What is an Ekranoplan?

Rare video.I was looking for it for a long time.
Thanks for the video!

awesome machine

i can see the military applications too, incredibly fast and invisible to both radar AND sonar. would make an ideal landing craft/assault unit.

shame the technology is ignored in this day and age :/

its ment to be a kind of flying hovercraft. a car/ship that hovers just above the suface. By putting the engines at the front, it directs the thrust under the stubby wings to create a cushion of air to hover.

wat is it plane or?? o.O!

@teapotwasp use the rudder to turn

Utilizing the rudder only, would create a "slip". Sure, it would turn, however the turn radius would much less with the addition of coordinated roll. Too much yaw in the absence of roll could cause excessive aerodynamic forces to be exerted on that massive "T" tail. I wish somebody would caption the interview with the Russian pilot.

if that thing came over to north america i'ed be like f*ck they got flying ships now where doom...

it don't look like a ship!!!BUT is great!

It is not a plane it is a super fast ship
In it's most unbelievable construction
a cruiser with speed of 500-600 km/h

@obeybosss as it technically takes of it is an aircraft., the lift is delibrqately spoiled to keep it from flying though