The Ekranoplane - 340mph of Soviet Bonkersness

[Clinton Huxley]

Many of you will have seen pics and vids of this thing before but I came across these pics of the only complete Ekranoplane rusting away in a port somewhere. Can't help but think it combines all the worst features of planes and ships but the Roosians clearly thought otherwise....

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-sovi ... te-1990s-1

[JacksSmirkingRevenge]

Nice pics.
Once in ground effect they're more economical than boats/ships and there are a good few small commercial/consumer GEVs in the teething stages of development.

The Ruskies were building a 500-odd seater version of it but abandoned the project, I believe.

"In 2007, the Russian Defense Minister announced the country would resume production of this model Ekranoplane"

...I wonder how far along with it they are now?

[Clinton Huxley]

Wonder what the performance is like in rough weather?

[Faithfree]

Nice pics.
Once in ground effect they're more economical than boats/ships and there are a good few small commercial/consumer GEVs in the teething stages of development.

The Ruskies were building a 500-odd seater version of it but abandoned the project, I believe.

"In 2007, the Russian Defense Minister announced the country would resume production of this model Ekranoplane"

...I wonder how far along with it they are now?

One breaching whale could spell disaster. /Scrumple mode

[klr]

...

One breaching whale could spell disaster. /Scrumple mode

Think of all the dolphin road-kill sea-kill

[cronus]

They could have used them to invade the states....time and chance and in a alternate universe the Romans have ground effect forces plus a wormhole machine.

[Calilasseia]

Ah, the Caspian Sea Monster.

The Russians like to build big things. Check out this hovercraft (yes, I know, Fox News, but bear with it just for the pics):

[PsychoSerenity]

The various hulking Russian military things always put me in mind of the game Total Annihilation. Massive metal units overwhelming the landscape in an inefficient but brutal war machine.

[MiM]

"The Lun can carry 15 officers, flying 340 mph about 1,240 miles, but only ever reach an altitude of 16ft" Russian officers must be larger than mr Putin and mr Un combined

Nice pictures

[Svartalf]

What good is it if it can only work on flattish terrain and calm seas? (try flying it in a North sea storm, or better, a North Atlantic storm)

[JimC]

What good is it if it can only work on flattish terrain and calm seas? (try flying it in a North sea storm, or better, a North Atlantic storm)

Good for invading Turkey across the Black Sea?

[Thinking Aloud]

What good is it if it can only work on flattish terrain and calm seas? (try flying it in a North sea storm, or better, a North Atlantic storm)

As an invasion platform in the era of its conception, you could probably afford to wait for flat seas, and in a big conflict, equipment is expendable once it's done its job.

[Svartalf]

DID the USSR ever have designs on Turkey or Iran?

[klr]

DID the USSR ever not have designs on Turkey or and Iran?

[JimC]

DID the USSR ever have designs on Turkey or Iran?

It wanted the whole world to become a worker's paradise, just like them...