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O-2 on 'roids

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“Close” only counts with horseshoes, hand grenades, and tactical nuclear weapons.
That which does not kill me has made a grave tactical error

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Source Materiel is always welcome.

Behold, people. I present you the most strange and weird (in my opinion) seaplane ever built.
This was the first prototype of the proposed anti-submarine jet-powered VTOL amphibian seaplane. It was actually built in 1972 and flew (quite well as far as I'm aware); the only thing it didn't have is VTOL capabilities as it was intended to test aerodynamics and behavior in regular flight and take-off/landing. It was painted in a fake Aeroflot livery to conceal its true purpose.

In 1975 the program was cancelled so it was decided to convert the prototype to a WIG craft (ekranoplan). For this purpose the fuselage was elongated and two more jet engines were added for additional lift during take-off and landing; the inflatable floats were replaced with regular rigid ones.

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Worklist: Portuguese Navy and Barnegat class seaplane tenders

Gods ... I was dreaming of that monster. It's like Millenium Falcon of Aeroflot.

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Nobody expects the Imperial Inquisition!

It certainly is an ugly bastard.

_________________
“Close” only counts with horseshoes, hand grenades, and tactical nuclear weapons.
That which does not kill me has made a grave tactical error

Worklist

Source Materiel is always welcome.

Is it a plane, is it a boat, oh it's only a Russian with .... "Vodka" ...

the plane always used ground effect for take off, btw so it's conversion was merely removing the 'aircraft wings'
that said, great work whyme!

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Drawings are credited with J.Scholtens
I ask of you to prove me wrong. Not say I am wrong, but prove it, because then I will have learned something new.
Shipbucket Wiki admin

Thank you, Ace, but you're wrong on both counts.
First, usage of the ground effect was not planned although during test flights it became apparent that the aircraft was very stable in this mode of flight and this was the reason why they decided to convert it to an ekranoplan.
Secondly, the wings were not removed (here it is taking off with wings) until the test flights were completed. Later on and the craft was partially disassembled and moved to a museum: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bartini_VVA-14.jpg

Update: actually, it might be the second partially assembled prototype in the museum. What's happened to the first one I am not sure. But it definitely flew with its wings in place

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Worklist: Portuguese Navy and Barnegat class seaplane tenders

ah, you are right well those things happen when you try to remember stuff like that during exam periods
I really thought that this design was made with ground effect in mind at least, though

_________________
Drawings are credited with J.Scholtens
I ask of you to prove me wrong. Not say I am wrong, but prove it, because then I will have learned something new.
Shipbucket Wiki admin

This is the first Soviet designed and built catapult-launched seaplane. And its land-based variant with additional guns in under-wing nacelles.

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Worklist: Portuguese Navy and Barnegat class seaplane tenders

Is there Convair B-58 in FD scale?If yes,please post link.