germany, so the number of long-range raids of Pe-8 decreased. In January 1944 45th division had 20 Pe-8, and 30 Pe-8 in summer 1944.
05.03.1944 the serial production of Pe-8 was stopped. It should be noted that one serious technical defect of Pe-8 was found in 1944. Center spar of Pe-8 No. 42611 was cracked during the raid against Helsinki 02.1944, but the bomber could return back. In several days center spar of another Pe-8 was cracked because of fatigue damage. Engineers from the design office repaired both bombers, improved other Pe-8 but recommended to use not more than 3200 kg of bombs later.
In summer 1945 45th division (Orsha airfield) was equipped with US B-17 and B-24, but all Pe-8 were used also. 12.09.1945 the central spar near right wing of Pe-8 No. 42811 was cracked during take-off manoeuvre zoom and bomber crashed (14 crew members were killed). All necessary tests were made and it was found that 19 bombers from 30 had fatigue fracture because of intensive exploitation during the war. 45th division was reequipped soon with new Tu-4 bombers (Soviet improved copies of B-29 “Superfortress”), which were better than old Pe-8s.
Many Pe-8 were used as unarmed transport planes of polar civil aviation till 1950s, also several of them were used as experimental planes for testing new engines and equipment.
Zygmunt wrote:
Uneven increase of power during take-off could cause the aircraft to veer off, with the attendant danger of damaging its undercarriage. In 1943 alone, six Pe-8s were lost to such accidents.
AFAIK several accidents happened with Pe-8 during take-offs (run of Pe-8 was near 475 m). I couldn’t find the info about M-82 as the reason but Pe-8 needed in good airfields with 2.2 km concrete airstrips. Take-offs with several tons of bombs and fuel on board from usual field airfields during rainy/snowy weather could cause accidents. As for the technical reasons – tail wheel of Pe-8 should be fixed during take-off, if tail gunner forgot to do this that caused veer off and possible crash.
M-82 engines (1700 hp) as well as diesels M-30/M-40 were used on Pe-8 instead of AM-35/AM-38 engines because of large-scale production of Il-2 battle planes and MiG-3 fighters with those engines. M-82 were used also by Tu-2 and La-5. In 1943-1944 all Pe-8 were produced with M-82 only. The first Pe-8 with M-82 engines was accepted by Air Force in January 1943. Factory No. 22 produced 18 such Pe-8 in 1943 and 14 in 1944 (+ 4 with diesels AÑh-30B) Those Pe-8 were equipped also with new airproof nose turret and much better night bomber sight for navigator.
http://www.airwar.ru/image/i/bww2/pe8m82-i.jpg (Pe-8 with M-82 engines)
http://www.tupolev.ru/images/pictures/a ... e-8_01.jpg (Pe-8 with M-82 engines in flight)
http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/ushakov_sf/22.jpg (emergency landing of Pe-8)
Generally the situation with engines was the following: first Pe-8s were produced with 4xAM-34FRNB + 1xM-100A inside the bomber as air pump for the main engines at high altitudes, later more powerful high-altitude 4xAM-35A engines were used (but altitude decreased from 11,25 km to 9.3 km). Diesel engines M-30 and M-40 were used to increase the flight range (from 3600 km to 5460 km), but diesels were not reliable (stalled often and they couldn’t be started in flight higher than 1.5 km altitude) which was shown during the first raid against Berlin 10.08.1941. One third of Pe-8 were produced with M-82 engines (range increased up to 5800 km), several – with powerful new diesels ACh-30B (range increased up to 7800 km). Also passenger version with Ach-30B (one unarmed Pe-8 with comfortable cabin for 12 passengers and bedroom for 3 passengers) was built in April 1945.
http://www.aviapress.com/magaz/avk/avk2 ... 205_10.jpg
Petliakov Pe-8 4xAM-35A No. 42057. Kratkovo, 1944;
Petliakov Pe-8 4xAM-35A - a flying test-bed for ASh-82AN engines;
Petliakov Pe-8 4xACh-30B, 1940
Some additional colour pictures of TB-7 (Pe-8):
http://www.airwar.ru/transfer/grishan// ... s/1_22.jpg (Pe-8 No. 42055, crashed 14.02.1942 during landing on the airfield of factory No. 22, Kazan)
http://www.airwar.ru/transfer/grishan// ... s/1_11.jpg (Pe-8 No. 42066, made a flight Moscow-Washington with Soviet foreign minister V.M. Molotov on board, May-June 1942)
http://www.airwar.ru/transfer/grishan// ... s/1_21.jpg (Pe-8 No. 42082 from 746th regiment of Long-Range Air Force, December 1942)
http://www.airwar.ru/transfer/grishan// ... s/1_10.jpg (Pe-8 No. 42028, Kratovo, February 1943)
http://www.airwar.ru/transfer/grishan// ... s/1_14.jpg (Pe-8 No. 42057 with new tail turret from 25th Guard regiment of Long-Range Air Force, Balabasovo, 1945)
http://www.airwar.ru/transfer/grishan// ... cs/1_6.jpg (Pe-8 as flying test lab for ASh-82FN engines)
, but I don't believe to this info. What I know for sure that several Pe-8 made more than 100 combat flights.
I am sorry if you get the impression that you're posting into the wind. Speaking only for myself, I know next to nothing about Soviet heavy bomber operations during WW2 - so lack of replies on my part only denotes lack of knowledge, not lack of interest.
