long range night fighter version successful high speed bomber soviet_union world war design use followed comparable path taken soviets realized need night fighter night bombing moscow operation selected modification suitable aircraft available initially daylight ground attack missions proved costly aircraft armor additional guns existing aircraft effective evacuation sole factory building october limited number aircraft available units soviet flying disbanded converted aircraft production stopped restarted times aircraft remained service world war later production runs given reconnaissance units development crash development program began july german night bombing moscow field night fighter heavy armament long endurance aircraft currently production satisfy extremely tight deadline selected modification russian fastest twin engined aircraft service order authorized days modify aircraft fuel armament radio systems deadline met modified aircraft flight august passed manufacturer trials following day additional fuel tanks capacity imp gal gal fitted prototype fuselage bomb bay replaced ventral gunner position nose armament reinforced additional millimeter machine gun rounds fixed millimeter machine gun rounds added tail cone removal fuselage bomb racks reduced maximum bomb load kilograms kilogram bomb fuselage racks kilogram engine electric bomb release system removed bombs dropped mechanical system initially designed emergency system dive brakes wings removed radio exchanged model commonly single seat fighters radio direction removed save weight prototype weighed normal weight slightly heavier version production testing demonstrated maximum speed mph meters service ceiling meters maximum range considered adequate factory russian moscow ordered august build pre production aircraft delivery august process proved difficult drawings new parts fitted hand slowing production rate slightly extensive testing pre production aircraft russian august september confirmed initial performance figures tests revealed problems lower nose windows cracked lower machine gun fired problem initially cured replacing skin proved weak later replaced steel panel pre production testing revealed links large caliber weapons damaged skin wings entered cause extensive damage shape help collected nose pre production testing identified specific weaknesses corrected production line offensive firepower weak millimeter cannon added firepower dorsal machine gun considered inadequate production line replaced machine gun protect crew production line added frontal armor extended existing armor rear protect navigator production line replaced radio model greater range added camera reconnaissance role initial aircraft delivered adaptations modified field factory teams issued high speed bomber regiment regiment experiences aircraft revealed problems firing guns night pilot destroyed night vision lower nose blinded pilot crews complained lack frontal armor vulnerable defensive fire german bombers flash installed guns covering windows cured problems lack armor immediately aircraft fitted launchers rockets ground attack missions common addition aerial grenades mounted tail design bureau addressed concerns september tested prototype september october armament upgraded rounds provided machine guns cannon rounds mounted nose machine gun rounds boxes replaced dorsal position frontal armor installed navigator seat armor total weight automatic leading edge fitted nitrogen fuel tank system replaced gases engine exhaust crash moved forward centimeters cockpit canopy shortened changes aircraft production resumed april combat use revealed additional problems addressed second prototype began state acceptance tests nose guns proved time consuming taking minutes night firing port continued blind pilot problems prompted transfer guns wing center section installed compartment drop allow easier access guns ammunition starboard gun given rounds port gun rounds change reduced capacity fuel tank imp gal gal bulkhead added protect tank heat generated guns changes meant cartridge cases cannon collected making skin lower fuselage vulnerable reinforced steel sheets minimize damage inflicted large caliber cases original mounting dorsal machine gun provided excellent field fire lack aerodynamic balance prevented gunner navigator use range pressure exerted prevented gunner traversing centerline twin proved ineffective crash removed gunner working space ammunition box small rounds took minute boxes deleted given round belt electric drive help prevent feed problems anti system added propellers pilot nose replaced entirely crew armor increased total weight changes moved aircraft center gravity forward landing gear lengthened moving wheels forward helped reduce chance aircraft production built august including prototype september october factory evacuated late october production restarted april total built year models completed evacuation thirteen built production canceled favor bombers final production batch built early lightly armed earlier versions single cannon wing center section nose bomb racks engine eliminated entirely fixed machine gun tail grenade launchers fitted rear fuselage grenades operational history issued high speed bomber aviation regiment august initially committed ground attack escort roles september redesignated september assigned 6th fighter aviation corps defending moscow days later escorted carrying british military delegation flying moscow successfully defended german attacks transports german troop columns approached moscow operation typhoon october total seven attacked german airfield claiming thirty german aircraft destroyed loss soviet aircraft pilots including commander major 9th 40th 54th received september performed similar missions approximately aircraft lost months combat aircraft produced far high loss rate number units began conduct risky reconnaissance missions minimize casualties issued 1st 2nd october production terminated october evacuation factory number available sustain units began convert aircraft roles 40th fast bomber aviation regiment designated 40th separate long range december mustered january 9th bomber aviation regiment directly assigned chief staff air_force end november received additional task leading groups fighters attack aircraft targets pilots navigate aircraft led targets manner regiment converted roles 54th bomber aviation regiment appears disbanded short range bomber regiment lost aircraft transferred surviving pilots aircraft mid january reformed february based lost strength german air raid disbanded late march lack aircraft transferred march air_force performed convoy escort ground attack reconnaissance missions support fleet operated late end crews picked new aircraft diverted participate production aircraft given 2nd 4th 40th separate long range reconnaissance regiments single captured forced landing ground near november relatively undamaged recovered repaired placed service served converted photo reconnaissance aircraft destroyed soviet bombing raid airfield july flown hours finnish service airborne radar evaluated beginning july sent moscow combat trials late round trials conducted aircraft 2nd february approved service month appear deployed fitted variants initial production model built version production aircraft built designation associated production aircraft operators operated captured aircraft listing fighter aviation regiment fighter aviation regiment 9th bomber aviation regiment 40th fast bomber aviation regiment later 40th separate long range reconnaissance regiment 54th bomber aviation regiment high speed bomber aviation regiment later fighter aviation regiment short range bomber regiment later fighter aviation regiment bomber aviation regiment 1st separate reconnaissance regiment 2nd separate long range reconnaissance regiment 3rd separate reconnaissance regiment 4th separate long range reconnaissance regiment 40th separate long range reconnaissance regiment note regiments changed branches data gordon soviet world war general characteristics crew length wingspan wing area weight gross weight powerplant liquid cooled engines propellers bladed performance maximum speed mph meters range nmi service ceiling time altitude minutes meters armament guns cannon nose rounds machine guns fuselage rounds machine gun dorsal turret rounds machine gun tail cone rounds later removed bombs
Petlyakov Pe-3