1987 was the year when the first 350 tons ground effect “ship” from the series of Soviet battle missile carriers was produced. It was called Lun after the Russian name for a bird of prey – hen harrier. Another name for this vehicle was Project 903. It carried 6 Moskit cruise missiles (SS-N-22 Sunburn in NATO classification). Hitting four of them causes inevitable sinking of a vessel of any know type and size. The second Lun-class battle aircraft was supposed to be produced in several years but due to the end of cold war and partial disarmament the project was changed to a rescue aircraft and it was never finished.
This type of vehicle called in Russian ekranoplan uses so called ground effect – extra lift of large wings when in proximity to the surface. For this reason they have been designed to travel at a maximum of three meters above the sea but at the same time could provide take off, stable “flight” and safe “landing” in conditions of up to 5-meter waves. These crafts were originally developed by the Soviet Union as high-speed military transports, and were based mostly on the shores of the Caspian Sea and Black Sea. In 2005 crafts of this type have been classified by the International Marine Organization so they probably should be considered flying ships rather than swimming planes. It is also interesting to note that this aircraft is one of the largest ever built, with a length of 73,8 meters (comparing with 73 of Airbus A380).
Lun doesn‘t have a landing gear, only a huge hydroski so there’s no way for it to get on land and for this reason a special floating dry dock was designed for it.
This hybrid vehicle is driven by 8 turbojet engines.
Functionally the body of this strange ship was divided into 4 parts: fore, middle, after-part and keel together with stabilizer. Fore part possesses pilot house and a pillar holding 8 main engines, as well as a room with secondary ones. Middle and after parts were fully equipped with test facilities but still have also a caboose and a toilet. The whole keel is filled with power installation for electricity supply during mooring and a complex of radio navigation and communication equipment. A room for a gunner is placed in a cross-line of keel and stabilizer at a height of 12 meters over the waterline.
The ecranoplan’s crew consisted of 7 officers and 4 warrant officers. It could be absolutely autonomous for 5 days.
Don’t miss the 2nd and 3rd pages of photos. There are plenty of them.
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68 Responses to “Ekranoplan”
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Boris is FIRST!
There is another link to the ekranoplanes, this stuff looks like it’s right out of The Thunderbird’s!
Another marvel of Soviet engineering… but did it ever actually *move*?
It did move:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvRipnrbsd0
probably not…russians are not really good at flying…
theres a story that Gagarin never went to space. that was the reason why he went looney in the end..couldnt just live the lie
always try to clarify things for yourself, before giving any answers.
It actually did, here is the video footage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbecl88NsEQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D8ewD6YX-0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT7ewylPlAQ
Of course, YES, and it was not only ekranoplan designed.
Just look at these video:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%D1%8D%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%BF%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%BD&search_type=&aq=f
It actually moved quite well and fired: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVTbi8kWovI&feature=related
The ekranoplans are still being developed and produced in Russia. The ministry of internal affairs owns 3 smaller models that it uses for rescuing operations and fast delivery operations at sea, and ordered another 2 to be delivered in 2011.
It’s a very cool concept that takes the best of aviation and naval technology.
Ahh yes, the Soviet version of the “Spruce Goose”, we knew it had to exist. Do what they did in the States, make it a museum attraction and theme park.
Spruce goose is noting like this. this one isn’t ment to fly at high altitude, the spruce is. thats just a large waterplane. this ekranoplan makes use of the ground effect….
I must admit this thing is pretty dam cool.
This is so fascinating! I’ve always liked these ekranoplan(e?)’s, despite their weird name!
I wonder how well this thing turned in any speed?
Don’t forget that there was Cold War at that times.
Red Bull should buy this, fix it up and add it to it’s fleet.
Or it can be fixed up and sold to Kim-Jong-iL AS HIS PRIVATE YATCH!! lol!!! Man, do i want one!!! Expically if it comes with hot russian army girls as cabin crew, with the song “makes me wonder” by maroon 5 playing in the main hull where the guys are digging the gals and chugging down vodka!!!! The cool thing is that it actually worked!!
Here is the youtube links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbecl88NsEQ
black and white photos of this particular model in action are found on this site here:
http://englishrussia.com/?p=1019
Thats so damn cool, but i wouldnt give it that name, id call it Leviathan!!
Incredible piece of engineering. Russian engineers are the best. If this beauty would have been “flying” it would be a majestic sight! Thanks for publishing these pics, enjoyed them very much!
For all who are wondering, yes, these craft really did “fly” at one time. I have no doubt that this one was operated successfully at one time either. The CIA called it “The Caspian Sea Monster” after seeing it from satellite photographs. If you would like to see video of it operating, use that as your search term.
Also, the other name of this type of craft is “WIG”, for “Wing In Ground”. It is also known as a “Ground Effect Craft” as well. This is because of how it gets it’s lift. it uses what is called the ground effect that basically uses the ground as a type of wing, and it floats on a cushion of air between the ground and wing. This is why the engines are on forward nacelles and the thrust output faces down at the wings.
Damn you’re good Jim-Bob!
JB, this one pictured looks more like a Lun to me. I think the Caspian Sea Monster was similar, but bigger and a little slower.
Here’s one I found on Google Maps. This one looks like a Sea Monster, but it’s to blurry for me to tell…..
LINK:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Kaspiysk.&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=50.111473,101.865234&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Russian+Federation,+Republic+of+Dagestan,+Kaspiysk&t=h&ll=42.881546,47.656637&spn=0.002854,0.006217&z=18
The WIG conecept seems to be an extremely progressive one. In case this ekranoplane would ever have come into use, this would surely have caught NATO on the wrong foot.
here u can see it… the caspian monster
42° 52′ 54″ N, 47° 39′ 24″ E
Here it is!!!
42° 52′ 54″ N, 47° 39′ 24″ E U can find it in Dagestan
Heres a video of it in Action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgtaeRZjWNc
Wow, the Google satellite view of this is amazing.
42° 52′ 54″ N, 47° 39′ 24″ E
Oh yeah ultra sound and spam(the canned meat). Spent an evening with a rocket scientist and an AF pilot drinking good beer and discussing inventions of war that were used for other things. I got a list around here somewhere. I bet you know them.
No it wasn’t, it was invented for sharing information between universities.
You can see this thing in action at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT7ewylPlAQ – starting at 3:00 or so, and you can actually see it shooting off the missiles, holy crud! You can also see what those mysterious curved things are behind the tubes (splash guards). But still no indication why only one of the engines has a grate.
I love these machines, wish I saw them in person. They were featured in the Video game World in Conflict when the soviets use them to raid a section of norway
That was the coolest thing EVER in that game. I love watching that cut-scene with the Ekranoplanes zooming in out of the mist.
And GPS for our cars and LED flashlights and night vision devices was only for military use and then it was for civilian use.The internet we all use was created so the US government could communicate with each other after a nuclear attack.
Impressive! I have seen many photos and videos of Ekranoplanes before, but never so close and in such details. Too bad that they represent the final cut of the Soviet Empire. They could have been used to transport people throughout Caspian and Black sea, if they were more fuel efficient than normal planes.
Awesome pictures. Fantastic feat of engineering. Thanks for the posting!
Greetings From Houston, Texas USA.
Are these tonemapped/HDR images? No EXIF data in the files themselves. I’d like to get the originals.
Here’s some footage of it in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVTbi8kWovI
Yes, but nothing seems to get recycled, lol.
Yes, of course, it flight.
There were some other variants of ekranoplans and they flight too.
But the Lun hadn’t finished properly…
Watch it in action! http://www.vesti.ru/videos?vid=239704
a must map for CoD!!!
Thanks V_Power for the co-ordinates. It is great!!
Awsome – this looks like some mix between spaceship and a submarine and that it was ment for a crazy batman-movie.
thanks for sharing – this makes my day
greetings from Norway
I’d like it for my house. Add some windows, nice BBQ deck on the high rear wing.
You can actually see this beast “fly” on youtube. There are some videos. Go check them out. Just type in “Ekranoplan” in the search field.
totally amazing ! as usual the Russians thought up something totally different
i wounder if it will tow a car trailer with a transit van on the back while doing a somersault?
AMAIZING…
SOVIETS AND GERMANS ALLWAYS HAVE BEEN AHEAD IN MANY THINGS… ESPETIALLY IN AIR, SEA AND WEPONERY… BUT EU/US NEVER GIVE WORD OF IT BECAUSE OF PRIDE AND CARE FOR LOSS OF TRUST AND CORAGE, SO IT WAS BETTER TO GIVE THE IDEA THAT EVERYONE DIFERENT ON EARTH WERE BEHIND USA/UE, etc., etc.
YOU HAVE TO GIVE CREDIT TO THOSE WHO DESERVE IT… AND FOR THOSE THAT NEVER READ OR SEE ANY NEWS BESIDES WHAT A GOVERNMENT WANT TO TELL YOU, YOU MUST GIVE EVERY BODY THE RIGHT OF THE DAUD OR TO BE BELIVED, OTHER WISE, YOU ARE LOST… SORRY IF MAD OR LOST.
DO YOU EVER SEE THE SOVIET ANTONOV MONSTER FLYING AND GIVING STUNT MANUVERS ON FLYING SHOWS ARROWND THE GLOVE, FOR INSTANCE AT ÖSHKOCH.
ANY WAY… I’M GLAD THIS PICTURES ARE AROWND AND HAVE PEOPLE THINK TWICE FEFORE GIVING ANY WRONGTHOUGHT & SAYINGS… NIKOLAI
Very nice footage! And really nice that you got one from inside aswell
Impressionante! Já vi muitas fotos e vídeos de Ekranoplanes antes, mas nunca tão perto e em detalhes. Pena que eles representam o corte final do Império Soviético. Eles poderiam ter sido utilizados para o transporte de pessoas em todo o mar Cáspio e Negro, se fossem mais eficiente de combustível que os aviões normais.
Elite Tecnologica
hi guys new here, forums looking good
hughseyp
Why aren’t more pictures taken of the inside of this beast? Was there some kind of restriction?
If you don’t beleive, see
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2200021317530929051#docid=5206905948791170369
Holy… that’s huge and looks awesome. I love it!!!
Great plane! But why isn’t it in a museum, but rosting on a russian junk yard???
Can’t some millionair buy it and restore it?
Excellente journée à chacun des membres de cette communauté ,
Pour débuter , offrez-moi la chance de vous montrer mon appréciation pour toutes les très “à propos” informations que j’ai rencontrées sur cet beau phorum .
Je ne suis pas assuré d’être au meilleur section mais je n’en ai pas trouvé de meilleur.
Je proviens de Macamic, ca . J’ai 29 années et j’élève 6 agréables enfants qui sont tous âgés entre cinq et 10 années (1 est adopté). J’aime beaucoup les animaux de compagnie et je fais de mon mieux de leur offrir les fournitures qui leur rendent l’existance plus festive .
Je vous remercie dès maintenant pour toutes les très “à propos” débats qui viendront et je vous remercie de votre compréhension pour mon français moins qu’idéal : ma langue de naissance est le vietnamien et j’essaie d’apprendre mais c’est très compliqué !
Au plaisir!
Josh
Bonjour à toutes et tous ,
Pour commencer , permettez-moi de vous montrer mon appréciation pour chacune des très pertinentes connaissances que j’ai rencontrées sur cet cool forum.
Je ne suis pas sûr d’être au bon endroit mais je n’en ai pas trouvé de meilleur.
Je vis à Schomberg, us . J’ai 26 années et j’élève 3 super enfants qui sont tous âgés entre six et 12 ans (1 est adoptée ). J’adore beaucoup les animaux domestiques et je fais de mon mieux de leur donner les produits qui leur rendent la vie plus splendide.
Je vous remercie d’avance pour toutes les formidables délibérations à venir et je vous remercie surtout de votre compassion pour mon français moins qu’idéal : ma langue de naissance est l’arabe et j’essaie de m’enseigner mais c’est très difficile!
A plus tard
Mario
Very exciting designs. But they will never be used in our waterways, because they will collide with too many boats.
These machines are awesome and wonderful! Belong to this: http://englishrussia.com/index.php/2010/09/05/ekranoplan-the-inside-view/
This isn’t “The Caspian Sea Monster”. This is the Lun. The Monster was the KM, with 347 ft (106 m) of fuselage length.
http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/aerodynamics/q0130.shtml
Wonder how the exhaust turbines got so damaged. Engines could not have been running when it occurred…
How is it America won the Cold War?
Amazing high resolution photos.
Amazing photos! Here we saw the History.
To Oldtaku
This protective grille from the findings that the one-engine-an experiment that failed-the motor is not getting enough air.
…protection of birds
WOW, wonderful photos, sos os huge, good innovation and technology
Comrade! I have glorious idea! We place 8 magnificent jet engines in constant stream of salt spray! Turbine blades never foul, delicate bearings at thousands degrees temperature never corrode! Look onward in awe and shame, foolish capitalists!