"Monster" against "Pelican": Combat ekranoplanes. Soviet impact ekranoplan "Lun": history of creation, description and technical characteristics Ekranoplan principle of operation, main characteristics and parameters

Ekranoplanes, or ekranoplanes, are aircraft whose flight altitude lies within the width (chord) of the wing.

It is possible to offer such a simplified explanation of the principle of flight of an ekranoplan. When flying at low altitude, the disturbance of the air flow propagating from the surface of the wing reaches the surface of the water or the ground. Then there is reflection and reverse movement. If the reflected disturbance wave reaches the wing, then the pressure in this area will increase, which will lead to an increase in lift. A “dynamic” air cushion is created under the wing. Since the speed of transmission of disturbance in the air is equal to the speed of sound, the "screen effect" will appear at altitudes H = ba/2V, where H- flight altitude, b- wing chord a- sound speed, V- the speed of the device.

It can be argued that the idea of creating an ekranoplan was borrowed from nature. Observations made it possible to establish that flying fish use the screen effect during their flight.

The testers encountered the effect of the underlying surface of the "screen" at the beginning of the 20th century. The low speeds of the first aircraft required a significant wing area. When the wing was located in the lower part of the fuselage, the flight over the field during landing turned out to be very long. The first ekranoplan was built by T. Clario (Finland) in 1935. From 1940 to 1960, A. Lipish (Austria), H. Weiland (Switzerland), V. B. Koryagin (USA) proposed various designs of ekranoplanes. Despite numerous projects, ekranoplanes have not yet received wide distribution, mainly due to the difficulties in ensuring safe flight in the presence of obstacles along the way. Ensuring flight stability remains an important problem. Numerous accidents experienced ekranoplanes occurred when flying in a headwind or side wind.

The study of the influence of the underlying surface on the characteristics of the wing made it possible to select an algorithm for ensuring a safe flight. The most successful screen effect aircraft were built R. E. Alekseev(USSR) in the 60s of the last century. The most famous are Alekseev's ekranoplans "Eaglet", "Lun" and KM - "Make-ship" ("Caspian Monster"). The latter had a maximum takeoff weight of 544 tons with a payload of 300 tons and a maximum speed of 500 km/h.

Alekseev Rostislav Evgenievich - shipbuilder, creator of hydrofoils and ekranoplanes. Twice made a revolution in the world ship and aircraft industry.

The practical development of technologies based on the physical "screen principle" led to the creation of hybrids of an aircraft and a ship - unique devices ("ekranoplans" or "ekranoplanes") capable of moving both on water and in air. The innovation had a natural result - the use of new machines for military and civilian needs began. Let's consider the main milestones in the history of the formation of a remarkable technology that made flying cruisers a reality.

screen effect

In the 1920s, the physical screen effect was discovered - a phenomenon that was destined to change the idea of \u200b\u200bhumanity about movement. The screen effect is to increase the lift of the aircraft through the screening ability of flat surfaces - water, earth, ice. The oncoming air flow creates a pillow due to the increased pressure under the carrier plane, the aerodynamic chord of which must be less than the height of movement. Simply put, the screen is an air cushion without flexible guards and superchargers. it important discovery made it possible to create devices that glide over the surface at "airplane" speeds with a noticeable fuel economy compared to airplanes.

The Soviet Union became the birthplace of the first theoretical generalization on this topic: in 1923, the revolutionary work of B.N. Yuryev "Influence of the earth on the aerodynamic properties of the wing". With the practical application of the screen effect, they worked already in the 30s - in Finland, where they tried to create towed snowmobiles, and in the USSR. All these experiments revealed the absence of the necessary technical base(there were no sufficiently strong and light structural materials), and the work was stopped.

The situation changed only in the 50s, when Rostislav Evgenievich Alekseev, a pioneer in the theoretical study and practical application of hydrofoil ships, took up the matter. In 1960, his Design Bureau for SPK (Design Bureau for Hydrofoils) began work on the study of the screen effect, which led to the creation of the world's first ekranoplan.

60s - the years of great achievements

1961 was the year of the first ekranoplan flight. The SM-1 experimental machine has turned into a self-propelled laboratory for developing piloting techniques, collecting operational statistics and studying structural materials. The flights were carried out at test station No. 1 in the Caspian Sea, and the capacities of the Krasnoye Sormovo plant in Gorky (now Nizhny Novgorod) were allocated for assembly work. Tests of the SM series led to positive results, and in 1964-65, the KM ekranoplan (“dummy ship”) was built at Krasny Sormovo under the leadership of General Designer Alekseev and Lead Designer Efimov. Interestingly, the code designation of this ekranoplan in NATO reports - "Caspian Monster" - exactly coincided with the official Soviet abbreviation.

The ship was indeed a monster. Its length reached almost 100 meters, wingspan - more than 37 meters, takeoff weight- 544 tons. Until the release of the giant aircraft An-225 "Mriya", the KM remained the largest aircraft heavier than air.

Technical characteristics of the KM device

Wingspan	37.60 m	tail span	37 m	Flight altitude on screen	4-14 m
Length	92 m	Height	21.80 m	Wingspan	37.60 m
Wing area	662.50 m²	Mass of an empty ekranoplan	240,000 kg	tail span	37 m
Maximum takeoff weight	544,000 kg	Engine type (10 pcs.)	TRD VD-7	Length	92 m
thrust	10 x 13000 kgf	Max Speed	500 km/h	Height	21.80 m
Cruising speed	430 km/h	Practical range	1500 km	Wing area	662.50 m²
		seaworthiness	3 points	Maximum takeoff weight	544,000 kg

The first flight of the ship took place in 1966. The CM was tested and extensively studied until 1980, when it crashed due to pilot error. "Descendants" KM was planned to be used for military purposes. High speed (more than 400 km / h), guaranteed passage "below the radar", the ability to fly over water and land, as well as the carrying capacity, which made it possible to carry several missile launchers, made these ekranoplanes a formidable weapon - at least in the future. However, the project faced serious opposition at the level of departments, or rather, with a conflict between the general designer Rostislav Alekseev and the Minister of the shipbuilding industry Boris Butoma. In addition to interpersonal relationships, competition was woven into the matter between the fleet, for which the ekranoplans were designed, and the Air Force, including the aviation industry.

It is easy to guess the essence of these disagreements - the ekranoplan was based at sea and was supposed to operate as part of the fleet. At the same time, it was a flying machine, and its production required aviation technologies, resources and capacities, which were quite naturally claimed by the relevant aviation departments. In addition to bureaucratic red tape, the ekranoplan project faced serious practical objections. The main problem was that high speed The apparatus was colossal only in comparison with water combat weapons - any subsonic aircraft and any rocket could easily catch up with the ekranoplan. The lack of armor, serious air defense systems and relatively low maneuverability turned it into an incredibly expensive target. Nevertheless, the economy of the course, good carrying capacity and speed turned out to be a weighty "weight" on the scales in favor of the project. The "descendants" of the "Caspian Monster" received a start in life, and somewhat later similar work began in the West.

KM - "Caspian Monster"
www.navy.su

Modest results of Messerschmitt's heirs

Back in 1961, work began in the United States on analogues of the Soviet ekranoplan. He developed a number of projects that never reached the practical stage. The development of these devices was also carried out in Germany - the designer and aerodynamic specialist Alexander Lippisch (author of the Messerschmitt-334 project) developed a number of ekranoplanes and, unlike his American colleagues, managed to create a working prototype of the X-114 at the Rhein Flugzeugbau company.

The X-114 was designed to accommodate 460 kg of payload or five passengers. The car was distinguished by a classic aircraft layout - a delta wing with a top facing the tail. X-114 started from the water, and a significant angle of the transverse bearing surface created a dynamic air cushion during the takeoff run. The wingspan of the ekranoplan was only 9 meters - with such a low carrying capacity, it was no longer required. The movement of the apparatus was provided by a piston motor with a screw propeller, located in an annular socket. The speed of the car reached 200 km / h, the autonomy with a full load of fuel was supposed to be 1000 km, and the take-off weight was 1.35 tons. The first flight of the X-114 ekranoplan took place in 1976 - tests in the Baltic revealed a cruising speed of 150 km / h. In total, three such devices were manufactured and transferred to the jurisdiction of the German border service. Western colleagues lagged behind Rostislav Alekseev not only chronologically (by 10 years), but also qualitatively - Soviet vehicles were 10 times larger, which means they had much greater combat value.

WIG X-114
topwar.ru

The hard fate of "Eaglet"

Developing the idea of the KM ships, the Alekseev Design Bureau developed and built the amphibious ekranoplan of the C series, called the Eaglet. The car was somewhat smaller than the "Caspian Monster", and its body was made of aluminum-magnesium alloy. "Orlyonok" was supposed to move troops over a distance of 1,500 km at a speed of up to 500 km / h and could take 200 marines with all equipment, as well as 2 infantry fighting vehicles or armored personnel carriers or one tank. For self-defense, the vehicle carried a twin machine gun mount NSVT "Utes" (caliber 12.7 mm) or KPV (caliber 14.5 mm).

The tests of the "Eaglet" did not go quite smoothly. A typical "disease" of any ekranoplan - the danger of meeting a wave at speed - played this time too. The first prototype at full speed ran into a wave that tore off the stern empennage and the keel with the propulsion engine. Despite heavy damage, the car survived and was able to reach the base due to the increased thrust of the nose take-off and landing motors. The situation, identical to the real combat damage, confirmed the survivability and reliability of ekranoplanes.

In total, 5 devices were manufactured - all of them, with the exception of the broken prototype, were transferred to the 11th separate air group. In total, it was planned to build 120 Eaglets, but in 1984 D.F. died. Ustinov is the Minister of Defense of the USSR and the patron of the project. After the death of Ustinov, production was frozen, transferring the saved funds to the needs of the fleet.

Technical characteristics of the apparatus "Eaglet"

Wingspan, m	31,50	thrust
Length, m	58,11	starting, kgf	2 x 10500
Height, m	16,30	marching, e. l. With.	1 x 15000
Wing area, m²	304,60	Max speed,	400
Weight, kg		Cruising speed,	350
empty curb	120000	Practical range, km	1500
maximum takeoff	140000	Flight height on the screen, m	2-10
engine's type		Practical ceiling, m	3000
starting	2 turbojet engines NK-8-4K	Crew, people	6-8
march	1 TVD NK-12MK	up to 2000 kg
		Armament	twin NSVT 12.7 or KPV 14.5

Ekranoplan "Eaglet"
Photo from the author's collection

Rocket ekranoplan - a thunderstorm of enemy fleets

A direct consequence of the development of the KM ekranoplan was the project 903 "Lun". The creation of an amphibious ekranoplan did not reveal all the capabilities of a ship of this type, so military customers wanted to get a shock modification of the vehicle capable of carrying missile launchers. The Alekseev Design Bureau began work back in the 70s, and by 1983 the first prototype of the rocket ekranoplan was launched.

Unlike the Orlyonok, the Lun apparatus was much more like its predecessor. Its length was 73 meters, eight jet propulsion engines were placed on pylons in the bow, the car had a powerful tail with rudders. On the “back” of the device in aerodynamic influxes, six Moskit launchers fit, and to this day they are considered the most effective anti-ship missiles. A speed of 500 km / h allowed the Lun to attack any enemy ships, and even aircraft carrier formations, almost guaranteed to escape from a retaliatory strike.

In 1986, the revolutionary machine began testing, and in 1990 it was transferred for trial operation to the 236th division of the Caspian flotilla. By 1991, naval tests were triumphantly completed - the device showed itself with the best side. But Gorbachev's perestroika, which put an end to another project - the Soviet Union - buried a lot of wonderful developments, among which was the Lun.

Ekranoplanes in the service of the national economy

Faced with difficulties in the serial implementation of his projects, Alekseev proposed civilian conversions of ekranoplans or purely civilian models. So on the basis of "Lun" the project "Rescuer" was created. In addition, light ekranoplanes and even ekranoplanes were designed, capable of switching to the “normal” aircraft mode with separation from the aerodynamic cushion. These works formed the basis for a whole generation of machines that are being developed and created to this day. In this regard, it is necessary to recall the Volga-2 propeller-driven apparatus of 1986, its continuation - the Ivolga ekranoplan of 1998 and the stunningly aesthetic Aquaglide-2 of modern design. All these machines belong to the class of small ships, carry 10-16 passengers and are extremely economical.

Ekranoplan "Volga-2"
wikipedia.org

Ekranoplan "Ivolga"
wikipedia.org

WIG "Aquaglide-2"
wikipedia.org

Red Graph Ideas

The great "Russian Italian" Roberto Oros di Bartini, an aristocrat with communist convictions who fled Italy when the Nazis came to power, became one of the leading aircraft designers in the USSR who influenced S.P. Korolev (who considered him his teacher) and other great aircraft designers - Yakovlev, Myasishchev, Ilyushin. In 1960, Bartini worked on the creation of a vertical take-off seaplane, and as part of this project, on the basis of the Design Bureau named after G.M. Beriev, the VVA-14 model was developed - an ekranolet-torpedo bomber. The prototype was tested on the Sea of Azov in 1972-76, but with the death of the designer, work ceased. At the moment, the body of the device is in the Air Force Museum in Monino.

Technical characteristics of the device VVA-14

Wingspan, m		Thrust, kgf
Length, m		marching
Height, m		lifting
Wing area, m²		Max speed,
Aircraft weight, kg		Cruise speed, km/h
empty		Loitering speed, km/h
maximum		Practical range, km
engine's type		Practical ceiling, m
marching	2 DTRD D-30M	Crew, people
lifting	12 RDRD RD36-35PR	Armament	2 aircraft torpedoes, or 8 aircraft mines IGMD-500, or 16 aircraft bombs PLAB-250 (maximum payload– 4,000 kg)

Ekranolet-torpedo bomber VVA-14
wikipedia.org

Neptune in the sky

Based on the work of Roberto Bartini, the Beriev Design Bureau created a project for a superheavy transport aircraft-amphibians. The largest of the projected aircraft of this type, the Be-2500 Neptune, was conceived as an ekranolet, that is, it should have been able to detach from the aerodynamic cushion with the transition to airplane mode. The ability to use the screen effect makes it a universal transport vehicle that does not require complex airfield equipment - the device is able to splash down on any coast and operate with reference to the infrastructure of existing ports. Power, efficiency and carrying capacity make the Neptune an excellent means of transportation - or rather, they would have done it, since at the moment work on its creation is frozen due to lack of funding.

Ekranolet Be-2500 "Neptune" (project drawing)
wikipedia.org

Ecology and progress of Lev Shchukin

In the 80s, the Soviet designer Lev Nikolaevich Shchukin created a project for a disk-shaped non-aerodrome vehicle based on the screen principle, called EKIP - "Ecology and Progress". The development is fully consistent with its big name. The disk-shaped fuselage of the machine performs the functions of a flying wing (and therefore is extremely roomy for a relatively small size) and the unique boundary layer control system (air flow around the fuselage) reduces environmental resistance and saves fuel. The engines of the device (it is possible to install two or more) run on water-emulsion fuel - a mixture of low-octane gasoline, a special emulsifier and water (from 10 to 58%), which provides unique savings and environmental friendliness. The speed of the car was to be from 100 to 700 km / h at altitudes from 3 to 11,000 meters.

By 1993, on the basis of the Saratov Aviation Plant, two operating models were being built. However, despite the official support of the project by the government, funding was discontinued. At the moment, the project has been transferred to the jurisdiction of an international fund, which means the removal of Russian developments abroad, causing enormous damage to domestic aviation science.

Ekranolet EKIP
wikipedia.org

They say that on this day in the CIA everyone communicated exclusively with the dirtiest curses. During the development of footage taken by a U-2 reconnaissance aircraft, something incredible was noticed in the Caspian Sea. Judging by the photographs, a giant plane was flying over the surface of the sea at a speed of about 500 kilometers per hour. Then this miracle of technology was nicknamed the "Caspian Monster", and American intelligence officers began development on Soviet ekranoplanes, perhaps the most amazing military vehicles of that time.

How an ekranoplan flies

A conventional aircraft uses lift to fly due to the difference in pressure above and below the wing plane. On the upper edge of the wings (depending on the angle of attack), the air flow passes faster, and under the lower edge - more slowly. Because of this, the pressure above the wings is less than below them, which pushes aircraft up. In this case, when the aircraft descends, almost at the very ground, an interesting effect may occur. It is called screen, since the surface (runway or water surface) can also slow down the flow of air under the wing - andFrom the high pressure zone, it shifts to the low pressure zone, but is now slowed down not only by the wing plane, but also by the approaching ground.

As a result, the aircraft seems to sit on an "air cushion", which leads to an even greater increase in pressure and its displacement from the front of the wings, as happens during normal flight, to the rear.In flights early era aeronautics, this led to the fact that the plane "nods" when landing, or even did somersaults. The problem was solved by placing the wings above the cockpit and putting the plane on the landing gear. But later the engineers thought: "Why not use the screen effect for the movement of the aircraft itself?"

And they created ekranoplans. We did not accidentally mention the air cushion. Ekranoplanes are closest to sea vessels using this principle. Only the air cushion of an ekranoplan is created not by forcing air with special devices, but by an oncoming flow. The pressure under the lower plane of the wing increases, which keeps the technique in flight above the surface of the water.

Such conditions are created only at very low altitudes (from a few centimeters to several meters), which is why ekranoplanes are used mainly above water. They can also fly over a normal surface, only it must be flat, without trees and strong curvature of the terrain. For example, an ekranoplan will fly over the surface of a dried-up salt lake without problems.

Due to the specifics of the flight, it is difficult to control the ekranoplan. It will be extremely unusual for an ordinary pilot who has moved into the cockpit of such a machine. Everything is different here: a change in altitude changes the balance of the aircraft, a change in speed, too. The roll causes a diagonal displacement of the center of pressure. However, the ekranoplan has many advantages compared to modern aircraft and ships, as they combine the qualities of both:

ekranolet is much safer than conventional aircraft, since in the event of a malfunction in flight, an amphibian can land on the water even in heavy seas;
ekranoplans are faster than ships on air cushion, as they reach speeds of 500 kilometers per hour;
ekranoplanes are more economical than airplanes, due to the specifics of the flight;
ekranoplans do not need an airfield.

our school

In the designs of ekranoplans, two main schools are distinguished - the Soviet one, created by Rostislav Alekseev, and the western one, in which the German and then the American (after the Second World War he was transported to the USA, where he worked until his death) primacy belongs to the designer Alexander Lippisch (Alexander Lippisch ).

German ekranoplans have always been made as triangular flying wings, most often without tails, stable, but unable to reach high speed. Soviet, and then Russian developments, on the contrary, relied on a direct wing. Such a scheme requires additional efforts to stabilize the structure, but allows you to move at high speeds in airplane mode. There is also a tandem scheme, but so far it has hardly gone beyond the scope of theoretical aviation.

Rostislav Alekseev, chief designer ekranoplans in the world, was a shipbuilder who dreamed of a real flight and made his dreams come true. In 1935, he entered the Zhdanov Gorky Industrial Institute, and in October 1941 (due to the outbreak of war, exams were postponed) he defended thesis on the topic "Hydrofoil glider".

During the war, he worked as a control foreman for the production of tanks at the Krasnoye Sormovo plant. In 1942, it was decided to allocate Alekseev premises and people to work on the creation of combat hydrofoil boats. Yesterday's graduate, he was able to infect everyone with his idea, to convince everyone of the possibility of making the boat "fly". The shipbuilding department of the Navy also believed in Alekseev's project, and funds were allocated to him.

I was so inspired by the concern for my project, it was such a powerful charge of confidence in the necessity of what was conceived that it lasted for decades. After all, just think, even in the midst of the war, everything is subordinated to the slogan "Everything for the front!", Each pair of hands counts, and people think about tomorrow's peaceful day

Rostislav Alekseev

Development dragged on for many years, after the war in 1957 Alekseev presented the hydrofoil "Rocket" to the judgment of the world community, bringing the ship to Moscow during the International Festival of Youth and Students. From that moment on, high-speed shipbuilding began in the world. All Soviet hydrofoil ships - Meteors, Petrels, Comets - were built by Rostislav Alekseev.

Birth of a monster

Alekseev began to create ekranoplanes in 1962. At the same time, he saw it as his task to combine the capabilities of an ordinary aircraft and, in fact, an ekranoplan in an ekranoplan. According to his idea, this technique was supposed to be used both above the surface of the water and at an altitude of up to 7500 meters. To test the capabilities of ekranoplans, he created experimental model KM "Ship-model". However, foreign experts deciphered these letters in their own way - "Caspian Monster" (Kaspian Monster).

The ekranoplan had a wingspan of almost 38 meters, a length of 92 meters, and a maximum takeoff weight of 544 tons. Before the arrival of the plane An-225 "Mriya" it was the heaviest aircraft in the world. On June 22, 1966, before dawn, the largest aircraft on the planet at that time was launched from the Volga pier.

Immediately after the release from the factory, the problem arose of moving the ekranoplan to the test site. For almost a month, semi-submerged, with an undocked wing, covered with a camouflage net, the ekranoplan was towed along the Volga from Gorky to the training ground in Kaspiysk. For reasons of secrecy, they went only at night, during the day the "monster" rested in the shade of a camouflage net.

In 1966, the "Caspian Monster" finally entered the tests, which were carried out at a specially created test and delivery station on the Caspian Sea near the city of Kaspiysk (Dagestan). For a long 15 years, tests of this miracle of technology were going on, until an accident occurred in 1980 due to pilot error. There were no casualties, moreover, the ekranoplan remained afloat for another week, but no attempts were made to save it. He sank in the Caspian Sea.

The first flight of "Eaglet"

In the early 70s, Alekseev's design bureau received an order to create a military ekranoplan, and on November 3, 1979 the world's first amphibious assault ship "Eaglet" was adopted as a combat unit in the navy. He received the staff number MDE-160 (small amphibious ekranoplan).

The "Eaglet" had not at all a small total displacement of 122 tons, developed a speed of 216 knots and could carry 200 paratroopers in full combat gear or 28 tons of cargo. The small amphibious ekranoplan was intended for the transfer of amphibious assault forces to a distance of up to 1,500 kilometers, with the possibility of taking off at a wave height of up to two meters. Loading and unloading of people and equipment was carried out through the nose section that leans to the right.

In total, five such machines, unique for their time, were created. Unfortunately, in 1984, Defense Minister Dmitry Ustinov, who supported the idea of building a fleet of amphibious ekranoplans, died. The new Minister of Defense, Sergei Sokolov, closed the program, using the released money to build nuclear submarines. But even this did not stop the process of creating one of the most unique military Vehicle in the world - ekranoplan "Lun".

"Lun" - proud bird

Rostislav Alekseev no longer saw the flight of this ekranoplan, which became the expression of all his ideas and thoughts. January 14, 1980, while testing a model of a new passenger ekranolet, during launching, hegot injured. Two operations did not help, and the most important creator of ekranoplanes in the world died on February 8, 1980. At this time, the design work on the Lun project had already been completed, it remained to wait for the start of construction.

In 1983, the first and, as it turned out later, the last heavy impact ekranoplan - missile carrier of project 903 was laid down. In 1986, this amazing colossus was ready. Became a continuation of the ideas of the "Caspian Monster" e The crane was designed to deal with surface ships by launching a missile attack in the face of weak opposition from enemy air attack weapons.

In fact, the "Lun" is an aircraft carrier hunter, capable of approaching an enemy order with great speed and firing missiles, remaining out of reach. Armed with six launchers with Moskit anti-ship missiles, the Lun could strike from a distance of 120 kilometers, while flying over water up to 2000 kilometers, remaining practically invisible to enemy radars.

The wingspan of this bird is 44 meters, and the area is 550 square meters. Inside the wing there are four compartments with fuel for eight NK-87 engines. The length of this ekranoplan is 73 meters, and the height is comparable to a five-story building - 19 meters.

Initially, it was planned to create eight rocket ekranoplans of the Lun type, but due to financial problems and military inexpediency, these plans could not be implemented. At present, the Lun is decommissioned and mothballed in a dry dock on the territory of the Dagdiesel plant in Kaspiysk. All secret electronics gather dust in secret warehouses, from where, probably, they will never be returned. You can look at this miracle of Soviet engineering from space by following the link in Google maps and entering the following coordinates (42°52′54″ N 47°39′24″ E).

Abroad

The most high-profile foreign project was the Boeing Pelican - a military ekranoplan with the ability to transfer 1200 tons at a time. He didn’t go further than developments, the concept turned out to be too huge and unrealizable even by the standards of the American military, who don’t really count money.

The device was supposed to fly at an altitude of about ten meters above the sea, with the ability to rise to a height of 6000 meters to fly over land or bypass storms. At one time, Pelican could lift up to 17 M1 Abrams tanks or almost 200 sea 20-foot containers. However, nothing has been heard about this project since 2013.

There was information about the construction of a large ekranoplan by South Korea, however, this project is currently frozen.

Current state

Currently, there is no serious production of ekranoplans in Russia. There are scattered companies involved in the creation of small ekranolet. From time to time, ideas about the revival of the Soviet school arise, but they remain nothing more than projects. Moreover, in Russia completely lacks the legal framework governing the operation of ekranoplanes. Manufacturers of this type of equipment have encountered difficulties: they are unable to collect a complete set of permits for the use of this type of transport. And none of the three purposes of ekranoplanes: military, rescue and civilian. Great amount various bureaucratic organizations and the lack of a clear legal framework turn an ordinary situation in aircraft certification into an insoluble problem.

In Russia, they still have not even been able to solve the problem of transporting the "Lun" and organizing a museum. So until now, it is rusting slowly, starting to fall apart into pieces. The vast country did not have the opportunity either to preserve Soviet technologies or to transfer them to a civilian commercial footing.

However, it is quite possible that ekranoplans can now receive a new development. The fact is that for the development of the Arctic they will become one of the most convenient options - capable of covering long distances, not paying attention to whether ice or water is under their wing. Let's see, maybe soon we will again see the low flight of these amazing devices.

Both the KM and the subsequent "Eaglet" and "Lun" were already made according to the proven proprietary Alekseev aerohydrodynamic scheme: open (at the KM) or closed by the hull (at the Orlyonok) engines were located in front of the wing, providing air blowing under the wing during takeoff

Soviet designers called their brainchild "Korablmaket" (KM). In 1967, the US military, having examined an incomprehensibly huge aircraft in the pictures of a spy satellite, nicknamed it the "Caspian Monster". Sometimes this name is used in the West to refer to all Soviet combat ekranoplans, and then, in the 60s, in the Soviet Union, even the cherished word "ekranoplan" itself was secret. In the English-speaking world, amphibians based on the screen principle of movement were (and are still called) WIG from the Wing-In-Ground effect (from the English "wing" and "earth").

Born to crawl headlong

What did the American experts see in the pictures? The giant aircraft had a length of about 100 m with a surprisingly small wingspan for such a colossus - about 40 m. at speeds up to 500 km/h, in a zone inaccessible to enemy air defense systems.

The flight range was up to one and a half thousand kilometers. And at the same time, the mass of the vessel with a payload reached 500 tons. It could take on board, for example, a battalion of paratroopers with armored vehicles.

According to eyewitnesses, in the summer of 1967, in the Green Room of the Military Intelligence Agency in Washington, Pentagon and NASA experts studied satellite images, and most concluded that this was a Russian bluff. Only three NASA engineers dared to claim that a the new kind weapons.

In the informed English military magazine Jane's Intelligence Revue, rave reviews appeared: “It is believed that the wings of this experimental apparatus create lift, which is enough to climb to a cruising altitude of approximately 30 feet (9 m). Apparently, the device will be able to work in arctic conditions.” America is in real danger.

Indeed, KM, using the screen effect known by that time for decades, was a unique creation. His father, designer Rostislav Alekseev, squeezed a lot out of the "screen", and when moving at a height of two to ten meters, the car consumed five times less fuel than a transport aircraft.

During the first flight of the KM, built at the Nizhny Novgorod (then Gorky) plant "Krasnoe Sormovo" and the Aircraft Building Plant. Sergo Ordzhonikidze, chief designer Alekseev was at the helm.

Tests in the Caspian continued for 15 years. And in 1980, the world's largest ekranoplan died in an accident.

Exception to the rule

The principle of flight of an ekranoplan is not similar to the laws of operation of an aircraft wing at high altitude, nor to the basics of the movement of a hovercraft.

First of all, the ekranoplan refutes the rule of aviation "the higher, the more economical." After all, it is high-ceilinged ones that fly over long distances. jet aircraft: flying in thin air at high altitude requires significantly less fuel. But if you fly very low, below 15 m, like ekranoplanes fly, the air cushion that appears between the wing and the surface of the earth or water, as it were, additionally supports the car and much less fuel is consumed.

This phenomenon has two components. An airplane takes off because the shape of the wing and its profile, when flowing around the air flow, create more pressure under the wing than above it. In this case, a negative effect also arises: a vortex occurs at the end of the wing - air with a higher pressure from under the wing flows around it and reduces lift. But if the plane is flying very low to the ground, there is too little room for the swirl and its effect is weakened. In addition, the air under the wing at higher pressure does not have a downward exit as it would at higher altitudes. A “cushion” is formed, and the car seems to be supported by an invisible hand.

The screen effect interfered with the aviators, because the “cushion” made it difficult to fly low above the ground and land. So it is not surprising that shipbuilders became interested in him, who at first used hydrofoils to increase the speed of ships (the designer Alekseev began with the development of these machines). Hydrofoils were twice as fast as conventional hydrofoils, but the developers, faced with the phenomenon of cavitation (cold boiling from discharge) of water on the upper surface of the hydrofoil, had to stop there.

Ships on an air cushion, created by "pumping" air into a strictly limited space under the bottom, reached a speed of 150-180 km / h, but then lost their stability.

The pursuit of speed

It is believed that the first ekranoplan was built in 1935 by the Finnish designer Kaario, who put the wing on a motor sled. Soviet sources claim that the first experimental work on the effect of a shielding surface on the aerodynamic properties of an air wing was carried out by helicopter pilot scientist Boris Yuryev in 1923, and already in 1938 the first Soviet project of a twin-engine ekranoplan appeared, the author of which was a specialist in air - landing equipment Pavel Grokhovsky. Many attempts were made after the Second World War in the USA, Japan, China.

The father of the delta wing and the Messerschmitt-334 project, the German designer Alexander Lippisch, working after the war in the United States, created a whole series of WIG aircraft, one of which is the X-114 (a five-seat patrol-transport ekranoplanamphibian, created in 1976) was adopted by the military - naval forces. There were other attempts in the West to develop combat ekranoplanes, but the appearance of the Soviet KM was a big and very unpleasant surprise for NATO. "Monster" turned out to be ten times larger than its American counterparts.

By that time, Rostislav Alekseev was known as a designer of hydrofoils - torpedo boats times of the Great Patriotic War, "Rockets", "Comets", "Meteors". They say that he even made a trip around the world on his Comet through the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans. And his design bureau was called the Central Design Bureau for Hydrofoils.

It is not surprising that, having started the pursuit of speed, in 1961 Alekseev performed his first ekranoplan SM-1 according to his own scheme of the vessel on two low-submerged hydrofoils, called "two-point" or "tandem": two wings were located one after the other with a small gap, and on the "tail" there was no horizontal "tail" familiar to the following models.

"Eaglet" with the fate of Icarus

Dmitry Ustinov, the curator of the defense industry at the time, came to test the SM-1 and was so impressed with the machine that Alekseev received carte blanche and almost unlimited financial support. His design bureau issued one project after another, and five years later the KM ekranoplan was launched into the water, followed by the 120-ton landing ship Orlyonok, which could land and take off in a five-point storm. The "nose" of the ship, which leaned to the side, made it possible to land two tanks and a battalion of marines on the move.

Rostislav Alekseev was full of ideas. He considered the possibility of launching an ekranoplan from the "back" spaceships reusable and ekranoplanes for the study of neighboring planets ... However, a series of accidents, and then a change in the political leadership of the country, put an end to the direction he was developing.

During the tests, the SM-5 crashed, then the Orlyonok crashed, and in 1980, as if unable to withstand the death of its creator, the first Caspian Monster crashed.

The associates of the creator of Soviet ekranoplans managed to develop and even manufacture in 1985 the Lun combat ekranoplan, equipped with six Moskit anti-ship homing missiles (according to NATO classification - SS-N-22 Sunburn), flying at a speed of 2800 km / h and capable of hitting a target at a distance of up to 250 km. However, he never went into the series, and out of the planned 120 Eagles, only five were made, and production was discontinued.

The new life of the "Monster"

And yet the project "Lun" did not stall. Back in 1992, the Ministry of Defense decided to create a conversion version based on the missile carrier - an ekranoplan for searching and rescuing victims of sea accidents. And the name was given to him "Rescuer". After the conservation of the project in the mid-90s due to lack of funds, the work was continued.

It is assumed that the rescue ekranoplan will be able to operate in strong winds and land in a five-meter wave, and its design is such that it will cover the victims with its body and take them from the water through the tail section, behind which there is a lull. The ekranoplan itself, capable of taking off with 500 passengers, will house a hospital with an operating room, intensive care unit and a burn center.

Meanwhile, in the secret design division of Boeing - Phantom Works - a huge ekranolet, called the Pelican, is being developed. It is intended to solve the main problem of the American army - the problem of mobility. For the movement of large military contingents for overseas operations, ships are too slow, and even the largest transport aircraft are too small. After all, one division can have more than 300 seventy-ton Abrams tanks, but even the huge C-5 Galaxy transporter (C-5 Galaxy; there are 126 of them in the US Air Force) can take on board no more than two such tanks. It is assumed that the Pelican will weigh the same (takeoff weight - 3000 tons) as seven fully loaded Boeing 747s, and at the same time, gliding over water, will be able to fly at a distance of 16 thousand km. At the same time, it is planned that the ugly-looking car will fly not only on the screen, but also at the usual heights for aircraft, and will be able to land on airfields (in the project it is equipped with 76 wheels). If the US military approves the project, Boeing will begin its implementation as early as this or next year.

However, the Russian chapter in the history of ekranoplanes does not look complete. After last year's visit to the Caspian by President Putin, who set the task for the sailors "not just to demonstrate a military presence in the region, but to show the overwhelming potential of the Russian Navy in the Caspian compared to the navies of other countries," Lun is expected to revive as a combat ekranoplan.

2. LTH:
Lun modification
Wingspan, m 44.00
Length, m 73.80
Height, m 19.20
Wing area, m2 550.00
Weight, kg
empty aircraft 243000
maximum takeoff 380000
Engine type 8 turbojet engine NK-87
Thrust, kgf 8 x 13000
Maximum speed, km/h 500
Practical range, km 2000
Flight height on the screen, m 1-5
Seaworthiness, points 5-6
Crew, people 10
Armament: 6 anti-ship missiles ZM-80 Mosquito

The weather was disgusting, so the photos are faded, but that's what it is.
There will be a lot of photos again, and a lot of the same type.
Lun is located on a dock specially designed for it, with a carrying capacity of 500 tons.

3. Unlike the Orlyonok, the Lun does not have a landing gear, only a hydro-ski, so it cannot climb ashore on its own. Therefore, he needs a dry floating dock.

4. This dock is towed into the bay by tugs, then it sinks a few meters (it is possible to dive up to 10 meters) and then the ekranoplan that has surfaced goes on its own.

5. The general impression of the ekranoplan: an aircraft made at a shipyard according to the technologies that they had. The more unique his abilities.

6. Under this fairing is a marine radar.

7. Lun is equipped with eight Kuznetsov design bureau engines. The same ones were put on the IL-62, if I'm not mistaken, though here is their marine version, plus rotary nozzles. Engine type 8 TRD NK-87. Thrust, kgf 8 x 13000.

8. It remains a mystery to me: why is only one engine covered with such a grille?

9. View of the nozzles.

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11.

12.

13. View from the side of the wing.

14. From the ground.

15. If the Lun will be restored, then it is planned to replace the engine with those that are on the unfinished "Rescuer".

16. The body of the ekranoplan is functionally divided along the length into four parts (regions): the bow, middle, stern and the keel and stabilizer area. In the bow (rooms with equipment and structures that ensure the movement of the PSE), there is a wheelhouse for the crew, a pylon, where the main engines are located, and rooms in the pylon area with auxiliary engines and power plant systems; in the middle (premises from the bow to the middle of the hull) - equipment for testing and combat, as well as a galley, toilet, crew cabin, in the "stern (from the middle of the hull to the stern) - so far also filled test equipment; in the keel area - an electric power plant to provide the ekranoplan with electricity in the parking lot, a complex of radio-electronic equipment to provide navigation and communications. In the crosshairs of the keel and stabilizer, at a height of 12 m from the waterline, there is a shooter's room. The crew of the ekranoplan consisted of 7 officers and 4 contract soldiers (midshipmen). Its autonomy is 5 days.

17. This is a bottom view of the engine pylon.

18. In fact, the screen effect is the same air cushion, only formed by air injection not by special devices, but by the oncoming flow. That is, the “wing” of such devices creates lift not only due to rarefied pressure above the upper plane (as in “normal” aircraft), but additionally due to increased pressure under the lower plane, which can only be created at very low altitudes (from a few centimeters up to several meters). This height is commensurate with the length of the mean aerodynamic chord (MAC) of the wing. Therefore, they try to make the wing of the ekranoplan with a slight elongation.

The screen effect is due to the fact that disturbances (pressure growth) from the wing reach the ground (water), are reflected and have time to reach the wing. Thus, the pressure increase under the wing is large. The propagation velocity of the pressure wave is, of course, equal to the speed of sound. Accordingly, the manifestation of the screen effect begins with h, where l is the width of the wing (wing chord), V is the speed of sound, h is the flight altitude, v is the flight speed. How more MAH wings, the lower the flight speed and altitude - the higher the screen effect.

For example, the maximum flight range of the Ivolga ekranolet at an altitude of 0.8 m is 1150 km, and at an altitude of 0.3 meters with the same load - already 1480 km. Traditionally, at flight speeds near the ground, it is customary to consider the height of the screen to be half the chord of the wing. This gives a height of about a meter. But for sufficiently large ekranoplanes, the flight height “on the screen” can reach 10 meters or more. The center of pressure (common point of application of force) of the ground effect is closer to the trailing edge, the center of pressure of the "normal" lift is closer to the leading edge, therefore, the greater the contribution of the screen to the total lift, the more the center of pressure shifts back. This leads to balancing problems. Changing the height changes the balance, changing the speed - too. The roll causes a diagonal displacement of the center of pressure. Therefore, the control of an ekranoplan requires specific skills.

This is a view from under the wing to the flaps (or how to call them correctly?). After lowering them: this is the position they occupy, after that the engine pumps air under the wing, the ekranoplan rises from the water and starts moving.

19. View of the flaps (or how to call them correctly?) from the tail of the ekranoplan.

20. View from the body towards the wing tip.

21. View of the left wing.

22. These things are so massive and made like a ship that you are amazed.

23. Device for turning and locking flaps.

24. Left wing and floats at its end.

25. Float surface.

26. He is from the side of the body.

27. Advantages of ekranoplanes and ekranoplanes proper (ekranoplan differs from ekranoplan in that it can break away from the screen and rise to great heights):
high survivability;
sufficiently high speed;
ekranoplanes have high efficiency and a higher carrying capacity compared to aircraft, since the lift force is added to the force generated from the ground effect;
ekranoplans in terms of speed, combat and lifting characteristics are superior to hovercraft and hydrofoils;
for the military, the low visibility of the ekranoplan on radar due to flight at a height of several meters, high speed, and immunity to anti-ship mines are important;
for ekranoplans, the type of surface that creates the effect of the screen is not important - they can move over the frozen water surface, snowy plains, over impassable roads, etc .; as a result, they can move along “direct” routes, they do not need ground infrastructure: bridges, roads, etc.;
modern ekranolet is much safer than conventional aircraft: in the event of a malfunction in flight, the amphibian can land on the water even in heavy seas. Moreover, this does not require any pre-landing maneuvers and can be done simply by releasing gas (for example, in the event of engine failure). Also, the engine failure itself is often not so dangerous for large ekranoplanes due to the fact that they have several engines divided into launch and march groups, and the failure of the march group engine can be compensated by starting one of the engines of the launch group;
screen aircraft belong to non-aerodrome aviation - for take-off and landing they do not need a specially prepared runway, but only a water area of sufficient size or a flat land area;

28. Disadvantages:
one of the serious obstacles to the regular operation of ekranoplans is that the place of their intended flights (along the rivers) very exactly coincides with the zones of maximum concentration of birds;
control of an ekranoplan is different from aircraft control and requires specific skills;
the ekranoplan is “tied” to the surface and cannot fly over uneven surfaces. This shortcoming is deprived of the ekranolet;
although the flight "on the screen" is associated with lower energy costs than that of an aircraft, however, the launch procedure requires a greater thrust-to-weight ratio comparable to that of a transport aircraft, and, accordingly, the use of additional starting engines that are not used in the cruising mode (for large ekranoplans), or special starting modes for the main engines, which leads to additional fuel consumption;

29. Recently, the story of ekranoplanes has taken a completely unexpected turn. After analyzing the prospects of this type of technology and coming to the conclusion that there is a significant, to put it mildly, backlog of work (in the absence of such) in the field of ekranoplane construction, the US Congress created a special commission to develop an action plan to eliminate the "Russian breakthrough". The members of the commission offered to seek help ... from the Russians themselves and went directly to the Central Clinical Hospital for the SEC. The leadership of the latter informed Moscow and received permission from the State Committee for Defense Industry and the Ministry of Defense to conduct negotiations with the Americans under the auspices of the Arms Export Control Commission, military equipment and technologies of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. And in order not to draw too much attention to the subject of negotiations, the inquisitive Yankees offered to use the services of an American company under the neutral name "Russian-American Science" (RAS), and through its mediation, a delegation of overseas specialists got the opportunity to visit the Central Design Bureau for the SEC, meet with the designers of ekranoplans, find out, if possible, the details of interest. Then the Russian side graciously agreed to organize a visit by American researchers to the base in Kaspiysk, where they were able to shoot in detail on photographic and videotape the Orlyonok prepared for the flight specially for this visit.

Who was part of the American "landing" The head of the delegation - US Air Force Colonel Francis, who heads the program to create a promising tactical fighter. Under his leadership were prominent specialists from research centers, including NASA, as well as representatives of American aircraft manufacturing companies. Among them, the most famous person was Bert Rutan, who designed the unconventional aerodynamic design of the Voyager aircraft, on which his brother made a non-stop round-the-world flight a few years ago. In addition, the delegation, according to representatives of the Russian competent authorities present at the show, included persons who, on duty for years, had been collecting information about Soviet ekranoplans in every possible way and for the first time unexpectedly got the opportunity to see with their own eyes - and even touch - the object of their close attention.

As a result of these visits, which cost American taxpayers only 200 thousand dollars, our new friends will be able to save several billion and significantly, by 5 - 6 years, reduce the development time for their own ekranoplane projects. US representatives raise the question of organizing joint activities to close the gap in this area. Final goal- Creation of an amphibious ekranoplan with a take-off weight of up to 5000 tons for the American rapid reaction forces. The entire program may require $15 billion How much of this amount could be invested in Russian science and industry - and whether it will be invested at all - is still unclear. With such an organization of negotiations, when the received 200 thousand dollars do not cover the costs of the Central Design Bureau and the pilot plant in the amount of 300 million rubles for bringing the Orlyonok to the flying state, one cannot count on mutually beneficial cooperation.

Doubts about the benefits of such contacts for the state interests of Russia are also caused by the reaction of the responsible official of the Commission for Export Control of Arms, Military Equipment and Technologies of the RF Ministry of Defense Andrey Logvinenko to the unexpected appearance in Kaspiysk (simultaneously with the Americans) of the press. Officially referring to reasons of secrecy, he tried to forbid journalists from entering the base, and in the private conversation that followed, he explained that it was his task to prevent information from leaking to the press about Russian-American contacts regarding ekranoplans and added that after the departure of the Americans, we could film and write anything, but without a word mentioning the American visit to the former secret facility.

Let's look at these beautiful contours, like a speedboat.

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31.

32. And this is a special protection (electro-chemical) against corrosion of the body. Extremely often used in shipbuilding.

33. A hydro-ski is used to soften the landing. Thanks to this, the ekranoplan can take off and land in waves up to 5 meters.

34. View of the hydro-ski from the tail.

35. Hinged hydro-ski.

36. Another view of the hydro-ski.

37. In the designs of ekranoplans, two schools can be distinguished: the Soviet (Rostislav Alekseev) with a straight wing and the western (Alexandra Lippisha) with a delta wing (back angle, that is, with reverse sweep) with a pronounced reverse transverse V.

Scheme R.E. Alekseev requires more stabilization work, but allows you to move at high speeds in airplane mode.

The Lippisch scheme includes means to reduce excessive stability (reverse swept wing and reverse transverse V), which makes it possible to reduce the disadvantages of ekranoplan balancing in conditions of small sizes and speeds.

View of the tail.

38. Horizontal stabilizers.

39. One of the two jobs for shooters.

40. We will visit there again.

41. Vertical stabilizers.

42. Thermal protection of the fuselage from hot gases when launching rockets: made of the same materials as our shuttle.

43. In front of the tail unit and on it, there are all kinds of radars.

44. On its hump, the ekranoplan carries six Moskit guided anti-ship missiles of the anti-ship missile launcher ZM-80. A volley of four of these missiles hits a ship of any size (including an aircraft carrier), leading to its flooding.

45. View from the ground.

46. View from the wing: the door inside the ekranoplan is visible. When afloat, the wings have a smooth descent into the water, which is very useful when launching rescue equipment and collecting rescued.

47. And the entrance is open.

48. From the inside, you can get to the "roof" of the ekranoplan in several ways. One of them: a hatch in front of the first workplace of the shooter and at the level of the engine pylon.