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Just finished - (it still needs a bit of weathering/dirtying up)......

VVA-14_91.jpg

Next to the revamped ekranoplan version - 1/144 scale 14M1p from Anigrand.....

VVA-14_92.jpg

It's a big beast - same wingspan as a Lancaster........

VVA-14_93.jpg

I'm having problems getting it to sit on all 10 wheels - and it a tailsitter!

VVA-14_94.jpg

VVA-14_95.jpg

Next to a Su-30MKM for size comparison.....

VVA-14_96.jpg

Ken

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: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.

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: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.......

11.JPG

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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?! :foof:

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