Po-2 KAO is a Soviet Air unit in Steel Division II.
Background[ | ]
One of the most common Soviet planes, the Po-2 had humble beginnings as a mass-produced trainer aircraft, designed by Nikolai Polikarpov in 1927 to replace the U-1 (uchebnyy, trainer) plane, a copy of the British Avro 504. Manufactured under the designation U-2 from 1929 onwards, it became a staple of Soviet aviation thanks to its low cost, ruggedness, and forgiving nature. It earned its nickname, Кукурузник (Kukuruznik, Maize-man), due to its widespread use in dusting Soviet maize farms.
It would remain a simple, unremarkable trainer aircraft if it wasn't for the Eastern Front. The ready availability of the U-2 combined with the pressing need for air support resulted in the U-2 being pressed into service as a recon plane, light bomber, medical aircraft, supply transport, and more. Its excellent short take off and landing characteristics allowed it to land in areas inaccessible to other aircraft, while its low speed made it surprisingly difficult for the much faster interceptors like the Messerschmitt Me 109 to get a bead on.
Renamed Po-2 after Polikarpov's death in 1944, the Po-2 remained in factory production until 1952, with the total number of units produced ranging from twenty to thirty thousand, as small-scale production continued at repair shops and air clubs until 1959.