Plans to make the biggest and strangest plane ever
A Russian company wants to build the biggest flying boat ever, and it looks like no other plane! Here is their model of what they think it will look like. Even if they can make it, they will probably take about ten years to build it. It's called the Beriev BE 2500.
The Caspian Sea Monster
It's real name is the Ekranoplan and it was made in Russia in the 1960s. It was called the Caspian Sea Monster because it was ginormous and flew over the Caspian Sea which is near Russia.
The Ekranoplan is not actually a plane because how it is able to fly is different to planes. The Ekranoplan flew better than normal aeroplanes that were made at the same time but the Ekranoplan had to stay low to the ground. When the Ekranoplan started to move forward the short wings produced a moving cushion of air that lifted the plane off the surface of the water. The planes flew low down because the moving cushion of air was only produced when the plane was low down. People interested in aerodynamics call this "Ground-Effect". It's the same effect that pelicans use when flying low over the sea.
We call vehicles that use this way of flying Ground-Effect vehicles. Smaller vehicles are still made today and Russians still call them Ekranoplans.
The Ekranoplan is not actually a plane because how it is able to fly is different to planes. The Ekranoplan flew better than normal aeroplanes that were made at the same time but the Ekranoplan had to stay low to the ground. When the Ekranoplan started to move forward the short wings produced a moving cushion of air that lifted the plane off the surface of the water. The planes flew low down because the moving cushion of air was only produced when the plane was low down. People interested in aerodynamics call this "Ground-Effect". It's the same effect that pelicans use when flying low over the sea.
We call vehicles that use this way of flying Ground-Effect vehicles. Smaller vehicles are still made today and Russians still call them Ekranoplans.
James May went to Russia to learn about the Ekranoplan built in the 1960s and a modern Ekranoplan
The Caspian Sea Monster in flight
The Caspian Sea Monster was twice as heavy as any an aircraft at the time. But it flew up to 250 miles per hour. This means you would travel:
- 250 miles in one hour
- 125 miles in 30 minutes
- 4 miles in one minute
- 2 miles in 30 seconds
- 1 mile in 15 seconds
Airbus Beluga super transporter
To watch the sldeshow just click on play in the top left corner of the picture.
A Beluga whale
Boeing Dreamlifter
Antonov Condor
Antonov Myria
It is the largest plane in the world. Myria means dream
More pics at yahoo
The Spruce Goose
It was built over 60 years ago. It has the longest wings of any aircraft, and it is the largest seaplane ever built.
Lockheed Galaxy