This is the Beriev BE-200 amphibious jet. Pretty cool stuff; in the clip they have it configured for water bombing, and for marine rescue. Or you can just put up to 64 seats inside the jet and use it for a passenger transport.
I want one with a barbequeue in the back so I can take it up to some northern lakes this summer and go fishing!
Nice video find, Sully. Makes the Q300 water-bomber and the CL-415 look so, so worker-like. A very efficient layout, love the cargo door arrangement, unlike a lot of designs this one looks like the Russians have an engineer who has also loaded pop and chips for a living.
ReplyDeleteWatching the vid made me realize my age, yet again .. vast majority of "plane watchers" out there don't realize who closely commercial and military aviation was tied to water, back in the day.
I haven't been able to locate and videos of the Martin P6M, the airplane that "finished" Martin in the aircraft business... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P6M_SeaMaster
Must have been a sight to behold, and especially to hear with 4 J-75's in afterburner (the same engine used by the F-105, which wasn called the "Thunderchief" for good reason).
Very interesting machines.
This airplane would pretty easily make my list of top 10 airplanes I'd like to see allowed in North America. Political considerations or legitamate safety concerns? hmmm.
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