The Petlyakov Pe-2 was second only to the Il-2 as the most important Soviet ground-attack aircraft of World War II and was in fact superior to many similar western designs even though the true extent of its role in the war did not became known until many years after it had ended. The Pe-2 began life as a fast twin-engine heavy fighter but soon was converted to the light bomber role for which it was better suited and from 1941 to 1945, Pe-2s could be found all along the Eastern Front in support of Soviet ground forces where they were difficult targets to intercept because of their speed and whose large numbers ensured there was no battlefield in Russia which would suffer from their absence. No better testament of the Pe-2 brilliance in design was the fact that it was one of the few aircraft which throughout World War II without being replaced, serving even against Japan in Manchuria. They continued to be in used post-war by both the USSR and a number of its client states like Czechoslovakia, Poland and Yugoslavia.

The prototype VI-100 began trials in January 1940, and the production Pe-2 entered production in June of that same year. Flown as a light or attack bomber, the Pe-2 was supplemented by variants like the Pe-2M two-seat fighter bomber, the Pe-2R long-range reconnaissance aircraft, and the Pe-2UT trainer. Development eventually led to the the Pe-3 heavy fighter variant but was soon abandoned although the Pe-3bis reconnaissance fighter saw substantial service. Other experimental variants included the Pe-2RD with tail-mounted booster rockets and the Pe-2Sh ground attack aircraft with heavy armament. Czech versions were known as the B-32.