Tu-2 - The Best Soviet Medium Bomber?

On a cold January day in 1941, an aircraft named the "103" took to the sky for the first time over Moscow. However, this maiden flight was unlike many others; it was watched nervously by its creator, Andrei Tupolev, perched atop a prison building. Little did he know that this aircraft, born amidst the turmoil of the Great Purge in the Soviet Union, would go on to become one of the most outstanding bombers of World War II.

Game footage

00:04 History

Disclaimer - This channel is apolitical. We do not endorse any kind of political view.

Corrections
- The artwork showing the Tu-2 flying over Moscow should have the Soviet bomber with inline engines. Since I couldn't find any model of the prototype with such engines, I decided to use the main production variant (with radial engines).

Sources
Written:
- Tupolev Tu-2 - The Forgotten Medium Bomber by Jason Nicholas Moore

- Soviet Combat Aircraft of The Second World War by Yefim Gordon and Dmitri Khazanov with Alexander Medved

- Red Phoenix Rising - The Soviet Air Force in World War II by Von Hardesty and Ilya Grinberg

- Soviet Bombers of the Second World War by Jason Nicholas Moore

- Tupolev Aircraft since 1922 by Bill Gunston

- Several other sources like aircraft manuals and tests

Online:

I do not own any of the images used in this video. The owners of such images are identified in the video itself.

[Enegene_History]

Your aircraft identification quiz from the end of the video reminds me of similiar quizzes in Finnish aviation magazines from the 60's and 70's :) Anyhow, here's my guesses at it:


1. North American B-25
2. Mitsubihsi Ki-67
3. Junker Ju 88
4. Vickers Wellington
5. CANT Z.1007
6. Liore et Oliver LeO 451
7. Martin B-10
8. PZL 37
9. DB-3F/IL-4

[FirstDagger]

Love my early Tu-2 in War Thunder, so this video on the history of this aircraft which is little known in the west was nice.

[ricardocorbie]

Lovely designed bomber with clean graceful lines!! Thanks for your contribution!

[NE]

You asked for it!

#1: North American B-25 Mitchell
#2: Mitsubishi Ki. 67 Hiryu (Flying Dragon)
#3: Junkers Ju 88
#4: Vickers Wellington
#5: Cant Z.1007 Alcione (Kingfisher)
#6: Liore-et-Olivier LeO 451
#7: Martin B-10
#8: PZL.37 Los (Moose)
#9: Ilyushin Il-4

Thank you for your efforts. May you and yours stay well and prosper.

[tonyunderwood]

​ @AllthingsWW2
Regarding the B-26 Marauder, Gen Adolf Galland, during one of his lecture tours, was asked which allied bomber was the most difficult to deal with and he said it had to be the Marauder. He said they were difficult to approach because of the armament they brought to bear when in a tight group. And unless the fighters had adequate warning that the B-26s were coming, it was difficult to scramble fighters and climb up to counter the formation in time to actually do anything about them, and then it usually only allowed one pass at most because by the time the fighters turned to attempt another pass the fast B -26s were almost out of sight and any attempts to catch up with them left the fighters low on fuel. This is likely the primary reason the B-26, once effective combat tactics were deployed to exploit its strengths, had such a low combat loss record... losses from accidents notwithstanding.

[joshmeads]

Really you continue to make videos. Youe videos are some of the best WW2 plane vids on YouTube!

[MangoTroubles-]

I'm pretty sure that the creator of this channel is either Polish, Australian, or Russian descent, I hear the passion on these plane videos. Great video 😃

[oskar]

A plane I never knew about. Assumed it was a re-named Pe-2 when I started the video. Cool stuff.

[localbod]

Thank you for another excellent and informative video presentation.
Keep up the good work.
👍😎

[Karnov]

Best WWII era aircraft channel on YouTube!

[yeska]

It is always a good day when you post another video! 😊

[RemusKingOfRome]

Great video. Best medium bomber would have to be He 111, long service, multiple rolls, only bomber with green house on the front ! :D I cannot name many of those shown.

[idabagus]

Hello. Can you make a video about Petlyakov Pe-8 heavy bomber?

[ondrejmaly]

Hey man
I really like your videos, the entire format is one of the most chill yet informative on yt
are you gonna do these for tanks as well?

Thanks

[Redhand]

Thanks for this. I always wondered about the configuration similarity bwtween this A/C and the Pe-2, and why this one was not as well-known. It was quite interesting to learn about it. However, I note you no longer use the melancholy background music. A change in format?

[loveofhistory]

My favorite medium bombers of WW2 are in that order:
1. B25 in the commerce raider version.
2. A20 also in the commerce raider version.
3. JU88
4. Pe2/Tu2
5. Blenheim IV

[wojciechkoska]

Can you elaborate on the "nasty ones" at the quiz at the end of your video? Great work👍

[old_guard]

Sorry, I’m going with the Martin B-26 Marauder just because it was my uncle’s plane until he got taken out by an 88 to the cockpit in a night mission over France, August 1944. (Objectively the B-25 Mitchell had more impact and I love the Peshka from IL-2 Sturmovik Great Battles.)
I would like to see the TU-2S in at least a semi-simulator like Great Battles, it seems like a great bomber. Fat chance, unfortunately.

[Kimdino]

The best medium bomber of WW2? Only one candidate to my mind - DeHavilland Mosquito.

[eb-pexg]

Tupolev watched nervously...because he didn't want to wind up in Siberia or vanish, never to be heard from again. Great video as always.