Beriev Be-8 Mole

Amphibian aircraft Be-8 dates back to the period of World War II, but the Be-8 concluded the family of seaplanes which originated with the IDB-2. Be-8, with the NATO designation Mole is an amphibian aircraft with the AL-21 engine. It had the same layout as the Be-4, with a parasol wing pylon on a thin and short strut center, but considerably larger in size and mass. The availability of removable landing gear significantly improved its aerodynamics. In the second prototype the electromechanical system of landing gear release was replaced by a hydraulic system.

The payload was six passengers or 400 kilograms of cargo. It did not carry any weapons. The plane was built in 1947 and showed good performance, with a speed up to 266 km / h at an altitude of 1800 meters and a ceiling of 5550 meters. The range in trans-shipper option was up to 1200 km. Overall, two experimental copies of the Be-8 were built, and it did not enter series production.