plane buffs

[redrider90]

This is quite a plane the Russkies developed in the 70's. They just pulled this one out of the Caspian Sea.

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/caspian-sea-monster-ekranoplan/index.html
There are some youtube videos of the real thing flying while firing off missile.

[ampm7]

An unusual flying boat to say the least. Must have either sunk or went aground then sunk. I would assume that the wind can whip up out of nowhere on the Caspian Sea. Looks like it is armed with cruise missile tubes and powered by eight engines. Very different...

[ozarquebus]

ground effect 'skimmer' rides on cushion of air below radar just a few feet off the surface. limited utility but could deliver a punch and a lot of troops quickly in regional conflicts.

[rtbickel]

Doesn't look like it was sunk, more like mothballed afloat and later towed ashore.

[redrider90]

An unusual flying boat to say the least. Must have either sunk or went aground then sunk. I would assume that the wind can whip up out of nowhere on the Caspian Sea. Looks like it is armed with cruise missile tubes and powered by eight engines. Very different...

It also has two engines on the tail

[Chuck in Indiana]

Dr. Lippisch
http://www.rexresearch.com/lippisch/lippisch.htm
was the originator of the design. Ahem.. fairly bright fellow, of course.