ABM Chetverikov ARK-3 1/72

[Robert Stuart]

That's a great build Alexey, fascinating.

[Johnson]

I've caught up with your build very late Alexey, truly impressive and pretty unique I guess.

 

What has amazed me in this GB is the number of float planes from the USSR. Is there some reason for this?

[bigbadbadge]

Wow what a stunning model, great work and a great display.

[Courageous]

Lovely job there Alexey. The trio look great too.

 

Stuart

[jrlx]

Excellent result!

[Learstang]

That's a beautiful collection of Soviet flying boats!

 

Regards,

 

Jason

[Learstang]

8 hours ago, Johnson said:

What has amazed me in this GB is the number of float planes from the USSR. Is there some reason for this?

Certainly; the Soviet Union was a huge country with a lot of water (lakes and rivers), and in many places no decent airfields. Sort of like Canada and all its floatplanes historically.

 

Best Regards,

 

Jason

[AdrianMF]

Nice family group.

 

(Glad to know I wasn’t the only one fixing shoes this weekend! My fix was straightening out and gluing back some leather on a stiletto heel, then my wife decided she wasn't going to wear them today anyway... )

 

Regards,

Adrian

[Pin]

15 hours ago, Johnson said:

What has amazed me in this GB is the number of float planes from the USSR. Is there some reason for this?

 

Well, according to 

 

USSR/Russia shares 3-5 places with Japan and Italy

 

7. Country of operation

UK ----------------------------- 21 (+0)

USA ---------------------------- 8 (+0)

Italy ---------------------------- 6 (+0)

Japan -------------------------- 6 (+0)

Soviet Union ------------------ 6 (+0)

[Johnson]

Thanks Alexey.

 

I probably should have been more specific and said 'post WW2 jet powered floatplanes'. I haven't counted them in the GB and so this may just be an impression I got, but some amazing designs, and great builds too!

 

 - And the wonderful Prop Floatplanes too! 

Edited December 23, 2019 by Johnson
More stuff

[Pin]

21 hours ago, Johnson said:

'post WW2 jet powered floatplanes'

I'm thinking, who else produced jet powered flying boats? 

There were British and American prototypes, such as SR/A or Martin SeaMaster, but neither reached production state. 

[Johnson]

4 hours ago, Pin said:

I'm thinking, who else produced jet powered flying boats?

A Google search didn't reveal many others. The Beriev Design Bureau seems to have produced the most, the earliest being their R-1. But it did have problems;

 

On November 22nd 1951, the R-1 commenced its first set of taxi trials. The trial revealed a new phenomenon affecting seaplanes fitted with jet engines. The Hydro-dynamic Instability Barrier Effect which made the R-1 suffer severe porpoising at nearly 80% of the take-off speed. The problem was semi-corrected (it was brought to a manageable level) with modifications to the plane’s elevator and tail-plane compensation mechanism. Taxiing tests resumed in April 1952 and in May 30th, it took to the air for the first time. The R-1 flew several times before an October 3rd incident when water poured into the jet engine nozzles during an attempted take-off.

(http://www.century-of-flight.freeola.com/Aviation history/coming of age/flying boats/beriev.htm)

 

Berieve went on the make others; the R-2, R-10 and the later Beriev A-40 and A-42.

 

I guess problems with jets and water made turboprop floatplanes a more practical solution?

 

 

 

[Pin]

R-1 was a prototype, not a production machine.

 

The main reason of flying boat decline was that they were no longer needed. Strike roles were taken by missiles, recon by long range land based planes, rescue by helicopters.

I think there are no operating flying boats left in any navy, those that "can swim" (like Be-12, Be-200 or US-2) are land based amphibians.