| Be-4 | |
|---|---|
 Be-4 on theSoviet cruiser Molotov, 1941. | |
| General information | |
| Type | Reconnaissance flying boat |
| Manufacturer | Beriev |
| Primary user | Soviet Naval Aviation |
| Number built | ca. 47 |
| History | |
| Introduction date | 1942 |
| First flight | 21 October1940 |
TheBeriev Be-4 (originally designatedKOR-2) was areconnaissanceflying boat built to operate fromSoviet warships duringWorld War II.
In 1939, Beriev was ordered to develop a successor to theKOR-1 design, which would overcome the numerous problems encountered in operational experience with that design. The new aircraft, with the in-house designation KOR-2, first flew on 21 October 1940 at the Beriev factory inTaganrog.
The Be-4 was an elegant, parasol-wingedmonoplane with a slight inverse-gull wing. The largeradial engine was mounted in anacelle above thefuselage.
Testing continued through January 1941, when series production was ordered under the designation Be-4, at a factory near Moscow. However, due to the start ofWorld War II, only two aircraft were completed. The factory was dismantled, and evacuated toOmsk, then toKrasnoyarsk, where production resumed in May 1943 to the end of 1945. A total of 47 aircraft were eventually completed.
The Be-4 was placed into operational service with theRussian Black Sea Fleet from 1942, where it was used for coastal reconnaissance, anti-submarine and transport duties. It was also used on the cruisersMaxim Gorki andKirov.
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
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