"Great Leap Forward" WIG: How a Wonder Machine Was Built in Russia
The history of Russian ekranoplanostroeniya rooted in the Soviet past, when in the late 40s, designer Rostislav Alekseev designed and created a hydrofoil ship. In parallel with the development of hydrofoil vessels, Alekseev conducted research on the so-called “screen effect” and the possibility of its use for the needs of the army and the national economy.
The results of Alekseev’s research were so successful that the leadership of the USSR adopted a state program for the development and creation of ekranoplanes, thanks to which a miracle of Soviet engineering was born equipment - WIG KM, nicknamed the Americans "Caspian monster."
Subsequently, five really working landing craft "Orlyonok" were built, one of which is now in the open-air museum in the Severnoye Tushino park in Moscow.
With the collapse of the USSR, centralized funding for the study and construction of ekranoplanes was discontinued and was carried out more in the form of private initiative by various enterprises.
Currently, given the active development of the regions of the far north and the Russian Arctic that has begun, the question of the revival of ekranoplanostroeniya in Russia, both for military and civilian purposes, is very relevant.
The results of Alekseev’s research were so successful that the leadership of the USSR adopted a state program for the development and creation of ekranoplanes, thanks to which a miracle of Soviet engineering was born equipment - WIG KM, nicknamed the Americans "Caspian monster."
Subsequently, five really working landing craft "Orlyonok" were built, one of which is now in the open-air museum in the Severnoye Tushino park in Moscow.
With the collapse of the USSR, centralized funding for the study and construction of ekranoplanes was discontinued and was carried out more in the form of private initiative by various enterprises.
Currently, given the active development of the regions of the far north and the Russian Arctic that has begun, the question of the revival of ekranoplanostroeniya in Russia, both for military and civilian purposes, is very relevant.
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