Soviet Pilots and American Airman with Petlyakov Pe-2, Poltava 1944

September 18, 2025 - Reading time: 4 minutes

Soviet pilots with U.S. Technical Sergeant Bernard J. McGuire in front of a Petlyakov Pe-2 bomber, Poltava, June 1944.

This rare wartime photograph captures a meeting of Soviet and American servicemen at Poltava Airfield in June 1944. Soviet pilots and ground crew stand alongside U.S. Technical Sergeant Bernard J. McGuire of Tonawanda, New York, who served in the 348th Squadron of the 99th Bomb Group. Together they pose in front of a Soviet Petlyakov Pe-2 dive bomber, one of the most effective twin-engine bombers of the Red Army Air Force during World War II.

This image highlights the cooperation between the USSR and the United States during Operation Frantic — the series of shuttle bombing missions carried out in 1944. Poltava became a key base where American heavy bombers could land, refuel, and operate in coordination with Soviet forces.

Interestingly, some sources have mistakenly identified the aircraft in the photo as a Yak-4. However, aviation experts confirm that the plane is indeed a Petlyakov Pe-2, a versatile aircraft that played a crucial role in precision bombing and close air support on the Eastern Front.

The presence of McGuire at Poltava illustrates the close, though sometimes complex, military cooperation between the Allies in the final stages of the war. This photo serves as a visual reminder of the combined effort needed to defeat Nazi Germany.

Technical photo data:
📍 Location: Poltava, Ukrainian SSR, USSR
📅 Date: June 1944
📝 Event: Allied cooperation at Poltava Airfield during Operation Frantic
📷 Source: National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

Petlyakov Pe-2 bomber photo
USSR-USA air cooperation 1944
Operation Frantic Poltava
Soviet aviation WWII archives
American airmen in Soviet Union
Red Army Air Force bomber support