Beriev Be-42 / A-40 Albatross (Mermaid) Amphibious Aircraft / Flying Boat - History, Specs and Pictures

Authored By Staff Writer | Last Updated: 7/22/2008

An Beriev A-40 Albatross amphibious aircraft on display at the 1991 Paris Air Show.

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The Be-42 / A-40 Albatross (designated by NATO as "Mermaid") was asuprise discovery for Western intelligence sources when it was first spotted in 1988. It was, and still continues to be, the largest amphibious aircraft ever designed and has since set a number of performance records in this category since its inception into service in 1990. Though a respected design, the system has not seen expected production orders and is available in only a limited number of aircraft.

Design of the A-40 began as early as 1983, with the first flight recorded in 1986. The system - at least to the casual observer - is impressive as it appears every bit the part of a standard passenger airliner with only some external references giving away the amphibious capabilities of the aircraft. Upon further investigation, the aircraft's design takes on a new appearance with the wing edge pontoons, hull-like fuselage appearance and the high-mounted twin engines. The slender fuselage makes a home for the eight crewmembers and any cargo, passengers or ordnance that the system may carry. The empennage is a single vertical tail surface split in a "T" style design. Booster engines are also incorporated into the design for better lift-off capabilities. A probe is installed in the nose for in-flight refueling.

The A-40 was designed with the intention to replace the aging Beriev Be-12 series and the Ilyushin Il-38 series, both in service with the Russian Navy at the time. The A-40 was envisioned to take on a myriad of naval-support roles that included anti-submarine warfare, transport, and general cargo hauling to all parts of the Russian landscape. In the end however, lack of production orders have stalled the development and future of the A-40. A remarkable design in its own right done in by budgetary constraints and a disinterested target audience. Text ©2003-2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • No Reproduction Permitted
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Picture of Beriev Be-42 / A-40 Albatross (Mermaid)

Pic of the Beriev Be-42 / A-40 Albatross (Mermaid)

Image of the Beriev Be-42 / A-40 Albatross (Mermaid)

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Specifications for the
Beriev Be-42 / A-40 Albatross (Mermaid)
Amphibious Aircraft / Flying Boat

Country of Origin: Soviet Union
Manufacturer: Beriev - Soviet Union
Initial Year of Service: 1990
Production: 20

Focus Model: Beriev Be-42 / A-40 Albatross (Mermaid)
Crew: 8

Length: 143.83ft (43.84m)
Width: 136.55ft (41.62m)
Height: 36.32ft (11.07m)
Weight (Empty): 14,330lbs (6,500kg)
Weight (MTOW): 189,598lbs (86,000kg)

Powerplant: 2 x Aviadvigatel D-30KPV turbofan engines delivering 26,455lbs of thrust each AND 2 x RKBM RD-60K booster turbojet engines delivering 5,510lbs of thrust each.

Maximum Speed: 472mph (760kmh; 410kts)
Maximum Range: 2,548miles (4,100km)
Service Ceiling: 31,824ft (9,700m; 6.0miles)
Rate-of-Climb: 5,900 feet per minute (1,798m/min)

Hardpoints: 0
Armament Suite:
Mission-specific is needed. Internal bay can conceivably hold a variety of air-dropped munitions depending on aircrafts intended role.

Variants:
A-40 - Base Series Designation

A-42 - Search and Rescue (SAR) Variant

A-45 - Twin Propfan Powered Variant

Be-40P - 105-seat Airliner Variant

Be-40PT - Dual-Role Airlinier-Cargo Aircraft

Be-200 - Multi-Role Variant; marketed for uses such as SAR, firefighting, patrol, airliner and general transport; smaller design than the base A-40.

Operators:
Soviet Union (Russia)

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