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Petlyakov Pe-2 - 1:48 Eduard


Julien

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Petlyakov Pe-2
1:48 Eduard

 

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The Pe-2 has been described as comparable to the British Mosquito. Developed as a bomber the aircraft filled the roles of heavy fighter, ground attack, reconnaissance and night fighting. It was particularly well known for its ground attack role. The aircraft was actually designed in a prison! In 1937 Vladimir Petlyakov had been imprisoned on allegations of delaying the design work on the Tupolev ANT-42. While in prison Petlyakov was placed in charge of a team to develop an escort fighter for the ANT-42. Following lessons learnt from the Germans the Soviets ordered a re-design of this fighter to a bomber. Stalin was impressed enough to free Petlyakov and allow his name to be used in the aircraft designation. 

 

In service the Pe-2 flew very well once the crew struggled to get it airborne. It apparently took a great deal of strength to pull up on the elevators, so much so that with female crews it was common practice to get the navigator to help! It was also found in practice that the dorsal armament was insufficient. The 7.62 machine gun was replaced by a 12.7 one and this increased survival from 20 missions to 54.  In total over 11000 aircraft were built. During WWII the aircraft was used by the Soviet Union and by Finland who gained captured examples from Germany. Post war the aircraft continued to be used by the Soviets and their satellite states long enough to gain the NATO reporting name of "Buck". 

The Kit
As well as making their own kits Eduard are making a name for releasing other manufacturers kits with their own Eduard parts and decals. This is such a kit using the Zevezda plastic. In addition to the plastic Eduard have provided two sheets of photo-etch, resin wheels, propellers, and a full set of masks.  Construction starts not in the cockpit as one would expect but out on the left wing. Here a complete open engine is provided which can be displayed open, but need t be built up even if you are going to keep the cowls on. Twin cylinder banks are added to the main crankcase with exhaust manifolds and other ancillary parts added on.  Intake parts, filters and exhaust are then added. The engine bearing frame is also made up for the engine. The engine is then installed in its frame ready for installation onto the wing. 

 

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Meanwhile both the wings are built up with the addition of engine areas, landing lights and flaps being added. There is no provision to drop these, though the flaps should be no problem. The leading edges of the out board wing sections are separate so there will be no seam to contend with. For each wing the landing gear frames are built up and added at this point. Next up the undercarriage fairings are built up and installed. The wheels and gear doors can now be added though I suspect most will leave these until much later on. For the right wing a dummy engine nacelle is made up and added, and for the left wing the completed engine is added. This now completes the construction of the main wings.

 

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Construction now moves to the main fuselage.  The internal frame work for the cockpit is built up and installed in the front. The main rear bulkhead is installed along with the rear fuselage gun positions and other internal parts. Here PE replaces many of the kit parts. The seat and other frame parts are added into the rear position.  The bomb bay and its bombs is now built up and installed between the cockpit and rear gun position.  The pilots seat is also then built up and installed. Once all the internal parts are in and the tail wheel is installed the main fuselage can be closed up.

 

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Next up at the rear of the aircraft the tail planes are made up and installed. Here there are separate movable surfaces, but the rudders are fixed. The main wings are then attached at this stage. The engine exhausts are then added. Back to the front of the aircraft the upper defensive gun behind the cockpit is made up and installed into position.  Moving to the undersides the crew entry hatch is installed. Additional PE parts are provided for this to leave in the open position. The ventral gun position is also built up and installed at this time.  The bomb bay doors and tail wheel doors are now fitted. 

 

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To finish up the glazing is added along with PE aerials. The propellers are made up and added. Here resin props are provided for use on two of the marking examples. Full masks are provided for all the glazing and wheels in the kit.


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Decals
The decals for the kit have been designed by Begemot so we can be assured they are accurate for a Soviet subject. The decal are printed by Cartograf so should pose no problems at all. Five schemes are provided.=;

 

  • Pe-2, later production batch, serial number 3/220, 161th Guards Bomber Regiment, 2nd Guards Bomber Air Corps, VVS RKKA, Winter 1943/44
  • Pe-2, later (post 205th) production batch, Generalmajor I. Polbin, CO of the 6th Bomber Aviation Corps, VVS RKKA, Germany, 1945
  • Pe-2 later (post 359th) production batch, 1st Guards Bomber Air Division, VVS RKKA, Germany, 1945
  • Pe-2 later (post 359th) production batch, flown by Senior Lieutenant E. Sedov, 40th Bomber Air Regiment, Soviet Navy Black Sea Fleet Aviation, August 1944
  • Pe-2 post 205th production batch, 36th Guards Bomber Regiment, 276th Bomber Division, VVS RKKA, Leningrad front, December 1944

 

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Conclusion
This is another great release from Eduard of an important of sometime overlooked Soviet aircraft. The plastic is great and the addition of the Eduard photo etch, resin and great decals make this a kit to be very highly recommended.

 

 

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Review sample courtesy of logo.gif

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I bought the Zvezda kit about a year ago and have been waiting to see if the PE & masks come down in price and along comes Eduard and puts it all in one box - £10 cheaper than I could buy all the bits separately and bung in extra bits as well. :(

I would say a VERY rude word at this point if it was allowed.

I can't even find a 'shaking your fist at the gods' emoji, so the rant one will have to do... :rant:.

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