The Tu-2 medium bomber, fast and capable with a heavy load, chronicles its wartime development, postwar service, and varied international use with detailed color profiles.

Although one of the best medium bombers of the Second World War, fast, tough, and with an excellent bomb load, the Tu-2 is little known in the West. This book provides a comprehensive history of this important airplane, complete with its developmental history in the Second World War and later, and its long postwar history, both with the Soviet Union and other countries. First produced in 1942, the Tu-2's initial production ended in 1943, then as its combat capabilities became clear, it was reinstated into production. Because of the stop in production, the Tu-2 was not used in large numbers until the last year of the war, where it proved a very useful weapon indeed. Neither its development nor production stopped with the end of the war, and it was developed into additional variants, including an all-weather fighter. In addition to its service in the Great Patriotic War, it saw service in the Korean War with the Chinese Air Force. This book also features accurate color profiles of the Tu-2 in the colors of the various nations it was in service with postwar, as well as color profiles from its wartime service with the Red Air Force.