The first test version of bomber TB7 (Pe 8) was built in autumn 1936 by engineers of Tupolev design bureau under management of V.M. Petliakov. M-100 motor (850 hp) was installed inside fuselage, which supplied four fluid cooling engines AM-34FRN with air. In 1938 an improved version of bomber was built. Due to increased the volume of fuel tanks, flight distance increased upto 3500 km. The speed at the height 8600 m comprised 430 km/h. The practical ceiling comprised 11250 km. The bomb loading was 2000 kg. The aircraft was accepted to armament and was built at Kazan air plant #124. Some TB7 were built with air diesel engines M-40 and M-30. After diesel engines proved to be unreliable, AM-35A were installed to TB7. Around one third of all bombers were built with engines M-82 (1700 hp). In July 1941 the first fighting group was formed with famous polar pilot M.V. Vodopianov being a group lead, and in August 1941 this group attacked Berlin. During this long flight, each TB7 carried 3 tons of bombs. In 1942 the aircraft crew led by E.K. Pusepa conducted complicated flight 17800 km long, having delivered to England Soviet diplomatic mission with V.I. Molotov. During the return flight to Moscow, the aircraft during the day time at 7000m passed through Europe occupied by Germans. In 1942 after the death of V.M. Petlyakov, the aircraft was designated as Pe-8. In total 93 bombers of different modifications were built.
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