Pe-8 - Revision history

U132356605: /* History */ I changed the date that it was produced it had said 1339 and i don't belive they had planes in 1339 i changed it to the actual date 1939

2024-02-26T13:52:09Z

‎History: I changed the date that it was produced it had said 1339 and i don't belive they had planes in 1339 i changed it to the actual date 1939

U44629479: Undo revision 180994 by U26847011 (talk)

2024-01-28T18:50:02Z

Undo revision 180994 by U26847011 (talk)

U44629479: Undo revision 180995 by U26847011 (talk)

2024-01-28T18:49:51Z

Undo revision 180995 by U26847011 (talk)

U26847011: /* Pros and cons */

2024-01-28T18:40:22Z

‎Pros and cons

U26847011: /* Pros and cons */

2024-01-28T18:39:08Z

‎Pros and cons

U38088265: /* Description */ Reformatted

2024-01-22T12:51:19Z

‎Description: Reformatted

U44629479: Edits

2023-10-22T12:54:38Z

Edits

U28580205: /* History */

2023-10-18T08:18:12Z

‎History

U12104986: Added history section for PE-8 aircraft from 0, because the previous version was a placeholder

2023-10-11T22:03:30Z

Added history section for PE-8 aircraft from 0, because the previous version was a placeholder

U44629479: Edits

2023-06-24T06:00:00Z

Edits

@@ Line 195: / Line 195: @@
 <!--''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''-->
-Pe-8 (also known as TB-7, ANT-42, or "Petlyakov") was initially developed in 1936-1339 as a high-speed, high-altitude heavy bomber as further development of previous heavy bomber [[TB-3M-17-32|TB-3]]. On November 9, 1936, the aircraft prototype was completed, and serial production of the aircraft started in 1939. Pe-8 was adopted by the Red Army Air Force in 1941 and used in 1941-1954.
+Pe-8 (also known as TB-7, ANT-42, or "Petlyakov") was initially developed in 1936-1939 as a high-speed, high-altitude heavy bomber as further development of previous heavy bomber [[TB-3M-17-32|TB-3]]. On November 9, 1936, the aircraft prototype was completed, and serial production of the aircraft started in 1939. Pe-8 was adopted by the Red Army Air Force in 1941 and used in 1941-1954.
 Design-wise, the aircraft was a four-engine all-metal monoplane with retractable front landing gear, a non-retractible tail wheel, and a crew of 12. Initially, the plane was designed to use liquid-cooled AM-35A engines of 1200 hp each, but different modifications also used different engines like AM-34FRNV, diesel M-30, M-82FN, and diesel ACh-30. The Pe-8 had an internal bombay capable of mounting up to 5000 kg of ordnance. In 1943, the notorious FAB-5000 was developed. Since the bomb did not fit entirely into the bomb bay of the Pe-8, the plane flew with the bomb bay doors slightly open. The Pe-8 had powerful defensive weapons, consisting of two 20 mm ShVAK cannons, two large-calibre 12.7 mm Berezin UB machine guns, and two 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns mounted at a point on the nose of the vehicle. The aircraft's ability to fly at high altitudes and with impressive defensive weapons allowed the Pe-8 crews to do without fighter escort.

@@ Line 183: / Line 183: @@
 '''Cons:'''
-* "Poor" Flight performance compared to a single engine fighter, it's size seemingly doesn't affect it's handling at all. Turns like a biplane. There is no russian bias
+* Poor flight performance
 ** Large, heavy, and slow
 ** Poor climb rate, top speed and manoeuvrability (large turn radius, wobbling effect)

@@ Line 185: / Line 185: @@
 * "Poor" Flight performance compared to a single engine fighter, it's size seemingly doesn't affect it's handling at all. Turns like a biplane. There is no russian bias
 ** Large, heavy, and slow
-** Poor climb rate
+** Poor climb rate, top speed and manoeuvrability (large turn radius, wobbling effect)
 * Prone to devastating fires
 * Stock payload is mediocre

@@ Line 185: / Line 185: @@
 * "Poor" Flight performance compared to a single engine fighter, it's size seemingly doesn't affect it's handling at all. Turns like a biplane. There is no russian bias
 ** Large, heavy, and slow
-** Poor climb rate, top speed and manoeuvrability (large turn radius, wobbling effect)
+** Poor climb rate
 * Prone to devastating fires
 * Stock payload is mediocre

@@ Line 183: / Line 183: @@
 '''Cons:'''
-* Poor flight performance
+* "Poor" Flight performance compared to a single engine fighter, it's size seemingly doesn't affect it's handling at all. Turns like a biplane. There is no russian bias
 ** Large, heavy, and slow
 ** Poor climb rate, top speed and manoeuvrability (large turn radius, wobbling effect)

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 == Description ==
 <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
-The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet heavy bomber {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.53 "Firestorm"]].
+The '''Petlyakov Pe-8''' was an early design Soviet heavy bomber which debuted in 1936. This monster of a bomber was the only four-engine bomber produced by the Soviet Union during World War II. Though impressive as it was, it was only produced in limited numbers and was reserved for special occasions called "morale raids" to encourage and raise the spirits of the Soviet population by hitting important German targets deep behind enemy lines to include bombing Berlin in mid-1941. Other prime targets included the nighttime bombing of factories, German airfields and rail yards. As such an important aircraft to the Soviet people, it became a priority target for the German Luftwaffe pilots to go after. By 1944, all remaining {{PAGENAME}}s were removed from service but were retrofitted for other jobs such as VIP transport and operations up into the Arctic Circle.
-The Petlyakov {{PAGENAME}} was an early design Soviet heavy bomber which debuted in 1936. This monster of a bomber was the only four-engine bomber produced by the Soviet Union during World War II. Though impressive as it was, it was only produced in limited numbers and was reserved for special occasions called "morale raids" to encourage and raise the spirits of the Soviet population by hitting important German targets deep behind enemy lines to include bombing Berlin in mid-1941. Other prime targets included the nighttime bombing of factories, German airfields and rail yards. As such an important aircraft to the Soviet people, it became a priority target for the German Luftwaffe pilots to go after. By 1944 all remaining {{PAGENAME}}s were removed from service but were retrofitted for other jobs such as VIP transport and operations up into the arctic circle.
+The Pe-8 was introduced in [[Update 1.53 "Firestorm"]]. Though a large and tempting target, it is not without its merits. The huge bomber has a nose gunner, tail gunner, rear-facing dorsal turret and two rear-facing underwing gun pods. Attacking this aircraft especially from the rear whether above, below or directly from the rear is a bad choice as, like with the [[BV 238]], there are many defensive guns which can hit and hit hard. These defensive weapons are critical to protecting the bomber against inbound enemy fighters, especially because of the bomb payload which it can carry. Options can range between 2,000 and 5,000 kg bomb loads with as many as 40 x 50 kg or 100 kg bombs, or fewer but heavier bombs such as 6 x 500 kg bombs or a single massive 5,000 kg FAB-5000 bomb. The diverse payload options present a wide range of potential targets for the Pe-8, from clearing bases and detonating battleships, to carpet bombing ground defences and clusters of lighter vehicles.
 == General info ==

@@ Line 201: / Line 201: @@
 Pe-8 (also known as TB-7, ANT-42, or "Petlyakov") was initially developed in 1936-1339 as a high-speed, high-altitude heavy bomber as further development of previous heavy bomber [[TB-3M-17-32|TB-3]]. On November 9, 1936, the aircraft prototype was completed, and serial production of the aircraft started in 1939. Pe-8 was adopted by the Red Army Air Force in 1941 and used in 1941-1954.
-Design-wise, the aircraft was a four-engine all-metal monoplane with retractable front landing gear, a non-retractible tail wheel, and a crew of 12. Initially, the plane was designed to use liquid-cooled AM-35A engines of 1200 hp each, but different modifications also used different engines like AM-34FRNV, diesel M-30, M-82FN, and diesel ACh-30. The Pe-8 had an internal bombay capable of mounting up to 5000 kg of ordnance. In 1943, the notorious FAB-5000 was developed. Since the bomb did not fit entirely into the bomb bay of the Pe-8, the plane flew with the bomb bay doors slightly open. The Pe-8 had powerful defensive weapons, consisting of two [[ShVAK_(20_mm)|20 mm ShVAK cannons]], two large-calibre [[erezin_UB_(12.7_mm)|12.7 mm UB machine guns]], and two [[ShKAS_(7.62_mm)|7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns]] mounted at a point on the nose of the vehicle. The aircraft's ability to fly at high altitudes and with impressive defensive weapons allowed the Pe-8 crews to do without fighter escort.
+Design-wise, the aircraft was a four-engine all-metal monoplane with retractable front landing gear, a non-retractible tail wheel, and a crew of 12. Initially, the plane was designed to use liquid-cooled AM-35A engines of 1200 hp each, but different modifications also used different engines like AM-34FRNV, diesel M-30, M-82FN, and diesel ACh-30. The Pe-8 had an internal bombay capable of mounting up to 5000 kg of ordnance. In 1943, the notorious FAB-5000 was developed. Since the bomb did not fit entirely into the bomb bay of the Pe-8, the plane flew with the bomb bay doors slightly open. The Pe-8 had powerful defensive weapons, consisting of two 20 mm ShVAK cannons, two large-calibre 12.7 mm Berezin UB machine guns, and two 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns mounted at a point on the nose of the vehicle. The aircraft's ability to fly at high altitudes and with impressive defensive weapons allowed the Pe-8 crews to do without fighter escort.
 Aircraft saw combat use in 1941-1944 during the bombing of Berlin, Koenigsberg, Helsinki and the Battle of Kursk. One of the most notable aircraft missions was the bombing of Berlin in August 1941, just after the start of the Great Patriotic War. While the raid did comparatively minor damage, it was a huge morale victory as it demonstrated the vulnerability of Germany at that time.

@@ Line 197: / Line 197: @@
 == History ==
-Pe-8 (also known as TB-7, ANT-42, or "Petlyakov") was initially developed in 1936-1339 as a high-speed, high-altitude heavy bomber as further development of previous heavy bomber ТБ-3. On November 9, 1936, the aircraft prototype was completed, and serial production of the aircraft started in 1939. Pe-8 was adopted by the Red Army Air Force in 1941 and used in 1941-1954.
+<!--''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''-->
-Design-wise, the aircraft was a four-engine all-metal monoplane with retractable front landing gear, a non-retractible tail wheel, and a crew of 12. Initially, the plane was designed to use liquid-cooled AM-35A engines of 1200 hp each, but different modifications also used different engines like AM-34FRNV, diesel M-30, M-82FN, and diesel ACh-30.The Pe-8 had an internal bombay capable of mounting up to 5000 kg of ordnance. In 1943, the notorious FAB-5000 was developed. Since the bomb did not fit entirely into the bomb bay of the Pe-8, the plane flew with the bomb bay doors slightly open. The Pe-8 had powerful defensive weapons, consisting of two 20-mm ShVAK cannons, two large-calibre 12.7-mm UB machine guns, and two 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns mounted at a point on the nose of the vehicle. The aircraft's ability to fly at high altitudes and with impressive defensive weapons allowed the Pe-8 crews to do without fighter escort.
+Pe-8 (also known as TB-7, ANT-42, or "Petlyakov") was initially developed in 1936-1339 as a high-speed, high-altitude heavy bomber as further development of previous heavy bomber [[TB-3M-17-32|TB-3]]. On November 9, 1936, the aircraft prototype was completed, and serial production of the aircraft started in 1939. Pe-8 was adopted by the Red Army Air Force in 1941 and used in 1941-1954.
 Aircraft saw combat use in 1941-1944 during the bombing of Berlin, Koenigsberg, Helsinki and the Battle of Kursk. One of the most notable aircraft missions was the bombing of Berlin in August 1941, just after the start of the Great Patriotic War. While the raid did comparatively minor damage, it was a huge morale victory as it demonstrated the vulnerability of Germany at that time.

@@ Line 138: / Line 138: @@
 [[File:Pe-8 the interceptor 002.jpg|450px|thumb|right|]]
-The Pe-8, as mentioned earlier, is in essence a Soviet Death Star (a.k.a Tu-4 at a lower tier). It both boasts a very effective cannon armament and a high bomb load, able to kill two bases in one pass. Its 5,000 kg bomb is especially useful in Ground Battles as a "tactical nuke" of sorts, able to wipe out large concentrations of enemy tanks.
+The Pe-8, as mentioned earlier, is in essence a Soviet Death Star (a.k.a Tu-4 at a lower tier). It both boasts a very effective cannon armament and a high bomb load, able to destroy two bases in one pass. Its 5,000 kg bomb is especially useful in Ground Battles as a "tactical nuke" of sorts, able to wipe out large concentrations of enemy tanks.
-However, the FAB-5000's practicality ends there. In Air Battles, the FAB-5000 is woefully overpowered against most targets and makes it inferior to most of the plane's other bomb loadout combinations. In addition, it peculiarly does less damage against an airfield than the 4 x 1,000 kg payload, further decreasing its usefulness. Instead, use the other payloads. The stock payload of 40 x 100 kg bombs, while difficult to aim, can still be used to base bomb, simply drop 12 on a base to destroy it (remember that the first 16 are pylon mounted meaning they drop in pairs, so the first base will require only 6 presses of the bomb release button). Keep using this payload for base bombing until you unlock the 4 x 1,000 kg modification, as all the other payloads yield less damage. You can use your bombs to destroy ground targets as well, however, be sure to be high enough or use a timer so that the bomb's splash damage doesn't kill you.
+However, the FAB-5000's practicality ends there. In Air Battles, the FAB-5000 is woefully overpowered against most targets and makes it inferior to most of the plane's other bomb loadout combinations. In addition, it peculiarly does less damage against an airfield than the 4 x 1,000 kg payload, further decreasing its usefulness. Instead, use the other payloads. The stock payload of 40 x 100 kg bombs, while difficult to aim, can still be used to base bomb, simply drop 12 on a base to destroy it (remember that the first 16 are pylon mounted meaning they drop in pairs, so the first base will require only 6 presses of the bomb release button). Keep using this payload for base bombing until you unlock the 4 x 1,000 kg modification, as all the other payloads yield less damage. You can use your bombs to destroy ground targets as well, however, be sure to be high enough or use a timer so that the bomb's splash damage doesn't knock you out.
 Try to side climb around the main battle when going after bases, though your defensive armament is powerful, you will be an easy target for experienced players, heavy fighters, and groups of fighters that encounter you. If you see an enemy, always turn the plane to make sure the rear cannon-armed guns face the pursuer so you can focus as much of your defensive firepower on them as possible while also increasing the time you can put your guns on the target. Make sure to fire in bursts as your guns will jam if fired for too long.
 ===Ground RB===
-In Ground Realistic mode, the Pe-8 can be used as a CAS aircraft to a devastating effect. If there are no fighter aircraft or few SPAA, try to find the largest group of enemies and drop the FAB-5000 as fast as you can. This usually results in 1-2 kills, but can easily net many more. Try to spawn early game, as there will be less fighter aircraft and SPAA. Let it be noted that there is a certain terror from seeing a FAB-5000 slam into the ground next to your tank that is not easily replicated elsewhere in War Thunder.
+In Ground Realistic mode, the Pe-8 can be used as a CAS aircraft to a devastating effect. If there are no fighter aircraft or few SPAA, try to find the largest group of enemies and drop the FAB-5000 as fast as you can. This usually results in 1-2 targets destroyed, but can easily net many more. Try to spawn early game, as there will be less fighter aircraft and SPAA. Let it be noted that there is a certain terror from seeing a FAB-5000 slam into the ground next to your tank that is not easily replicated elsewhere in War Thunder.
 ===Naval Battles===
-In Naval Battles, the Pe-8's FAB-5000 is capable of destroying any ship. Due to its huge explosive mass, the FAB-5000 is able to create a massive shockwave that can cause an ammunition detonation to nearby ships (~ 50 m from explosion radius), this means it does not require a direct hit to deal a crippling blow to the enemy. With some luck, you can get multiple kills with a single bomb drop, just like in ground battles.
+In Naval Battles, the Pe-8's FAB-5000 is capable of destroying any ship. Due to its huge explosive mass, the FAB-5000 is able to create a massive shockwave that can cause an ammunition detonation to nearby ships (~ 50 m from explosion radius), this means it does not require a direct hit to deal a crippling blow to the enemy. With some luck, you can get knock out multiple targets with a single bomb drop, just like in ground battles.
 However, delivering the FAB-5000 to the targets can be a bit tricky as anti-aircraft fire in Naval battles is much more accurate, hard-hitting, and plentiful. One would try to compensate for this by flying high up, but you will find that it is hard to aim the FAB-5000 from these altitudes. Thus, it is more effective to bring the Pe-8 to higher-tier battles with larger, less manoeuvrable, and usually slower ships.
-To drop the bomb accurately, start by setting the bomb fuse to 0s to ensure that the enemy will not get away from the explosion radius, then fly up to an altitude of at least 4,000 m to avoid most of short range AA barrages (around 4,500-5,000 m is a suitable altitude for an accurate and relatively safe drop), select an isolated or a slow target which has few escorts, then approach them. Make sure to watch the long range flak barrages while flying evasively to ensure that they will not hit you, while getting close. Take a look at the water trail left behind the target to get an idea of its course and speed. Then go to the bomb sight view, aim well and lead the target, and drop the bomb. You can use the bomb tracking camera to see where the bomb dropped and (in case of Arcade battles) adjust your aim for the next drop in case the shockwave wasn't able to kill the target. With some practice, you can make the bomb drop close enough to the target, allowing the massive explosive blast to do the rest.
+To drop the bomb accurately, start by setting the bomb fuse to 0s to ensure that the enemy will not get away from the explosion radius, then fly up to an altitude of at least 4,000 m to avoid most of short range AA barrages (around 4,500-5,000 m is a suitable altitude for an accurate and relatively safe drop), select an isolated or a slow target which has few escorts, then approach them. Make sure to watch the long range flak barrages while flying evasively to ensure that they will not hit you, while getting close. Take a look at the water trail left behind the target to get an idea of its course and speed. Then go to the bomb sight view, aim well and lead the target, and drop the bomb. You can use the bomb tracking camera to see where the bomb dropped and (in case of Arcade battles) adjust your aim for the next drop in case the shockwave wasn't able to destroy the target. With some practice, you can make the bomb drop close enough to the target, allowing the massive explosive blast to do the rest.
 ====Counter-tactics====
@@ Line 194: / Line 194: @@
 * Large deadzones for defensive armament
 * Defensive armament is poorly protected
-* In combined ground battles, the very large blast radius of the FAB-5000 bomb can easily cause accidental teamkills
+* In combined ground battles, the very large blast radius of the FAB-5000 bomb can easily cause accidental friendly fire
 == History ==