Flying hovercraft

[Big Kev]

This is neat

[youtube] [/youtube]

[Vilante]

"This is called the Jesus pin"
"Why?"
"Cause if it comes out you'll see Jesus"

lol!!

[J.D.]

Here's Allison Langdon's original story with an err... interesting twist at the end:

http://video.ninemsn.com.au/Video.aspx? ... 20e1f468cb

By the way, do a Google search for "ekranoplan" and then have a look at this:

[youtube] [/youtube]

[Robbo]

Saw this the other day. Cracker!

[wobblysauce]

watching the 2nd link there JD, for most of that i was thinking worlds fastest catamaran

[J.D.]

They actually fly about 1.5 metres off the water on a compressed cushion of air, kind of the reverse of motorsport ground effect which relies on a partial vacuum. Top speeds generally 400kmh+. I have a copy of this very interesting and informative book:



It's a subject which has received almost no coverage, even though the Soviet Union had them operating in the mid-1970s. They have received much more attention since some US manufacturer announced the intention to build one (suddenly it will be an American invention...).

[AstrO]

James May was flying (?) one of those on a show recently (SBS?).

[schuey97]

James May was flying (?) one of those on a show recently (SBS?).

Was that on James May's Big Ideas?

[AstrO]

James May was flying (?) one of those on a show recently (SBS?).

Was that on James May's Big Ideas?

I think it must have been, I'll just check my HTPC to see if it's still on the drive.

Edit: Yep it was James May's Big Ideas, SBS ONE, 2010_02_05_19_28_00

[wobblysauce]

yes JD.. i do know that they were flying, but i was just thinking about them especially when filmed from above


yes it was i think schuey

[VTRacing]

What are they like in rough seas? That would be my main concern, in terms of suddenly losing lift and ploughing nose-first into the next wave.

[AstrO]

What are they like in rough seas? That would be my main concern, in terms of suddenly losing lift and ploughing nose-first into the next wave.

That's one of the limitations, you can't use them in rough seas.

[youtube] [/youtube]
Skip to 1:30

[J.D.]

What are they like in rough seas? That would be my main concern, in terms of suddenly losing lift and ploughing nose-first into the next wave.

They can handle up to 1.5 metres of chop. That's probably going to be enough for the Caspian Sea. After that they don't run.

They'd be unlikely to do it quite in that way as they tend to fly with a slight tail-down attitude, as do all aircraft. It's just more visible here because you have a perfectly level reference point.

[Durrie]

Google Earth/Maps = 42.881866,47.656545 and at 55.851608,37.456104

[Exar Kun]

Google Earth/Maps = 42.881866,47.656545 and at 55.851608,37.456104

Very cool So the second one is just near Moscow? Is it there as a museum piece or something? Seems an odd place for it to be.

[J.D.]

Google Earth/Maps = 42.881866,47.656545 and at 55.851608,37.456104

The first one is a development of the original Caspian Sea Monster. It is either the Spesatel or the Loon. Not sure. The Loon actually carried cruise missiles.



The second one is the Orlyonok which, in military form, could carry an armoured fighting vehicle.



Here is the remarkable Bartini 14M1P without its wings:

55.833485,38.180869



And with:



I also recommend you have a look at this article which I found extremely interesting.

http://www.testpilot.ru/russia/bartini/vva/vva_e.htm

Of all the craft in the class collectively known as ekranoplans, the Bartini is probably the one which most closely coincides with the original, i.e.: VTOL capability.

[DexterPunk]

you might like this link JD


http://igor113.livejournal.com/51213.html

[J.D.]

Brilliant photos! Thanks a bunch Dex. They are the best I've seen anywhere. Taken with an EOS 1Ds no less.

This is the Loon which was designed to launch missiles. You can see the launch pods on the top of the fuselage. You can also see how the engines had downward pointing nozzles. This partially provided thrust but also directed a cushion of air under the wings. Once the thing was flying in ground effect, it is my understanding that the main engines were switched off and a pair of cruise engines did the work. You can see how big this thing actually was from these pics. The loon is probably the largest surviving ekranoplan anywhere. The Caspian Sea Monster was lost in and accident about 1980. Everyone survived.

To date nobody has even proposed building anything like this again.

[wobblysauce]

well as you know take-off is always the hardest thing about anything

[J.D.]

Ekranoplans have as much in common with boats and ships as they do with aircraft. Look at the hatches and the anodes. They look more like a boat than anything else.

[DexterPunk]

its freakin massive hey.

[J.D.]

About the size of a 747 Dex...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lun-class_ekranoplan

[Exar Kun]

That's a fantastic page. By far the most post detailed pics i've ever seen of one. A pity we don't have much in the way of good quality video of these things in action.

[wobblysauce]

it would make landing in the Hudson that much easier