The CASPIAN SEA MONSTER!
During the Cold War, ekranoplans were sighted for years on the Caspian Sea as huge, fast-moving objects. The name Caspian Sea Monster was given by confused U.S. intelligence operatives who were puzzled by the huge vehicle, which looked like an airplane with the outer halves of the wings removed. After the end of the Cold War, the “monster” was revealed to be a secret airplane of the Russian military, designed to fly only a few meters above water, thus saving energy and staying below enemy radar.
The KM, as one model was known in the top secret Soviet military development program, was over 100 m long, weighed 540 tons fully loaded, and could travel over 400 km/h mere meters above the surface of the water. Once moving at speed, the ekranoplan was no longer in contact with the water, and could move over ice, snow, or level land with equal ease.
I want one.
I have a feeling that turns were not very tight.
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The video link on that page is awesome! It’s like Doctor Who if they had money.
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That’s awesome.
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