Beriev Be-12

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Beriev Be-12 Chayka

Be-12P-200 at Gelendzhik in September 2004

Type Patrol aircraft
Manufacturer Beriev
Maiden flight October 1960
Introduced 1960s
Status Operational (in small numbers)
Primary user Soviet Naval Aviation
Number built 150
Developed from Beriev Be-6
Be-12 redirects here. For the WWI aircraft, see Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12

The Beriev Be-12 Chayka ("Seagull", NATO reporting name: Mail) is a Soviet twin-turboprop-powered amphibious anti-submarine and maritime patrol aircraft.

Contents

[edit] Design and development

Beriev Be-12 is development of the Beriev Be-6 flying boat whose primary roles were as an anti-submarine and maritime patrol bomber aircraft. Though tracing its origins to the Be-6, the Be-12 inherited little more than the concept of its gull wing and twin oval tailfins.

[edit] Operational history

The Be-12 entered service with the Soviet Navy in the early 1960s in the maritime patrol role, and is one of the few amphibian aircraft still in military service in the world. Initially its role was ASW patrol, but when newer missiles enabled the United States Navy submarines to launch from further offshore, the Be-12 was converted to a search and rescue role (Be-12PS). Small numbers are still in service.

M-12 is the designation used by Soviet Naval Aviation, or AV-MF (Aviatcia Voenno-Morskogo Flota). First flown in October 1960 at Taganrog airfield.

[edit] Variants

Ukrainian Be-12
Ukrainian Be-12
Be-12
Twin-engined maritime reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare flying-boat.
Be-12EKO
Ecological reconnaissance version.
Be-12LL
Flying laboratory version.
Be-12Nkh
Utility transport, experimental passenger trasport version.
Be-12PS
Search and rescue version.
Be-12P
Fire-fighting version.
Be-12P-200
Firefighting version.
Be-12SK
Used for nuclear depth charge tests.
Be-121
Scientific research version.

[edit] Operators

Flag of Russia Russia
Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union
Flag of Syria Syria
Flag of Ukraine Ukraine
Flag of Vietnam Vietnam

[edit] Specifications (Be-12)

Be-12 at Monino Central Air Force Museum (Moscow) 2006
Be-12 at Monino Central Air Force Museum (Moscow) 2006

General characteristics

  • Crew: Four
  • Length: 30.11 m (98 ft 9 in)
  • Wingspan: 29.84 m (97 ft 11 in)
  • Height: 7.94 m (26 ft 1 in)
  • Wing area: 99.0 m² (1,065 ft²)
  • Empty weight: 24,000 kg (52,800 lb)
  • Loaded weight: 29,500 kg (64,900 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 36,000 kg (79,200 lb)
  • Powerplant: 2× Progress AI-20D turboprops, 3,864 kW (5,180 hp) each

Performance

Armament

  • 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) of external stores, including bombs, depth-charges and torpedoes

[edit] See also

Related development

Comparable aircraft

[edit] References