In May of 1942, a Petlyakov Pe-8 bomber took off from the Soviet Union and headed to the Atlantic. On board was diplomat V. M. Molotov, who was assigned a top-secret and critical mission.
Piloted by E.K. Pusep, the Pe-8 was the only Soviet aircraft capable of reaching America and making it back safely.
The political envoy was to negotiate the terms to open a second front in World War 2, stopping at London and then heading to Washington. But the Atlantic Ocean wasn’t forgiving.
Soviet hero Colonel Mikhail Simonov would later say: (QUOTE) “The Pe-8 was an exceptionally good aircraft in our time. And the Germans, if they managed to shoot down a Pe-8, they were awarded with the Iron Cross, 3 thousand marks, and 10 days vacation off duty to their hometown. That’s why they were hunting our aircraft like a devil after a culpable soul.”
Still, the war’s future now depended solely on Molotov’s diplomatic mission…
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the war didn't at all depend on Molotov's mission. In fact it played to actual role in prosecuting the war.
First the mission to London and Washington had no effect whatsoever on the course of the war. Whatever was promised to Molotov both Churchill and FDR were only too well aware that a second front was impossible for at least 2 years. Second, the Pe-8 was a disaster, sometimes losing twice as many aircraft to mechanical failure as it did to enemy action. Fortunately very few were built, less than 100, so they were never a massive drain on Soviet resources.
War Thunder player having PTSD about that time they and their 7 homies got wiped by the 5T bomb
Kinda reminds me of the Bear bomber.
Looks like a flying fortress. No?
Too bad we Allied with the Soviets. Should’ve just beat them into submission like the Germans and the Japanese.
I hope our German hero night fighter pilots were able to shoot down a reasonable number of this planes
Is it a coincidence that the nose cone is so similar to the B-17?
i havent seen such a clickbaity title in a long time, trash channel
"Still . . still . . . still"
The Pe-8 carrying Molotov landed in the U.K. at a little known airfield called R.A.F. Tealing just north of Dundee in Scotland, the reason Tealing was chosen rather than one of the larger bases closer to London was that Tealing already had an association with the Russians, the base was used to train Russian crews to fly the Hampden bombers supplied to Russia by the U.K.
impressively informative, and without the usual anti soviet/russian/communist comments for such videos. exactly what we need.
Here comes the war thunder player
Crazy that such risks had to be taken. Now you could just WhatsApp the American diplomat. Sorted.
In soviet russia, bombers arent used to bomb the strategic points of an enemy, they deliver the political message!
a good surprise….tnx
Yeah no, the pe 8 is scary, even fighters go down and shoot the bombs, or going after it after spawning
War Thunder players seeing this:
terrified
Please tell us about the origins and development of the Tupolev TU-4 Soviet Bomber.
Also the RAF's Washington Bomber.
The Russians were into ram jet in the 1930's . Did they ever stick a couple on those on this good looking plane?
people don't think about the Russians bombing Berlin! Of course they would if they could, but of course we never hear about that, though the focus at school was on Stalingrad.
Cool bomber 😎👍👍.
I don't buy that Iron cross and cash reward for the Pe-8 russians lie exaggerate and are generally untrustworthy. If there is proof of this bounty then someone show it. How is this plane any worse that a B-17 ? The protective armament isn't that much. The Allies had to deal with German and Japanese bombers with 20mm cannons as defensive weaponry and they managed ok I'd say.
Thank you
Molotov? Of the Molotov-Rippentrof Pact? The Russians helped Germany plow Poland under and let the practice in Russia before the war. Oh did Germany turn on you and now you want to join the good guys because the Germans seemed unstoppable? tsk tsk, you guys made your bed…
Molotov went from being Ribbentrop's best friend to being his worst enemy.