Beriev Be 1

In 1956, Robert Ludvigovich Bartini approached the Beriev design bureau with a proposal for a Wing-In-Ground effect vehicle. The Be-1 became the first experimental prototype, used for exploring the stability and control of wing in ground effect aircraft.

The Be-1 featured two floats with very low aspect ratio wing section between them and small normal wing panels extending outside the floats. Surface piercing hydrofoils were mounted on the underside of the floats. The aircraft was powered by a single Tumansky RU-19 turbojet, mounted above the wing. The Be-1 was also equipped with landing gear. The aircraft was operated between 1961 and 1964. The first flight from water was made in 1964.