Aircraft Quiz #39

In WWII many women, some unheralded, flew military aircraft. The WASPs (Women Air Service Pilots) ferry-delivered many high-performance new aircraft such as the North American P-51 Mustang direct from the factory of build to state-side military airports. They also served as target-tow pilots and replaced needed men aviators at home for the war effort.

Name an aircraft that had an unusual number of women pilots flying it in COMBAT back in the day. I am not thinking of current air forces' aircraft that have women pilots in uniform now. This quiz aircraft was complex, fast, maneuverable, rugged and deadly; being one of the best World War II attack aircraft. It was also versatile in reconnaissance, night fighting and dive-bombing. Thousands were built and flown.

1. Maker and exact model number.

2. Year of first flight.

3. Year it went out of service.

4. Number and duty station of crew members.

5. Number of variants built and used in combat.

6. In-service "nickname."

7. What other country (7a) operated captured models of this aircraft against an enemy (7b) that were captured by who (7c) and given to that 7a country? (three countries needed for right answers, and therein lies a historic quirk for you to expose).

Sorry, Rob. Incorrect on all answers. Question 7 would be more apparent if a correct answer was given. This is a tough one.

Sorry SunvisorFlyer, wrong aircraft.

Let me explain 7. this way.....

Country 7a was supplied some of these captured aircraft that had been captured from the enemy builder country 7b by country 7c in order that country 7a could use the aircraft to fight AGAINST country enemy 7b with them. That is the "quirk" or paradox of the question-that the builder country was subsequently attacked by THEIR OWN built aircraft. 7a and 7c were allies then.

Three countries are needed to be identified: 7a, 7b and 7c, as well as the correct aircraft, etc.

Congrats to Rob! Close enough. Here are the quiz answers.

1. The Soviet Kazan Aircraft Plant built the PE-2; Vladimir M. Petlyakov was the engineer/designer while in a Soviet prison as first the VI-100, an advanced bomber escort in 1939. Under orders by Stalin, Petlyakov then redesigned the VI-100 as the PE-2 dive bomber in a mere 45 days while still in prison with first PE-2 flight December 15, 1940. His design took his life in a crash in 1942.

2. 1940

3. 1954, by a few eastern bloc forces. (NATO code name: BUCK)

4. Three, pilot, navigator-bombardier, gunner-radio operator.

5. 11,400 built. Seventeen variants.

6. Russian nickname "Peshka"-PAWN

7a. Finland

7b. Russia

7c. Germany

PE-2 SPECS

Power

Two Klimov M-105 liquid-cooled V-12 recip engines

Armament

Two forward-firing and two rearward-firing 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns (later, 12.7 mm guns).

Ordnance load

Up to 3,250 lb of bombs

Max speed: 335 mph

Cruise speed: 265 mph

Max range: 930 miles

Loaded weight: 18,780 lb

Span: 56'3"

Length: 41'6"

Height: 13'

The PE2 had a streamlined profile all-metal shape with close-cowled engines and twin tail with oval shaped vertical stabilizer/rudders closely in-line with engine center lines. Symmetrical low metal wings with dihedral. Cockpit on fuselage mainly forward of the wings. It was lighter than it's nearest counterpart, the RAF wooden de Havilland Mosquito, which surprised me. The PE-2 was flown in the battles for Moscow, Stalingrad, Kursk and Berlin. It was fast, rugged, maneuverable and deadly. An excellent dive-bomber and ground attacker, it was successful in many roles: attack, reconnaissance and night-fighting. Many Russian women piloted the PE-2 in WWII. Anyone with a photo of a PE-2 is welcome to add it here.

Incidentally, Petlyakov was arrested in 1937 on a trumped-up charge of sabotaging the new ANT-42 bomber under Stalin's order and sentenced to prison.