The bombings of Moscow enraged Stalin.The USSR had to redeem her honour and take vengeance for the bombing of her capital city. Stalin demanded that they bomb Berlin. The raid was set for August 11, 1941, and was to be launched from Pushkino, near Leningrad. The Soviet navy (V-VS-VMF, Voyenno Morsky Flot) had sent a token raid on August 7, using 14 Pe.8 heavy bombers. But this was to be the first major air raid conducted by the V-VS on an enemy city so far away. At that time, the V-VS had only three aircraft types available that could reach a target that was becoming more and more distant with each day the German army advanced into Russia. Those were the Ilyushin Il-4, the Yermolayev Yer-2 and the Petlyakov Pe-8. In order to achieve the necessary range for the mission, these aircraft had to have their regular engines removed and replaced with long-range diesels. This was done at the order of Stalin himself. The total distance to Berlin was calculated at 1,680 miles, which would be flown at the Pe-8's long-range cruising speed of 175 mph and at an altitude of 23,000 feet. If they left at last light, the estimated time of arrival over Berlin would be around midnight. Finally, at 9:15 p.m. on August 11, the 14 Pe-8s took to the sky. At about the same time, two squadrons of Il-4s from the 200th BAP took off from Saaremaa to join the attack. Colonel Nikolai I. Novodranov's 420th BAP was also ordered to send a squadron of Yer-2s to Berlin. ...the remaining 11 Pe-8s pressed on toward Berlin, releasing their bombloads over various parts of the city... Upon his return, the mission commander and Pe-8 pilot, Major Vodopyanov was rushed to Moscow. Brought before Stalin and a roomful of Party officials, marshals and generals, Vodopyanov was asked for a mission report and summary. "Eleven of our aircraft reached the target, six aircraft regained their base, one was shot down by our own anti-aircraft artillery, one is missing and the rest made forced landings owing to engine failures. My aircraft crash-landed in a forest." Despite the problems with the Pe-8s, they soldiered on. On September 1, a completely successful Pe-8 raid on Königsberg was effected. Raids on Berlin continued, too. Naval DB-3s flew a total of 10 sorties over Berlin before their base at Saaremaa had to be evacuated in the face of imminent German capture. The final attack was made on the night of September 4-5. A total of 86 naval aircraft participated in the raids, of which 33 were reported to have reached Berlin, while others bombed secondary targets, including Stettin, Königsberg, Memel, Danzig, Swinemünde and Libau. Daylight bombing was even tried, but met with no success and was cancelled. http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Bunker/3351/campaigns/russrd.html
Very interesting indeed, Kai! But what about Soviet bombing during the rest of the war? What about 1944 and 1945?