Russian telephone cutter aircraft

[Tango Echo Dog]

In John Erickson's 'The Road to Berlin' p.355 (paper back edition) there is a reference to VVS 'rippers'. These were apparently dedicated aircraft used to cut enemy telephone lines.
Can anyone provide information on these aircraft and their operations?

[RSwank]

There is one sentence in the book "500 Days: The War in Eastern Europe 1944-1945" by Mcateer on page 221.

https://books.google.com/books?id=Bg...rcraft&f=false

It says, "Specially outfitted aircraft called "rippers" flew low, trailing hooks, separating Axis telephone lines."

[Larry]

The Polikarpov Po-2 is the most likely aircraft type used

[Graham Boak]

The Israelis used P-51s for this role. This would have to be in daylight, so flying a Po2 over German territory would have been suicidal. The greater weight and speed of a larger aircraft would also have been useful.

[Larry]

The Po 2 was used to great effect in night time nuisance raids and at quite low level, so if the pilot could see a road clear enough in the dark its' possible to have brought down the telephone wires on the telegraph poles that often line the roads.

[Tango Echo Dog]

Gentlemen
Many thanks for your extremely interesting and valuable responses to my question.
My first thought was that the Po 2 was used, although it would have been suicidal in daylight, but it is possible converted Ilyushas were used instead.
What is surprising is that there are no references to this in any other campaign and that neight the 5 VA nor 17 VA histories mention it. Possibly it was a local idea used just once.

[RSwank]

Regarding Graham's remark on the Israeli AF doing something similar, there is a photo of a P-51D used in this role on this link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histor...aeli_Air_Force

You can click on the photo a couple to times to get it enlarged to the point that you can see the wire cutting marking on the cockpit that they are talking about in the picture caption. They apparently cut the wires using the propeller of the plane.

[Alfred.MONZAT]

Hello,

The Bf 110s of Erprobungsgruppe 210 were equiped with similar device which was to be used just before the invasion of Great Britain, read more in John Vasco book about the unit

Also the Brits used balloons to do the job for Operation Outward

Regards

Alfred