- Yes
- No
Background
Spoiler
The Be-6, a water reconnaissance bomber, was acquired by China from the Soviet Union in the early 1950s. Substantial modifications were carried out after 1970, resulting in the aircraft being renamed as Qing-6, which served as a waterborne anti-submarine patrol aircraft. The Beriev Design Bureau initiated the design of the Be-6 bomber in 1946, with its maiden flight taking place in February 1949. It entered mass production in 1950 but was discontinued in 1955, with a total of 150 aircraft being manufactured. The Be-6 was utilized for long-range reconnaissance and anti-shipping operations at sea. Equipped with specialized bombs, it was capable of locating and neutralizing enemy submarines within a significant combat radius. The aircraft had the ability to fly at extremely low altitudes, maintaining a height of 10-15 meters above the sea for extended periods. It served in the Soviet Navy for a duration of 20 years.
In 1952, during the spring season, Mao Zedong gave his approval for the establishment of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Naval Aviation Force. As part of this initiative, seaplanes were imported from the Soviet Union. A naval delegation was sent to the Soviet Union for negotiations, and in October 1955, six Be-6 seaplanes were flown from the Soviet Union to Qingdao, China. These seaplanes were then equipped with naval aviation units.
The first successful flight of the modified Be-6 took place on June 9, 1970. A total of four aircraft were modified for this purpose. The Be-6’s engines were replaced with more powerful ones, and additional equipment such as anti-submarine magnetic anomaly detection and acoustic buoys were installed to enhance its submarine search and attack capabilities. Changes were made to the design of the engine nacelle and fuselage tail, and the tail turret and bulletproof equipment were removed. (On one model, the fuselage tail was extended by six meters and equipped with a magnetic probe rod and a non-directional sonar buoy delivery mechanism, with a total of 63 buoys.) Corresponding modifications were also made to the onboard systems, with the TF-16 turbine generator replacing the original M-10B generator. The fuel system, oil system, and engine control system underwent changes as well. Additionally, ventilation cooling and fire extinguishing systems, as well as propeller and wing leading edge anti-icing systems, were added.
They remained in service until the 1990s, providing enhanced load and capacity due to the additional power. A specific instance of this can be found today at the Chinese Aviation Museum in Beijing.
Technical Data
Specifications
Length - 23.5 m
Height - 7.64 m
Wingspan - 33 m
Empty Weight - 18,230 kg
Gross Weight - 23,400 kg
Max Takeoff Weight - 29,000 kg
Max Speed - 416 km/h
Cruising Speed - 280 km/h
Service Ceiling - 6560 m
Range - 5000 km
Engine - 2 x Woijang WJ-6 Turboprop engines (3,126 kW on takeoff)
Crew - 8
Armament
1 x 23mm NR-23 cannon in nose turret.
1 x 2 x 23mm NR-23 in dorsal turret.
2 x 1,000 kg Torpedo’s
8 x Mines
500-4000 kg of bombs
(Source is conflicting)
Images
Spoiler
Sources
Spoiler
(Book) Chinese Aircraft China’s Aviation Industry Since 1951 - Page 138 - 139
(Book) 中国飞机全书 第二卷 - Encyclopaedia of Chinese Aircraft (Vol.2) - Page 120-122