Vietnam's first submarine hunting seaplane
The Be-12 seaplane is a submarine hunter. The Be-12's fuselage is divided into 10 compartments with watertight partitions, and electronic equipment is installed inside. If some compartments are punctured, the plane will still float well on the water. Under the 2 wings there are 2 more floats to create stability.
On April 16, 1980, the Air Force Command decided to transfer the entire MiG-19 squadron (Regiment 925) performing international duty in Cambodia back to Vietnam. These pilots and mechanics were sent to study how to use the MiG-21 fighter, the Ka-25 anti-submarine helicopter and the Beriev Be-12 anti-submarine seaplane.
Be-12 seaplane.
In late 1980, the Commander of the Vietnam Air Force decided to establish a squadron of Be-12 anti-submarine aircraft belonging to the 933rd Air Force Regiment (372nd Division). In 1981, 4 Be-12 seaplanes were transferred to Vietnam by the Soviet Union.
Features and tactics of Be-12 The Be-12 Chayka (meaning Seagull) anti-submarine amphibious aircraft was developed by the Beriev Design Bureau in the late 1950s. The original design purpose of the Be-12 was to hunt down US Navy submarines that were trying to penetrate deep into Soviet territorial waters.
The Be-12's fuselage is designed like a boat to optimize its ability to glide over water when taking off, with seagull-like wings and two oval vertical tails. The Be-12's fuselage is divided into 10 compartments with watertight partitions, and electronic equipment is installed inside. If some compartments are punctured, the plane will still float well on the water. Under the two wings are two more floats to create stability.
Be-12 is equipped with 2 Ivchenko Progress AI-20D turboprop engines (5,180 horsepower/unit) allowing it to reach a speed of about 530km/h, a range of 3,300km, and a ceiling of 8,000m. Takeoff/landing on water is 2,300m, takeoff/landing on land is 2,200-1,800m.
According to Datviet-M
