- Yes
- No
Background
Spoiler
In 1939, Beriev was tasked with developing a superior replacement for the KOR-1, known as the KOR-2 (Be-4), due to the dissatisfaction with the KOR-1’s shortcomings. The maiden flight of the new aircraft took place on 21 October 1940 at the Beriev factory in Taganrog.
The KOR-2 was constructed using duralumin for its hull, featuring a well-designed planning bottom similar to the MBR-7. It had side anchorages to facilitate beaching of the chassis. The crew consisted of three members: the pilot and navigator/radio operator sat side by side in an enclosed cockpit, which also had the option for dual control. The observer/gunner occupied the rear cockpit, which had a pivoted rear hood that served as a windshield for gunnery. The aircraft was equipped with one ShKAS machine gun in the rear cockpit, while another was fixed in the bows and aimed by the pilot. the KOR-2 had the capacity to carry four FAB-100 bombs or other stores weighing up to 400 kg on racks located at the extremities of the center section.
The driving mechanism operates the split flaps on the aircraft, while the outer panels have manually folded split flaps on skewed hinges that lie along the rear hull with floats outward. The engine is set at a positive angle of 5° and has all-round cooling gills. The nacelle interior layout is similar to MDR-5 but extended to behind the trailing edge.
The prototype of the aircraft underwent testing in early 1941, which included catapulting and armament trials. However, these tests were interrupted due to the evacuation of Sevastopol in late spring 1942. Meanwhile, the first two production aircraft were being tested by GUSMP pilot Malkov.
During the evacuation of Taganrog, around 30 unfinished KOR-2s were destroyed. Production of the aircraft resumed in 1943 at Krasnoyarsk, and they were delivered in small numbers and completed by mid-1945.
The KOR-2 was also launched by the Maxim Gorki, and the Kirov.
Technical Data
Specifications
Crew - 3
Length - 10.5 m
Height - 4.04 m
Wingspan - 12 m
Empty Weight - 2,082 kg
Gross Weight - 2,760 kg
Powerplant - 1 x Shvetsov aSh-62 (M-62) Radial Engine (746 kW)
Max Speed - 310 km/h (Sea Level) 356 km/h (4,700 m)
Rate of Climb - 8.3 m/s
Service Ceiling - 8,100 m
Range - 1,150 km
Armament
2 x 7.62mm shKAS Machine Guns. (? May be one, sources conflicting)
1 x 7.62mm shKAS Machine Gun or 1 x 12.7mm UBT Machine Gun in Ventral Turret.
4 x FAB-100
8 x RS-82 Rockets
Up to 400 kg of Bombs
Images
Sources
Spoiler
(Book) The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875-1995. (Pg 49)