KOR-1

[James A Pratt III]

I am looking for information on the operational use and combat losses of the KOR-1 seaplane during the GPW. This was the standard Battleship and Cruiser seaplane used by the Soviet Navy. I would also like any info on paint schemes. I know pre-1941 Soviet naval aircraft were painted grey overall. Finally when was this aircraft phased out of service. Thanks in advance.

[kalender1973]

If you read russian look http://www.airwar.ru/enc/sww2/be2.html

Only 11 planes( 6 baltic fleet and 5 black see fleet) were on hand. In august 1941 only 2 were availablle on baltic, the fates of other are unknown(possible written off). One plane destroyed on air field Nizino, near Leningrad on 20. august 1941, the last was transferred to Saransk pilot school.
On 14. august 3 Black Sea KOR-1 were included in the so called "freidorf air group" and was used as ground attack planes against advanced in to the Crimea 11 german army. One was shot down, another was damaged and the last was lost on 3th december, caused by artillery barrage

[Dénes Bernád]

Any activity in the Odessa area (up to mid-October 1941)?

[kalender1973]

Originally Posted by Dénes Bernád

Any activity in the Odessa area (up to mid-October 1941)?

Not known, but improbable. The permanent base was Sevastopol and I have not any idea, why the KOR-1 should be send to Odessa.

[pbhawkin]

HI,
On the Russian site that Igor list above the colour profiles are hard to interprete. Are the first two planes a Grey or a Blue/Green colour?
Is the third one Silver, Grey or a Natural Metal finish?
When you say only 11 planes were on hand how many were made in total? and what happened to the others?

[James A Pratt III]

I believe something like 400 were made. I believe I read somewhere that a squadron of these aircraft converted to landplanes did fly some operations over Odessa in 1941 under a different designation. I believe the type suffered from weak floats. I had some notes on this but I can't find them. Finally, Denes I like your books. Do you have any more in the works ect?

[Lennart Andersson]

Only 12 series production aircraft were built of the KOR-1 (later redesignated Be-2). They were built by Factory No 31 at Taganrog in 1938-40.

Lennart Andersson

[Dénes Bernád]

12 aircraft in almost 3 years? Not an exceedingly high productivity...

My question still stands regarding any proven air activity in the Odessa region in 1941. We did not find any during our research.