Popular Front of Judea
7th August 2013, 12:36
What is an 'Ekranoplan' you may ask?
A bizarre cross between a hovercraft and an airplane, developed during the Cold War
They hover and skim above the water at speeds of up to 250 miles an hour, while carrying heavier loads of cargo and troops than any airplane could - the Ekranoplans, or "Wing-in-Ground" (WIG) vehicles are possibly the most exciting and strange-looking transportation technology ever invented by men.
Developed mostly by the Soviets during the Cold War (by the Rostislav Alexeev design firm), some ekranoplans were over 500 feet in length and had the estimated weight of over 500 tons! And yet they skimmed over the waves with grace, at high speeds, able to negotiate stormy conditions, and unseen by the radar - all thanks to the aerodynamic principle known as the "ground effect".
This bad boy is an example:
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_hVOW2U7K4-M/SiO0RD9AhkI/AAAAAAABCEo/UzsdkLfcruU/s640/1.jpg
No it's not science fiction ... it's Soviet!
The Ekranoplans Showcase, Part 1 | DRB
(http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2013/08/the-ekranoplans-showcase-part-1.html)
A bizarre cross between a hovercraft and an airplane, developed during the Cold War
They hover and skim above the water at speeds of up to 250 miles an hour, while carrying heavier loads of cargo and troops than any airplane could - the Ekranoplans, or "Wing-in-Ground" (WIG) vehicles are possibly the most exciting and strange-looking transportation technology ever invented by men.
Developed mostly by the Soviets during the Cold War (by the Rostislav Alexeev design firm), some ekranoplans were over 500 feet in length and had the estimated weight of over 500 tons! And yet they skimmed over the waves with grace, at high speeds, able to negotiate stormy conditions, and unseen by the radar - all thanks to the aerodynamic principle known as the "ground effect".
This bad boy is an example:
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_hVOW2U7K4-M/SiO0RD9AhkI/AAAAAAABCEo/UzsdkLfcruU/s640/1.jpg
No it's not science fiction ... it's Soviet!
The Ekranoplans Showcase, Part 1 | DRB
(http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2013/08/the-ekranoplans-showcase-part-1.html)