OT: Retired Monster

[simkid22]

A Caspian Sea Monster (ekranoplan) just hanging around. Though some of you might like to see this.

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

Does anyone know why only one engine has the mesh guard?

And for those that don't speak Russian

http://translate.google.com.au/trans...n&hl=&ie=UTF-8

[harleyman]

Now that is a true monster..

maybe that is the only pod with an engine still in it.?????

[FlameOut]

Thanks for posting this link. Superb photography.

I remember Alphasim's FS9 version ( I think ) of the old Cold War relic.
I did not read word for word the entire article, but was this big beast designed as a carrier battle group killer?

[Scratch]

I hope it is preserved better than that. It is truly a piece of aviation history.

[spotlope]

A monster, indeed. Those are some amazing shots. I had no idea that thing was as big as it appears to be in the photos. Talk about a texture artist's dream -- such decay, so many incredible details. Even the buildings around the dock look fascinating.

[SirBenn21]

Really interesting!!! Never new something like that even existed.
Must have been "Top Secret"

Ben

[warchild]

with its capability of launching six nukes, i cant say as i'm sorry to see her retired, but wig vehicles are alive and well and becoming quite popular..

http://www.yachtboutique.com/Designe...oplanintro.htm

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question...craft-l325.jpg

http://www.australianhovercraft.com/hoverc1.jpg

http://www.ubergizmo.com/photos/2007/12/Focus-21.jpg

now if only some fine young modeller whould take up the challege for fsx,,, anyone want to fly a bentley??

[centuryseries]

Certainly deserves preservation. What a magnificent contraption.

[flaviossa]

And the huge flaps ?? (Or other name they are called in this monster)

[jmig]

No one is actually going to tell me that thing actually flies? :isadizzy: In the immortal words of the song from Dumbo:
I've seen a house fly, I seen a horse fly.
But, I never seen that thing fly.

[centuryseries]

Excuse the Bond music lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvRipnrbsd0

awesome machine!

Also found this about a rescue version called Spasatel:

"After the accident of the Komsomolets nuclear submarine near Norway it was decided to transform the second, partly finished, Lun into a Search and Rescue (SAR) Ekranoplan. In 1990 and 1991 the Lun was used as a testbed for the Spasatel. Apart from the interior the Spasatel is currently finished and is waiting in a factory in Nizhny Novgorod for some money to finish it.
The Spasatel is designed to locate and rescue people at sea from ships, aircraft or oil rigs and platforms. It can transport up to 150 people, but it can hold up to 500 rescued people."

[Bjoern]

"If we can't build things modern, we'll build 'em *big*!"

Soviet mentality. :d

[n4gix]

Man, that is one huge, fugly aircraft!

Kinda like the Millenium Falcon prompted Luke to exclaim, "What a hunk of junk!"

Yea, but would it do the Kessel Run in less than two parsecs!

But, it really never flies at all except hydroplaning across the water...

[SkippyBing]

But, it really never flies at all except hydroplaning across the water..

It's not really hydroplaning, that would imply all the weight is being supported by the water, those wings do supply a large amount of lift.

[EasyEd]

Hey All,

fascinating plane! awesome photography!

-Ed-

[Ken Stallings]

The mesh basket on the front of one engine is used for engine runs on the ground. It is designed to keep large objects from accidentally being sucked into the intake. It's a safety feature. What surprises me about it on this aircraft is that the engines sit so high I cannot imagine how the intakes would be at risk.

Ken

[Ken Stallings]

Frankly, looking at those photos, the aircraft in the boneyard at Davis-Monthan have paint jobs and aluminum skin in better condition that that aircraft.

Ken

[viking3]

The mesh basket on the front of one engine is used for engine runs on the ground.

Ken

I don't know about that Ken. If you look close at it, it seems to be fixed to the cowl and not removable and normally run-up screens have a smaller mesh. It is perplexing to say the least.

Regards, Rob:ernae:

[robcap]

Did anybody find a link to interior pictures, the door was open, and he published only 1 or 2 in this blog.

Cheers, Rob

[centuryseries]

I don't know about that Ken. If you look close at it, it seems to be fixed to the cowl and not removable and normally run-up screens have a smaller mesh. It is perplexing to say the least.

Regards, Rob:ernae:

Maybe it's a bird deflector or worse a human deflector?!! In a video on youtube it only has one and that was filmed when it still "flew".

I think the engines are that high so that it doesn't suck in too much spray during take-off and landing. I love the way you can climb up the tail

[roger-wilco-66]

Amazing pictures, thanks for sharing!

That would be a nice addition for the Sea Shepherds fleet :-) (just dreaming...)

Cheers,
Mark

[dharris]

a little bit different "monster"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dv2dU...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeUe6...eature=related
aerosoft's http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdP_a...eature=related

[pilottj]

Here is a nice History Channel documentary on the Sea Monster. Quite a facinating aircraft. I think one reason why the one in the photos has poorer skin condition compared to the birds at DM is that the Ekranoplane appears to be stored near the water, probably a bit more moist, possibly salty air around it which is quite a bit more unfriendly to aircraft skin than the high dry air at DM.
Cheers
TJ

part 1


part 2


part 3

[Daube]

Very impressive pictures. Thank you so much for this link :salute: