A-Model

1/72 Beriev KOR-1 and BE-2

Kit Number 7226 and 7225

Reviewed By Brian R. Baker, #43146

MSRP: $6.95 USD

HISTORY

Designed to replace the obsolete KR-1 catapult floatplane, the KOR-1, originally designated KR-1, began the design process in 1934, finally emerging in prototype form in 1936.  First flown in September of that year, the airplane was a conventional two-seat float biplane intended for maritime reconnaissance, artillery spotting, dive-bombing, liaison, and air combat.  The plane was all metal with a steel tube fuselage with alclad and fabric covering.  The wings were aluminum and the empennage were fabric covered.  Dual controls were standard, along with a catapult hook for operation from warships.   Radio and camera equipment were also installed.  The wings could be folded back for efficient storage aboard ship.

Armament consisted of two 7.66 mm SHKAS machine guns in fairings on the upper wing center section and a similar weapon on a flexible mount in the rear cockpit.  Two 100 kg bombs could also be carried on underwing racks.

The KOR-1 was powered by a 700 hp M-25 radial engine, “patterned” (read copied) from a Wright Cyclone, probably without the appropriate production licenses.  A three bladed metal prop was used.  The cowling was similar to that of the Polikarpov I-16 fighter that was then in service with the Soviet Air Force.  The plane was 7.67 meters long, with a span of 11 meters.  Empty and loaded weights were 1800 and 2486 kg respectively.

At first, flight tests with the prototype were disappointing, but some redesign work improved flying characteristics to acceptable standards, and the type was placed in production at the factory at Tagonrog.

At the time the Germans invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, the KOR-1 was in the process of being withdrawn from service with the Soviet Fleet, its replacement being the Beriev BE-2 single-engined flying boat.  However, some shore based units continued to use them in the Baltic region.  Around the Black Sea, a number of KOR-1’s were modified by the removal of the floats and replacement with an improvised fixed wheel or ski type landing gear, and these were operated in the close support role around Sevastopol from October 1941 to July 1942.  After that, more modern aircraft slowly replaced the KOR-1s and BE-2s.  As far as is known none survives today.

THE KIT

Although these kits were introduced separately by A-Model, they are really the same model; with the KOR-1 having floats while the BE-2 has wheels and skis.  The undercarriages and decals are different, but otherwise, they are basically the same.

The instructions are quite complete, and only one problem exists: they are in Russian.  That being said, they are entirely useful, as the exploded drawings clearly explain the sequence of assembly, and a three-view drawing shows the general arrangement and rigging details, along with color and marking information.  There are a few English words describing the colors, but the box art is perhaps more useful in this respect.  For some strange reason, the assembly drawings for similar parts are different for each kit.  The floatplane instructions even give the position of the wings when folded, although there is no hint as to the exact details of the folding mechanism.  Any modeler with even a minimum of experience should have no trouble building this kit.

Color information on the KOR-1 shows a pale grey overall scheme not unlike American neutral grey, while the BE-2 instructions give three distinctly different camouflage patterns, an overall green, a brown and green pattern, and an all white snow camouflage, all presumably over a light blue undersides.

Decals provide markings for one KOR-1 and three BE-2s as described above.  The decals in my kits were useful when trimmed adequately, and they laid down on the model quite well.

The kits are molded in soft white styrene with crisp details, but not up to Fujimi or Hasegawa standards.  Some trimming is required, and in fact, I had to trim and smooth out just about every component, but I’ve seen a lot worse.  There is some internal cockpit detail, but this is limited to radio and other equipment on the side of the pilot’s compartment, so some serious detailing is required here.  Exterior detail is heavy, with deep panel lines in some places, and raised detail in others, notably the wing ribs where raised lines are acceptable.  The cockpit interior includes a floor, seats, an instrument panel, a gun mounting ring, and a pretty nicely detailed SHKAS machine gun.  Engine detail is passable, but the prop needs to be thinned down and trimmed to look more realistic.  The clear parts are heavy, with the front windshield being very strange looking.  I used them, although vacuforming would probably have been much better.

ACCURACY

There is not a lot of information available on this airplane, as data on Russian aircraft is only being slowly becoming available in recent years, but I suspect that these models are very accurate, since the manufacturers probably had access to accurate drawings, even though no actual aircraft seems to have survived.  In any event, in the few photos I have seen, the models look pretty much like the real thing, although some photos and drawings show a cowling cover similar to that of the I-16 fighter, with a front cover to avoid overcooling of the radial engine in cold weather operations.  This could probably be cut out of thin sheet plastic.  I didn’t do it on my models.

ASSEMBLY AND FINISHING

This is listed as a “limited run” model, and it certainly shows all of the characteristics of “cottage industry” productions.  The usual assembly process was followed, with the cockpit suitably detailed, although this has to be conjecture, as I’ve never seen a picture of the interior of one of these aircraft.  After the fuselage was assembled, I mounted the lower wing and filled in all of the rough spots with putty.  Things line up pretty well, but the model’s details should be painted before the upper wing is installed.  I made the mistake of waiting to install the windshields, and on the second attempt, I installed them before wing assembly.  My procedure on biplanes is generally to install the cabane struts between the fuselage and the wing center section, and line up the wing on these struts before attempting to install the interplane struts.  The landing gear and floats are pretty easy to install, although lining up the floats was tedious.  On the floatplane, since it was one color overall, I painted the entire airframe after assembly, but the landplane, with two colors, was painted before the upper wing was in place.

The finishing touches on a biplane generally tend to make or break a model, and this is certainly true with this aircraft.  The tail struts provided with the kit were impossible, so I made my own from plastic strips.  This plane demands rigging wires; in my opinion, no biplane model is complete without a complete set of landing, flying, and bracing wires.  Also, control cables and radio antennas can be done with the same method.  I use stranded electronic wire, trimmed and attached with white glue, and the effects are quite good.

RECOMMENDATION

The overall result is a model that is unique and strange looking, but that’s the kind of models I like.  I got my examples from a correspondent in Moscow, but these are now available from various mail order shops in the states at quite reasonable prices.

True, it doesn’t compare with the big boys, but I can’t see any of the majors producing any of these odd and unusual aircraft, so this is probably it for the time being.  If you have the time, patience, and dedication, it would be worthwhile to get at least one of each of these kits, as they fill a gap in any serious model collection of Soviet aircraft in 1/72 scale.  And I think that I am the only one in our IPMS chapter to have built one.

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