Starting seaplane design in 1928, G. M. Beriev became
the leading designer of Russian waterbased aircraft. Chief
designer of the TsKB seaplane group
MBR-2
in 1930, he was
responsible for the twin-engined MBR-2 flying-boat,
Be-2 reconnaissance seaplane and Be-4 flying-boat.
Beriev design bureau became center of Soviet seaplane
development in 1945, a major flying-boat project being
the twin-jet Be-10. Be-12 twin-turboprop antisubmarine
and reconnaissance amphibian manufactured between
1963 and 1973 and
LL-143
used widely by Soviet/Russian Navy
until about 1997, when withdrawn; several Be-12s have
been modified for civil uses, including transport and firefighting.
A-40/Be-40 Albatross Mermaid turbofan-powered
intermediate-range antisubmarine,
search-and-rescue and patrol amphibian, first flown
December 1986 and ordered for the Russian Navy in 1992
but not funded.
R-1
Improved search-and-rescue variant
became Be-42, which might eventually join the Russian
Navy with propfan engines (sometimes referred to in the
West as A-45).
A laser-gun test-bed aircraft based on the llyushin II-76
was produced by Beriev and has been flown since 1980s
asA-60, while in 1978
Be-12 "Chaika"
the first flight took place of the Beriev
A-50 MainstayMbome early warning and control aircraft,
also based on II-76 and in Russian operational service since 1984. Beriev Be-3216-passenger twin-turboprop transport
(first flown 1976), similar to earlier Be-30 (first flown
1968), was still to enter
Be-42 (A-40) "Albatros"
production in 1998. Be-102 multipurpose
amphibian designed in 1993 but remained project
in 1998. Be-112 Pelican larger multipurpose amphibian
under consideration for development, while Be-200 twinturbofan
multipurpose amphibian (initially for firefighting)
first flew in 1998. Be-103 six-seat light amphibian, also
suited to cargo carrying, survey and
Be-200
other roles, first flew
July 1997; has twin piston engines carried on mounts either
side of the rear fuselage. Very heavy lift cargo and passenger
amphibians have been projected as Be-1200 and
Be-2500, possibly to fly next century. Company currently
named Joint Stock Company "Taganrog Aviation Scientific-
Technical Complex named after G.M. Beriev," and now part
of the AVPK Sukhoi organization.
