Flankerman Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Just finished - (it still needs a bit of weathering/dirtying up)...... Next to the revamped ekranoplan version - 1/144 scale 14M1p from Anigrand..... It's a big beast - same wingspan as a Lancaster........ I'm having problems getting it to sit on all 10 wheels - and it a tailsitter! Next to a Su-30MKM for size comparison..... Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Wow - I've never seen that plane before! :) Very nice work! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RotorheadTX Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Bodacious!!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ryan Hothersall Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Looks great as it is. Leave it clean. It is sure a beast. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ross blackford Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 :D, Hi Ken. Am I right in thinking that this aircraft could skim the waves a couple of metres above them or fly as a conventional aircraft at up to 10,000. From memory I seem to recall reading this in Bill Gunston's excellent book The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875-1995. , Ross. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted October 24, 2014 Author Share Posted October 24, 2014 :D/>/>, Hi Ken. Am I right in thinking that this aircraft could skim the waves a couple of metres above them or fly as a conventional aircraft at up to 10,000. From memory I seem to recall reading this in Bill Gunston's excellent book The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875-1995. :cheers:/>/>, Ross. Well....... It was actually designed by Italian emigre Roberto Bartini as a VTOL ASW machine that could land on any surface - water, ice. snow & land. It had no undercarriage, but had large inflatable rubber floats plus twelve lift engines for VTOL. To test it without the lift engines, it was fitted with a temporary undercarriage using the nose and one of the main gears from a Tu-22 Blinder - plus outriggers from a 3MD Bison. It flew successfully in this configuration - which is how it is modelled by Modelsvit in my photos. It was later fitted with the rubber floats - and these were tested sucessfully - cycled inflated and collapsed both in the air and on the ground. It was also tested with the floats inflated in water - but it could not take off as a floatplane because too much forwards speed collapsed the floats (which was never the intention anyway). The lift engines were never delivered - so it never achieved its intended VTOL flight either. When Bartini died, the design team tried to keep the concept going by re-desgning it as an ekranoplan. The forward fuselage was extended and fitted with two 'thrust' engines to stuff air under the centrebody - and the inflatable floats were replaced by fixed ones - this is the configuration shown by the Anigrand model. Renamed the 14M1P, despite lots of testing, it never achieved wing-in-ground-effect flight either. A fascinating, unconventional design, which, if fitted with the lift engines as originally intended, might have been successful - who knows?? Ken PS - I think you are thinking of the Aleksayev A-90 ekranoplan - which could and did skim across the surface and could fly out of ground effect....... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChippyWho Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Superb! When I first heard of this release I kinda hoped Flankerman would work his magic on it here -lo and behold. Have to say I'm with Mr Hothersall regarding the finish; it just needs to be like it is! Also, I want one. A REAL one. Got that, Santa?! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChernayaAkula Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Wicked cool! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rocat Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Wow...great subject and build! Bravo. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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