Eastern Front 1941 Pt. 12: Ale-6BKL - Complete

[comrade harps]

Take one MPM SAAB B-5 and Sovietise it a little.

Just started. WIP pics later.

[comrade harps]

[comrade harps]

Ural Mining & Manufacturing Association Ale-6BKL
White 7, "For Leningrad", 274 Escadrille, 270 Attack Regiment , Socialist Union Red Army Air Force
Leningrad Front, December, 1941



The Ale-6BKL was the final production iteration of a family of attack bomber, dive bomber and photographic reconnaissance aircraft that began with the Ale-2 of 1935. An attack bomber, the Ale-3 saw action over Spain and against the Japanese, lessons learnt being fed into the development of the Ale-4 dive bomber series that also saw combat in these theatres.



However, these combat deployments made it clear that dive bombers were vulnerable to enemy fighters and the next development in the series, the Ale-6, returned the to attack bomber/photo-reconnaissance requirement. There were several production versions, culminating in the Ale-6BKL model with a supercharged M-88B engine, four wing-mounted 20mm ShVAK cannon (supplemented by a 7.62 mm ShKAS machine gun fired by the rear gunner) and an optional ski undercarriage. The BKL entered production in August 1940 and 3,316 were built by the time it was phased out in favour of the Il-2, the last being delivered in February 1942.




White 7 was photographed carrying two FAB-100-1940M bombers under the centre wing section. This version of the FAB-100 featured a streamlined, low-drag shape and a smooth exterior; although aerodynamically clean, its manufacture was abandoned in late 1941 in favour of cruder welded and riveted high drag versions to simplify, proliferate and quicken production. Under each wing are four FAB-10-1939 10kg anti-personnel fragmentation bombs.




The Ale-2, -4 and -6 competed with several designs for orders, including the Nieman R-10 and the Sukhoi Su-2, but was built in greater numbers than all its rivals until the introduction of the Il-2. Although long out of production, the type continued in frontline service until late 1943, mostly serving in the night bomber role from mid-1942. They also served in a variety of trainer roles, including gunnery training and target tug duties, until 1949.




Photographed in December, 1941, White 7 was a presentation aircraft, hence the "For Leningrad" markings.

[NARSES2]

I like that  Suitably agricultural

[zenrat]

Comrade, the workers did well with this one.

[comrade harps]

Comrade, the workers did well with this one.

And the prolitarian aviation workers of the Socialist Paradise even used some resin parts successfully!

[JasonW]

I like this one a lot. Very well done comrade.

[Old Wombat]

Neat build & a lovely scheme, comrade!

[Captain Canada]

Now that is a neat winter camo scheme !