The Strangest Aircraft Ever Built: The Soviet Union's VVA-14:
- VVA-14 spotted on google-maps
- Lots of close-up pictures here
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The Strangest Aircraft Ever Built: The Soviet Union's VVA-14:
- VVA-14 spotted on google-maps
- Lots of close-up pictures here
Fascinating, and I'd never heard of that one. Much appreciated! :)
But it might have competition for the "Strangest Aircraft" title. Here's another extraordinary Soviet plane, also using ground-effect aerodynamics. Enjoy:
:happy dog:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=rozqIdT6lLQ
The VVA-14 seems somewhat conventional compared to the Ekranoplan. Now days an ICBM can be launched from a shipping container generally placed on a railroad flat car. Yet this may be the most unusual Russian aircraft I have seen. It looks a bit like a beached dolphin with big growths sticking out.
Here is a good site for more on the Ekranoplan. I hope the Russians find an indoor museum for it. The controls look out of the 70's. BTW this website is rich in Russian culture.
https://englishrussia.com/2021/03/05...nside-and-out/
https://youtube.com/watch?v=2gP90cM2MRQ
I believe this was Howard Hughes reply to Russias huge amphibious plane. They're so huge! I am not sure the year is right when this was recorded, but America still doesn't like to share real dates when things were built or flown.
They look a lot alike, without the armaments on the American version.
Yes, the only flight (the one shown in the video) was in November 1947, quite a while before the Russian planes in the earlier posts. (Though this one was larger!) After that, it never flew again. It was built largely of wood, and was nicknamed the 'Spruce Goose'. The very interesting Wiki page is here.Quote:
Posted by Denise/Dizi
:happy dog:
Recently there was a project to rebuild this tech, but for civilian purposes. For example let's say there is an emergency situation and lots of people need to be relocated fast out of a country or land, then a small float of these planes could carry thousands out in a couple hours to a near country.
The new plane that has been planned could hold 100 people. If you have 10 of them, you can move 1000 people our of danger in a few hours, then come back for another 1000 and so on. It would be of great benefit to humanity
Back then there were plans to build a full aircraft carrier that would float above water and travel at 700+ km/h, that would be a monster for sure :) And there was another project that stripped any armament and was meant to transport soldiers, armament and other stuff. The idea that you can suddenly get 20/30 of those things flying to another country and landing on the coast and deliver a full army in a matter of hours, instead of days/weeks, is terrifying. Good thing it failed :)
- What Happened To Giant Flying Boats? Saunders-Roe Princess Story:
- (Also interesting): Underwater Aircraft Carriers: Imperial Japan’s Secret Weapon
Thanks John, I'd never heard of this aircraft before either - until two days ago when it popped up on my youtube feed. Guess the same happened to you. Maybe we have similar feeds. :)
I don't think those large planes were completely scrapped, I think perhaps they were modified into the large carrier "boats" they called hovercraft. And they did use them to transport people, and cargo for many years. And they were massive.. Rather than fly over the surface with wings, they used a skirt that lifted them off of the water, and allowed them to glide over the surface of land and water, as well as rough terrain.
I believe they have for the most part, retired them as they were so huge, and repair costs so great. But the tech, or use of that air envelope was continued to be used. Aircraft development fascinates me.
I just found this thread, from 2014: :)
I was fascinated years ago to find videos like these...
https://youtube.com/watch?v=ItK1l8w39y0
Some look like they abandoned them before even finishing building them... I Wonder what they have now...