Wartime Tu-2 machine guns: ShKAS or UBT?

[warhawk]

Hello,

As I have understood from photos, early Tu-2 bombers were armed with 3 × 7.62 mm (0.30 in) rear-firing ShKAS machine guns, which were later replaced by 12.7 mm (0.50 in) Berezin UB machine guns in the canopy, dorsal and ventral hatches.

When did this change happen, and which of these was more common during wartime?

Thanks.

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi,
the most part of my documents are in Russian or Polish, but something in English too.
For what I think to understand, the ShKAS were utilized in the early production batches in 1942, but these totalized few planes. The production was interrupted due to technical issues, then restarted in other factories in late 1943. These improved planes had UB machine guns and were the vast majority of the Tu-2s built .
Jason has just published a book on these planes. I think that he can give a more detailed answer.
Regards
Massimo

[learstang]

Massimo is correct; only the early Tu-2s, about 80 in total, were produced in 1942 had ShKAS guns. These aircraft had ShKAS machine guns in at least some of the moveable mounts; the record isn't exactly clear which had the ShKAS and which might have had the UBT. Interestingly, this first version of the Tu-2 (sometimes known as the 'Tu-2VS') also had two ShKAS guns fixed in the nose. The Tu-2S, the redesigned version that entered mass production from the latter half of 1943 had the nose ShKAS guns removed, and all the moveable guns were UBTs. I hope this answers your question!

Best Regards,

Jason