My Ekranoplan

[Zathros]

The Boeing Pelican proposal stated that it should be able to fly at 20,000 feet even though it's main flight envelope should be in ground effect. The X-114 translated into flight with a significant penalty in fuel consumption as it was not a "good" airplane but a better "wig". I would not be so presumptuous as to think I have seen every flight video of the A-90 Orlyonok. The wing surfaces suggest a greater height due to the massive nature of the tail plane. It would not be a "good" plane but I do not trust disseminated info passed around. While the Russians have been know to exaggerate claims I think the truth lies somewhere in between. (Unless you are an aircraft engineer and have done an extensive evaluation of the A-90 and considered flight using all engines).The IMO standard have come into play long after the standards set up by the old Soviet Union so that part of your statement deals with the semantics of politics. I do not remember ever stating the validity of any standards I only referenced what the old "Soviet" standards were. My statement about "some people" referred to the belief that a WIG could not get out of ground effect, the suggestion that if it can get out of ground effect it no longer is a WIG contradicts the "class C" Wig category. If it flies out of ground effect it has to "compete directly with aircraft" (I am not sure what you mean by "compete") that just makes it a "class C wig". A WIG with a greater flight envelope. I fly real aircraft and built helicopters for a major helicopter manufacturer. I do not get caught up in fanciful ideas about aircraft. "I may not always be right, but I am never wrong ". I find that you are presumptuous to have made yourself the end all for "balanced and realistic views" of anything. I imagine that most people can understand enthusiasm for some thing and can judge for themselves the true nature of these aircraft/flying boats by "gleaning the fields" for information and not relying on you or me. As far as Lizzienwell 's posts I suggest you put on your glasses and read her posts carefully. She has repeatedly sought information and has never presented herself as the end all and the Bastien of information that your apparently are. Any one who has seen Star Wars can understand that "delightful inventiveness" can make big bucks and science fiction has foreshadowed many scientific undertakings. Have a good day "some people."

 

[Zathros]

@Nando, thanks for you comments, there is a lot of info out there on these aircraft. good and bad, but they are fun. I saw that page on the A90, a master craftsman for sure.

 

[Ashrunner]

time that I'm looking around for Orlyonok blueprints because I'd like to try to develope a model (wooden in my first intention and now paper). I found this site (http://www.flankerman.fsnet.co.uk/modl_ekrano.htm) about the build from scratch and we can see some blueprint in the background of some picture, but I never succeeded to contact the author.

Can someone to help me?

I have that background blueprint (at least I think it is the same one) here. PM Ashrunner with an email address that accepts 2 meg size files, and I'll send it your way.

 

[Nando]

Thanks Ashrunner!

I'm going to PM You immediately. :grin:

 

[Zathros]

Good request Nando, I had been looking for that print but did't think about asking for it (DuH!!) I too have requested a copy from Ashrunner.

@Ashrunner, I really like your Flintstone models, a must for any collection!

 

[lizzienewell]

Post#22


Don't mistake the inventiveness that Lizzie has put into her delightful but fictional skips for the reality of wigs.

Cheers
Maurice
(AKA "some people" )

Yes, please don't confuse my fiction with reality. I'm trying to writes science-fiction and this necessitates wow effects. If science-fiction were completely realistic it wouldn't be fiction. As a science-fiction writer I'm not limited by current classifications or code specifications. I'm more interested in what could be than what is.
I can imagine utility in a craft that could fly both at aircraft heights and safely in sustained ground-effect. It could be used for search and rescue operations, for spoting and counting whales, or for improved visiblity with a low cloud-ceiling. It also would be great for sport fishing. I leave the classification to someone else.
My sci-fi craft are flying-boats that can only leave ground-effect momentarily. I include lots of other strange things with them such as: direct interface with the pilot's brain, warpable wings, and mysterious propulsion devices that run on hydrogen and are nearly silent.
I like to think of ekronaplans as boats, maybe that because I like small boats, maybe because I like water in all forms, but I also find it the most useful in thinking about this type of craft.

--Lizzie

 

[Zathros]

Have you have ever seen the "Last Exile" series from Japan? It was as big as Star Wars was (in Japan) and has a very interesting engine powered by a mysterious substance called "claudia fluid". It is rather long (7 DVD's) but well worth watching. It is consistent with the fiction which makes it believable.

I think the only person confused here was Maurice. Maybe he has figured it out.

 

[Zathros]

Sponsons, Engine

Engine is done and got the sponsons on. I am going to start the final ( I hope ) model and try to write some rudimentary instructions. This is going to be a real basic model as some things, as the engine tubes have to be rolled and there will be some "fitting" involved, but it will be free so what the heck. I am going to do the A90 Orlyonok next and hopefully what I have learned on this one will make a better Orlyonok. I may revisit this model after I put some distance as I have a short attention span and , uh, "what was I saying?.

 

[Zathros]

I have not given up on this a recent medical problem with my neck has put me out of commission. I expect to return to it within the next week or so. Thanks

 

[Amazyah]

Wow, your project is really coming along nicely!
Love that engine, sure is sharp looking!

Hope you get to feeling better real soon!
All my best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Russell

 

[Zathros]

S.o.s.

I would appreciate any suggestions as to the final size of this model.
Stem to stern she's 11.5" long with a wing span of roughly 9 3/4 ". I think any smaller and the Engine will prove difficult. I used 110 lb. stock all around but feel that was too heavy for the wings. I am contemplating a complete redesign to reflect the actual construction of the "real" Eska-2. That would mean ribs and formers . This design uses boxes inside the fuselage to make it easier to construct. I would be open to any suggestions and was thinking of starting a new thread just on the build and avoid the political cr#p of this thread. Any technical opinions and suggestions would be highly appreciated as I am at a little bit of a loss on how to continue. (I think I stopped the project too long due my recent medical problems and have reflected too much on the build).

 

[jleslie48]

the good rule of thumb is to make it as big as you can, its always easier for a builder to print at a reduction than to size it up.

 

[Billy Leliveld]

I would'nt mind if it was bigger than the Russian Eska 1 which I build, I have no idea what scale that one was, but on a small plane like this 1:33 or 1:24 gives the builder(and the designer) all the opertunity to add nice details. I totaly agree whit jleslie48, you can always scale it down..
Nice going, anyway Zathros, can't wait till you finish this..
Cheers, Billy

 

[Zathros]

Billy, The model as it now stands is 28.5 centimeters long, the original was 24 centimeters. I would like to add more detail to the cockpit but without any photos for reference I don't really know what to put in there. I have the unfolded panels and parts in .BMP so they will increase without much degradation. I guess 1:24 is pretty common so maybe I'll go with that.

 

[Zathros]

The attached photo shows a length of 7800. What is that length, centimeters? Anyone know?

 

[charliec]

Looks like millimeters to me. That would make the ekranoplan about 24 feet long - which is about right given the engine power available.

Regards,

Charlie

 

[Zathros]

Thanks Charliec, a Russian friend of mine (aspiring Architect from Russia) told me it was 7.8 meters and being metric they just put 7800, which as you pointed out is millimeters. That would make it 25.59 feet long. So at 1/24 scale it would be 1'.06" long, is that right? The present model is 11.5 inches long, a little bigger than the original, so that gives me an excuse to build a final one. I still haven't figured out the scaling in Rhino and just Render the parts till I get the size I want. Anyone offering me help on would find an extremely attentive pupil. 1/24th makes a nice size model and a sturdy toy. Again I am open to any suggestions and appreciate all comments so far.

 

[lizzienewell]

I don't worry too much about scale.
I do find it interesting that the Eska and my fictional skip are so similar in size and basic shape.
Mine are much smaller scale. 67:1 scale I think. I just eyeball it. I like a size that fits in the hand and can get alot of parts on a page. I like to build small intitially to reduce detail, materials used, and time for print out.
My skip would come out at 22' if for real. Wing span extended is comeing out at 47'-(26' in a more relaxed postion). I'm going to make the fusalage longer which would bring the fussalage up to 24' if it were for real. That makes it the same for real size as the Eska.
Mybe if fiction readers don't like my made up word of "skip" I will call it an eska. Do you know what eska means in Russian?

 

[paper warrior]

FishCarver probably does(check his sig).

 

[Zathros]

@ Lizzienwell: ESKA is the abbreviation for Ekranoplan Amphibious Lifeboat. I like the name "Skip", It feels more like an idiomatic expression and gives character to the machines. Skip almost seems like a progression of "skiff" except where as a "skiff" treads lightly, the "skip" then takes off. I am going to settle on the 1/24th scale. Any smaller and the motor would be a pain to build. You may find it interesting that the trailing edge of ESKA sits in the water and acts like "step" when it begins to separate from the water actually helping the transition into flight.