Lun-Class Ekranoplan

[Kurlang]

Frankly, this should be one of the best threads of Year (Nominee). Informative yet funny.

great going guys.

 

[Irfan Baloch]

Lun class? Indian and Pakistani Punjabis will laugh their their a** out after hearing its name

@Imran Khan

add a D in the end for the Baloch and Pashton guys.. we know what you mean

 

[Kambojaric]

Omg I cant stop laughing. Lunn class

 

[Penguin]

KM - the Russian "Caspian Sea Monster" Ekranoplan

"KM" was the biggest ground-effect vehicle ever designed (100 meters long, weight: 544 tons, powered by ten Dobryin VD-7 turbojet engines). It still holds the record for lifting the heaviest load off the ground (which is even more than what the largest modern cargo plane Antonov An 225 "Mriya" can handle). For a long time, it was surrounded by an air of mystery, being developed and tested in secrecy on the Caspian Sea in 1966, and only later discovered by a US spy satellite.

Although only one "KM" prototype ship has been built, there were several variations differing in length and weight. All were intimidating in size and pretty weird-looking, designed to specifically use the "wing-in-ground effect" to skim the waves at highest possible speeds, undetected by radar. According to military sources, the Soviet government had plans to built one hundred of these monsters at the height of the Cold War, but then this number fell to twenty four projected machines.

After an accidental crash (due mostly to poor visibility in fog conditions), KM was abandoned in a shallow expanse of water, thwarting all the efforts to recover it (mostly due to its significant weight); and its high tail has been sticking out of the water (like a ghastly funeral cross) for decades after that.

The next model to take its place was A-90 "Orlenok" - a medium-sized ekranoplan suitable for military transportation duties. The 140 tonne, 58 meter long aircraft had its maiden flight in 1972 and boasted two turbojets and one turboprop engine which propelled it to a speed of 400 km/h for 1,500 km at an cruise altitude of 5-10 meters. It could travel over the dry land (if need be) in rather spectacular fashion. Its cargo capacity was 150 troops and 2 BTR-60 military vehicles)

The "Lun (Spasatel)" (1987) was bigger than the KM "Sea Monster" - and way more dangerous!

The 280 tonne, 74 meter long M-160 Lun was another ekranoplan developed from Alexeev designs, built in 1987-1989
It was equipped with unparalleled to this day ZM-80 "Moskit" (SS-N-22 Sunburn) supersonic rockets

Read more and see more pics at
Dark Roasted Blend: The Ekranoplans Showcase, Part 1
Dark Roasted Blend: Ekranoplans and Hydrofoils (DRB Series)

 

[Darth Vader]

click by me

 

[Zibago]

Is thread pay saray LUN ikhathay ho gaye hain

 

[IND151]

KM - the Russian "Caspian Sea Monster" Ekranoplan

"KM" was the biggest ground-effect vehicle ever designed (100 meters long, weight: 544 tons, powered by ten Dobryin VD-7 turbojet engines). It still holds the record for lifting the heaviest load off the ground (which is even more than what the largest modern cargo plane Antonov An 225 "Mriya" can handle). For a long time, it was surrounded by an air of mystery, being developed and tested in secrecy on the Caspian Sea in 1966, and only later discovered by a US spy satellite.

Although only one "KM" prototype ship has been built, there were several variations differing in length and weight. All were intimidating in size and pretty weird-looking, designed to specifically use the "wing-in-ground effect" to skim the waves at highest possible speeds, undetected by radar. According to military sources, the Soviet government had plans to built one hundred of these monsters at the height of the Cold War, but then this number fell to twenty four projected machines.

After an accidental crash (due mostly to poor visibility in fog conditions), KM was abandoned in a shallow expanse of water, thwarting all the efforts to recover it (mostly due to its significant weight); and its high tail has been sticking out of the water (like a ghastly funeral cross) for decades after that.

The next model to take its place was A-90 "Orlenok" - a medium-sized ekranoplan suitable for military transportation duties. The 140 tonne, 58 meter long aircraft had its maiden flight in 1972 and boasted two turbojets and one turboprop engine which propelled it to a speed of 400 km/h for 1,500 km at an cruise altitude of 5-10 meters. It could travel over the dry land (if need be) in rather spectacular fashion. Its cargo capacity was 150 troops and 2 BTR-60 military vehicles)

The "Lun (Spasatel)" (1987) was bigger than the KM "Sea Monster" - and way more dangerous!

The 280 tonne, 74 meter long M-160 Lun was another ekranoplan developed from Alexeev designs, built in 1987-1989
It was equipped with unparalleled to this day ZM-80 "Moskit" (SS-N-22 Sunburn) supersonic rockets

Read more and see more pics at
Dark Roasted Blend: The Ekranoplans Showcase, Part 1
Dark Roasted Blend: Ekranoplans and Hydrofoils (DRB Series)

This is very informative, thanks.

The "Lun (Spasatel)" (1987) was bigger than the KM "Sea Monster" - and way more dangerous!

Thats not correct KM monster weighted 544 tons and LCE weighted 280 tons.

 

[IND151]

 

[Mujahid Memon]

LUNs of different sizes and categories

 

[EyelessInGaza]

How many are needed to pilot a single Lun?

 

[IND151]

How many are needed to pilot a single Lun?

15

 

[EyelessInGaza]

It's so sad us being citizens of third world countries - 15 pilots need to share one Lun because of resource problems. In Amrika, they are so rich, one pilot has up to 15.

 

[Penguin]

not correct KM monster weighted 544 tons and LCE weighted 280 tons.

BLame the author Dark Roasted Blend: The Ekranoplans Showcase, Part 1

Crew: 15 (6 officers, 9 enlisted)
Surely not all pilots .....
Likely 2 pilots and a flight engineer, perhaps a second, spare crew for long missions.

Inside views.
Ekranoplan – The Inside View | English Russia
Lun Ekranoplan: a soviet era super ship/plane! | The Word of Matus

 

[IND151]

BLame the author Dark Roasted Blend: The Ekranoplans Showcase, Part 1

Crew: 15 (6 officers, 9 enlisted)
Surely not all pilots .....
Likely 2 pilots and a flight engineer, perhaps a second, spare crew for long missions.

Inside views.
Ekranoplan – The Inside View | English Russia
Lun Ekranoplan: a soviet era super ship/plane! | The Word of Matus

If possible post more photos of Ekranoplan....................

 

[Imran Khan]

Is thread pay saray LUN ikhathay ho gaye hain

bus apki kami thi Lun ke pilot sahab hahaha