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Ekranoplans or
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From a history of high-speed shipbuilding*Development of shipbuilding in XIX and XX centuries is tightly linked to the solution of the sharpest problem of ships movement speed increasing. The service speeds of displacement ships limited by the wave resistance makes 20-25 km/h for river and 40-50 km/h for marine vessels. Reserves for increase of displacement ships speeds, due to perfecting the sizes and hulls forms, raises of an engine power and efficiency of propulsion device (a rowing wheel, the screw, etc.), turned out are practically exhausted to the beginning of XX century already. The designers of high-speed ships had addressed to an idea of raising a ship's hull from water to the moment of wavemaking speed achievement, with the aim to overcome the intensively growing water drag.Gliding craft At the end of XIX century the prototypes of gliding craft are appears. Its structure allowed decreasing resistance to movement due to usage of hydrodynamic forces at keeping of a vessel's hull contact with a water surface. The gliding has allowed creating high-speed sports craft with speeds over 500 km / hour. However to solve satisfactorily the seaworthiness questions on the basis of this principle of movement it was not possible. Therefore the gliding craft have propagation only as sports craft of various types and military torpedo boats. An example of planning craft usage as passenger craft is the Soviet seagoing catamaran "Express" having weight 42 tones, passenger capacity 130 persons and a speed over 80 km / hour. The planning catamaran "Express" was operated in the Black sea on a Sochi - Sukhumi line in 1940. Hydrofoils The first patent for hydrofoil known to us is the patent of the Frenchman, the Russian citizen, Charles de Lambert which has registered it 1881 in France. And though on hydrofoil vessel built by him it was not possible to reach movement on foils, the fact of creation of the first hydrofoil has been registered. The further history of creation and development of hydrofoils is linked to names of outstanding designers and engineers of different countries. The main tasks which were necessary to solve on a way of creation of hydrofoils consist in a choice of quantity of foils, their geometry and the location concerning a hull of a craft. On these three basic parameters it is possible to classify all variety of types both hydrofoils and the schemes of foils. For the first time to realize movement of hydrofoils practically was succeed to Italian air engineer E. Forlanini in 1905. The Italian aviators A.Crocco and Ricaldoni in 1906 managed to create hydrofoil on V-shaped underwater foils crossing a water surface, having decided the major problem question of stabilization of hydrofoils in a vertical plane with an alteration of speed. The Mitchem brothers (USA) in the same years in the project of a flying boat have offered a way for control of foils angle of attack and, consequently, of a lift force with the help of the special kinematical device, that has served as a prototype for later development an automatically controlled foils (50th years, K.Guk). In 1919 A.Bell and K.Baldwin (Canada) have constructed a hydrofoil having applied a combination of "bookshelf's" allocation with the V-shaped wings offered by Guidony. This craft equipped with two aero-engines of 260 kw power everyone, working on an air screws, had reached a speed over 60 knots at movement on foils. Hans von Shertel - known German air engineer has achieved the big success in creation of hydrofoils in 30th years. He managed to develop basic configuration of a craft on V-shaped foils crossing a water surface, in which the first foil is located in a bow and the second - in an aft of a craft, having decided thus practically all problem questions of hydrofoil's movement. In the same period various configurations of hydrofoils have been offered by Titiens (Austria), Grunberg (France), Almkwist and Alkstrom (Sweden). They have not received operational use. The first attempts of hydrofoils creation in the USSR are related to the beginning of 30th. Their authors are scientists of TSAGI V.G.Frolov and A.N.Vladimirov during 1933 - 1937 have conducted experimental researches of foils in towing tank. In 1934 they have developed configuration of a vessel on two foils and have constructed its self-propelled model of the EGO-1 in weight of 300 kg. By means of the engine of 10 kw the model has reached a speed of 32 km / hour. But it was not possible to reach the course stability of the model. During same time by the known Soviet scientists - M.V.Keldysh, N.E.Kochin, M.A.Lavrentjev, L.I.Sedov and L.N.Sretensky had been carried out the fundamental analytical investigations of the foils hydrodynamics, which allowed to explain the gear and law of origin and change of a lift force of foil close to a water surface. 
In 1941 at a "Krasnoe Sormovo" shipyard has
started the works on hydrofoils creation the graduate of
shipbuilding faculty of Gorkovsky's Industrial Institute
Rostislav Evgenjevich Alexeyev. A theme of his degree work the
torpedo hydrofoil and its passenger variant were. Keen with an idea
of hydrofoils creation Alexeyev at support of administration has
unwrapped an active research and design activity on realization of
the degree work developments and the ideas linked to creation of
hydrofoils. By the results of works during which have been created
modern experimental base of high-speed hydrodynamics, are built and
tested numerous non-propelled and self-propelled models of
hydrofoils with various structures of foils, R.E.Alexeyev in
1944-1945 has offered outstanding idea of usage in hydrofoils of
slightly submerged underwater foils (an immersion depth of 15-30 %
of a foil chord), which received the status of invention.
For the first time this invention has been practically realized by Alexeyev in 1947 when under his design the " Krasnoe Sormovo" shipyard has put on the foils the serial Soviet planing torpedo-boat ÒÊÀ 123-bis. In the conclusion of a state commission on accepting this boat with underwater foils it is noted, that "for the first time in the Soviet Union completely new type of a fighting torpedo boat - a boat on the underwater foils, which exceeds its variant without foils with respect to speed on 10 (!) knots (from 90 up to 110 km/h) and with respect to seaworthiness on 2 (!) Beaufort numbers (from 3 up to 5 numbers)" is created. In 1951 for this outstanding achievement R.E.Alekseyev and the leading experts of his design's collective - N.A.Zajtsev, I.I.Erlykin, L.S.Popov - have been awarded by the Stalin's premium. In 1949 under the R.E.Alekseyev's management was developed the project of the first river passenger hydrofoil on slightly submerged foils on 60 persons with speed of 70 km/h. However by the regime's reasons the sanction to its creation Alexeyev has received only in 1956. In a parallel way with R.E.Alekseyev in the post-war period in 1953 in Switzerland (firm "Supramar") under the direction of Hans Fon Shertel have been created the first passenger hydrofoil of lake type RT-10 and in 1955 - hydrofoil of marine type for coasting operation RT-20. Both these hydrofoils have quickly won popularity and many years were successfully operated on passenger lines of Italy, Japan, Holland, Norway. In 1956, i.e. seven years later of the first hydrofoil's project development, the R.E.Alekseyev has received the sanction and has developed the second project of the river passenger craft on the slightly submerged foils, called "Raketa", on 66 passengers with speed of 65 km/h. It has been built and entered in operation in 1957. Since that time the era of the national hydrofoils originates, the most known of which are: motorship "Raketa" (1957), a boat "Volga" (1958, 5 seats, speed of 60 km/h), motorships " Meteor " (1958, 128 seats, 65 km/h), "Kometa" (1959, 118 seats, 65 km/h), " Belarus" (1962, 40 seats, 55 km/h), "Kolhida" (1970, 120 seats, 60 km/h), " Voshod " (1970 ã, 60 seats, 60 km/h). 
Hydrofoil "Raketa" Hydrofoil "Meteor" Hydrofoil "Kometa" To the group of leading experts of the CHDB: Alexeyev R.E., Zajtsev N.A., Maskalik A.I., Zobnin B.A., Sushin G.V., Shapkin I.M., Erlykin I.I., Popov L.C., Vasin A.I., Rjabov K.E. and to the captain of VORP Poluektov V.G. in 1962 were adjudged the Lenin's premium for creation and introduction in a national economy of the passenger hydrofoils. Economically expedient speed for the hydrofoil's movement is limited by the value about 100 km / hour. Such limitation is caused by a problem of a foil cavitation (boiling of water owing to depression in a zone of flow of a foil) which sharply decreases its hydrodynamic parameters. And though on the craft on slightly submerged foils created under the R.E.Alekseyev's management it was possible to reach speeds up to 140 km / hour (at cavitationless flow of a foil), the hydrofoil appeared poorly perspective for the further increase of speed. It became one of principal reasons of activation of R.E.Alekseyev's works on search of a new principle of ships movement, which is free from the main disadvantages noted (wave and cavitation barriers). To exclude effect of these factors appeared possible only after excluding contact of a vessel with water. Air-cushion vehicles (ACV) The craft which cruiser's mode of operation is carried out without contact with water are related to air-cushion vehicles. Theirs construction is grounded on usage of aerodynamic forces of the static air cushion created under a vessel's hull or its bearing surfaces with the help of special air blowers. The beginning of works on such type of craft concerns to the first half of XX century. The first practical sample of ACV should be considered, apparently, a torpedo-boat created by Austrian engineer D.M. fon Tomamhul in 1916. The boat reached a speed of 74 km\h however the further developments was not continued by the reasons of poor maneuverability and seaworthiness, which questions were not solved by the author. The greatest success in creation of practical samples of ACV in the first half of XX century has accompanied to the Soviet designer - professor V.I.Levkov, under management of which in 30th in the USSR a number of ACV have been created. The boat of his construction L-5 in weight about 9 tones has reached a speed of 135 km\h in 1937. Further the ACV structure was constantly improved due to the works of English engineer K.Kokkerell and the experts of English firms "Aircraft", "Denny" and others. By the present time the plenty ACV of various displacements and assignments is created, a number of which is successfully operated for passengers and cargoes transportation, on ferry's routes basically. The ACV has serious limitations on manoeuvrability and seaworthinesses. By the high-speed parameters the ACV are at a hydrofoils level, practically having no perspectives of their further increase. Ekranoplans (EP) or Wing in Ground (WIG) Craft Aviators for the first time have faced with the ground effect - change of carrying properties of an air wing at small altitudes - in 20th years of XX century on take-off and landing modes of aircrafts. As the flight performances of aircrafts of that time, in particular their stability, have not been designed for this effect in some cases it turned round with failures and catastrophes. Discovering of ground effect has served as the beginning of EP creation - the flying vehicles, using at low altitudes of flight the aerodynamic forces of support in the area of beneficial surface effect influence to the carrying properties of a wing. The first experimental projects of an EP of Finnish engineer G.Kaario, Swedish engineer I.Troeng and American engineer D.Worner concern to 30-th years. However anybody of them did not manage to overcome a problem of a craft's motion stability close to a surface. The first known theoretical and experimental works published in 20 - 30th years of the last century dedicated influence of surface effect to an aerodynamic properties of a wing, belong to Soviet scientists B.N.Jurjev, J.M.Serebrijskiy, to the scientists of other countries: A.Betts, K.Vizelberger, S.Detvailer, S.Tomatika, D.Hagget, etc. Results of these researches allowed fulfilling an approximate estimation of ground effect influence on aerodynamic properties of a low-altitude wing flight. In particular, it has been shown that at small altitudes (less of a wing chord) the lift force grows and as much as a wing closer to a surface, resistance is moderated, the longitudinal moment is changed. At the end of 50th years of the last century the known Soviet designer of hydrofoils, R.Alekseyev addresses to creation of EP. In 1959 under his management the first aero-hydrodynamic scheme of an EP - "tandem" (a wing behind a wing), with allocation of air wings of special geometry in a bow and in an aft of a hull is developed. In 1960 the first self-propelled model of EP in the "tandem" scheme called the Sm-1 has been made. In 1961 it has passed tests, having acknowledged the project's calculations in whole. As the test-driver of it, as well as the subsequent EP, their chief designer - R.Alekseyev was. The EP of the "tandem's" scheme having high speeds of take-off and landing and "uncomfortable" for the persons onboard the flight dynamics at external disturbances, has not received the further development. In 1962 Alekseyev makes the proposal becoming the unique invention, - to introduce in EP scheme a new structural element - the blowing under the wing device. The idea of this device consists in creation on a carrying wing of the lift force ensuring detachment an EP from a bearing surface on minimally possible speeds. By the Alekseyev's idea it is reached by direction of air jets of a jet or aerojet engines under the carrying wing of EP at starting modes. Tests of the blowing under the wing devices, conducted on small models gave phenomenal result - a lift force developed on a wing close to surface at 8-10 times exceeds of engine thrust. Since this invention all of EP schemes created by R.Alekseyev and under his management have the blowing under the wing devices as a necessary element. In 1962 R.E.Alekseyev develops an EP scheme with the blowing under the wing device which has received a title an "aircraft" scheme. Successfully tested on "SM - 2P7" project's in 1962 an aircraft scheme became a basis for creation of the first practical samples of EP. In 1964 under the decision of the USSR government under the Alekseyev's management the works on creation of EP for the Navy have been started. Taking into account, that to the beginning of these works the required scientific-project base has not been created yet and the corresponding base which the aircraft and shipbuilding industries had, appeared of little use, the solution on designing and construction at the first stage of works of the full-scale EP - the KM (ship - model) representing ekranoplan - laboratory was accepted by the Alekseyev. In a parallel with construction of a KM in 1964-1965 the self-propelled models of EP (Sm-3, Sm-4, Sm-5, Sm-6, Sm-8, Sm-9) have been designed, built and tested to assure the creation of practical samples. In 1966 the KM has been built and launched. The KM in weight 550 tones till now is the largest flying vehicle in the world. During 1966-1969 the KM has successfully passed all-round state official tests then it was operated till 1980, ensuring solutions of various tasks of EP designing. The first transport-landing ekranoplan of Navy "Orlenok" (weight of 140 tones, speed of 400 km/h, seaworthiness of a wave height of 1,5 m) has been designed under the Alekseyev's management in 1972, is built and tested in 1974. After the tests and production completion it has been successfully handed to the customer and included in a structure of the Navy in1979. In 80th years already after the R.Alekseyev's death, under the direction of his follower V.Kirillovyh the project of the rocket EP "Lun" (of weight 400 tones, speed of 500 km/h, seaworthiness of a wave height of 2,0 m) has been designed, built and handed the Navy. 
SM-2P7 SM-6 SM-8 "Orlenok" 
 "ÊÌ" "Lun" With aim of drivers training have been projected and built the training ekranoplan UT-1 (chief designer by R.Alekseyev) and "Strizh" (chief designer V.Bulanov). The civil subjects in the works under the R.Alekseyev's management is submitted by projects of marine passenger EP "Chaika" (1970), designed for transportation of 70 passengers with speed of 250-300 km\h on distance over 700 km, and the river EP "Volga - 2" (1980, 6 passengers, 120 km/h). 
"Strizh" "Volga-2" After the R.E.Alekseyev's death (1980) and in conditions of the occurred "perestroika" the works on the EP developments began to be reduced progressively in the country and at the end of 80th years the government's support was practically stopped. Threat of loss of leading Russia positions in an ekranpolanbuilding became real. Foreign experience of an ekranpolanbuilding of the second half of XX century is submitted basically by experimental samples of EP created on the basis of various schemes - "flying wing", "tandem", "aircraft" and their modifications. Such firms as "Lokhid", "Boeing", "Kawasaki", "West Coast", "Reinflugcenbau" etc. took part in their developments. The most interesting results in creation of practical samples of an EP the known German aircraft designers A.Lippish, H.Fisher, G.Jorg have achieved in the last two decades. The works on creation of an EP were actively conducted and in other countries: the USA, Australia, China, Korea, Brazil, and others. A number of foreign projects on creation of EP are fulfilled within the framework of military programs and have the closed character. The major factor of successful development of an ekranpolanbuilding is support on the part of the state. So in China within the framework of the national program of research and development of key technologies by the scientific research institutes and the centers of space and ship-building corporations the works under several projects of creation an EP are conducted. It is known that the government of Republic Korea also intends to invest significant means in creation of own an EP. In the Russian Federation the works on reconstruction of national school of an ekranpolanbuilding the "Arctic Trade and Transport Company" ("ÀÒÒÊ") has initiatively undertaken having combined the efforts of leading designers and engineers - colleagues and continuers of an affair of R.E.Alekseyev in work on the new projects of EP. In 90th years of the last century in the design bureau of the company created in Nizhni Novgorod which has headed as the General designer the Alekseyev's follower - Dr. Dmitry Sinitsyn, the project of five-seats EP "Aquaglide-5" has been designed. Five-seat small marine pleasure EP "Aquaglide-5" (a group of authors alphabetically: Antonov A.A., Butlitskij A.G., Volfenzon A.J., Zhuravlev N.I., Litinskij L.O., Lukjanov A.I., Maskalik A.I., Nagapetyan R.A., Radovitskij G.L., Sinitsyn D.N., Tomilin V.V.) - is a first in the world's shipbuilding practical sample of an EP complying to the "Interim guidelines to WIG Craft safety" of IMO. It is certified by the Russian Marine Register of Shipping. The structure of an EP and an industrial sample are protected by the Russian Federation patents. With a view of creation the basis to the material-production and the tests the "ATTK Joint-Stock Company" has acquisitioned in the property (created in 60 - 70th years to assure the R.E.Alekseyev's works on EP) the design-research base in the Chkalovsk's region of the Nizhniy Novgorod's area on which, after the great renovation and construction of engineering installations, the serial production of small EP "Aquaglide-5" is organized. 
Strategy of the company is directed on preservation of leading Russian positions in creation of ekranoplans (WIG Craft). The designing of the first in the world shipbuilding practice of the 30-seats marine passenger ekranoplan of Ê02 project (a working title "Aquaglide -30", speed of 200 km/h, range of 700 km, seaworthiness up to 1 m of a wave height) comes to the end in 2008 with designers of "ÀÒÒÊ" Joint-Stock Company. The finalization of its tests and beginning of its series production is planned in 2010. The development of 60-seats marine passenger EP and its cargo-passenger version is in the nearest plans of the company. Passengers and cargo-passengers EP of the next generation intended for transportation up to 200 passengers and more and transportation up to 60 tones of a net load are included in the perspective projects of the company. ------------------------------------------------------ * by the materials of editions: Ekranoplans - transport craft of XXI century / A.I.Maskalik, R.A.Nagapetjan, etc. - SPB.: Shipbuilding, 2005 Winged craft of Russia. A history and modernity / A.I.Maskalik, etc. - SPB: Shipbuilding, 2006 << Top << Main page |
