The Arkhangelsky Ar-2 was a Soviet dive-bomber used in small numbers during World War II. Its design was considered a refinement of the earlier Russian Tupolev SB.
Production started in late 1940, but already the machine had been superseded by the Petlyakov Pe-2 and the flight of the Tupolev Tu-2 prototype. Therefore, after only 190 Ar-2s had been constructed, Zavod 22 (the aircraft factory previously devoted to Ar-2 manufacture) was turned over to Pe-2 manufacture in early 1941.
Arkhangelsky OKB continued its attempts to refine the SB, creating a final development, the SBB in 1941. All further work in this direction was terminated at the outbreak of war with Germany and Alexander Arkhangelsky was reassigned to Zavod 156 to oversee maintenance and repair of operational SB aircraft.
Beginning in 1940, Ar-2s were assigned to units already operating the SB, and the two types were operated side-by-side. At least half of all Ar-2s built were destroyed during the German offensive of 1941, with a small number still operating until about 1943!
