Pe-2

[Ruy Horta]

Originally Posted by cheriz

German World War I song ‘I have had a comrade’ was transferred to a Soviet Youth (Young Pioneers) song ‘Young drummer’ obviously the stanzas have been changed but melody remained intact. When it goes to copying military equipment it is undeniable that German medium tank PzK V Panther was greatly influenced by Russian T-34 which by itself was enlarged and modified copy of American T 3 Christie design .

Well Graham has a point that is well illustrated by this paragraph. Half truths which are combined into "factoids" and influence versus copy.

Influence and greatly influenced blurr into the same meaning as copy.

The Panther design was literally influenced in many ways by the Soviet T34, but again it was not a copy - far from it. Influence can involve a complete oposite in design. The T34 was simplicity itself, the Panther was possibly the most complex "medium" tank of WW2.

The T-34 was pretty unique as a weapons system when it first entered the scene, but by highlighting some technical parts it has become "an enlarged and modified copy" of an older American design (in line with the Zero being a copy of American design, or even the Fw 190 being a copy of an American design by Hughes).

The design was so good, it could only be western / american.

Where the Soviets copied technology it is fairly open and either preceded by licence building or captured (superior) enemy technology, but lets leave some room for their own influential design capability.

I have to agree that even to question the origin of the Pe-2 when you can easily see that its similarity to the Bf 110 is very superficial to being not there at all.

The original question carries a level of provocation.

The answer to the Pe 2 being a direct copy can only be: nonsense!

BTW

Here's some info on Ich hatt einen Kameraden:

Uhland-Gedichte
Selected German Verse by Ludwig Uhland In the original German with a
side-by-side translation in English
BACKGROUND: This Uhland poem—also known as "Der gute Kamerad"—was written in 1809 and later set to music by the German composer Friedrich Silcher in 1825 (using an old folk melody, "Ein schwarzbraunes Mädchen hat ein'n Feldjäger lieb"). Uhland's poem (or Lied) was inspired by the Tyrolian freedom fighters and their struggle against Napoleon. It was popular enough during World War I to be parodied as "Ich hatt' mal Marmelade," reflecting the soldiers' hunger and lack of rations. Although it was written much earlier, the poem/song is often quoted/performed in memory of the veterans of the two world wars and for the German veterans day observance known as Volkstrauertag (on the third Sunday in November).

http://german.about.com/library/blkameraden.htm

The French also sing this song as J'avais un Camerade, but this is IIRC due to the high number of ex-Waffen SS men fighting in the Foreign Legion in the period after WW2.

As you can see it is hardly a ww1 song.

This forum is about discussion and raising questions, but it also demans that you put up an effort to find some answers yourself. As such I am tempted to regard the original question in a dubious light.

Provocative, but with with little value.

Perhaps I'm being too cyical, but helas experience proofs otherwise.