Russia's Ekranoplans The Caspian Sea Monster and other WIG Craft
Hinckley, UK: Midland Publishing, 2004. Quarto, illustrated printed wrappers, 128 pp., frontispiece, eight double-sided colour plates, illustrated profusely throughout with black-and-white photographs and diagrams, some tables included. Spine a little bumped, tail end of spine has a small tear without loss of text, edges of cover a little worn, front page stamped in blue with a previous owner's name and address, pale blue water mark on leaf 5 without loss of text; otherwise a very good copy. 2004 reprint. An account of Russia's role in the development of ekranoplans, or 'wing-in-ground-effect' (WIG) craft.
A feature common to an aircraft and a WIG craft is wings generating lift due to aerodynamic forces. However, in WIG craft this lift is augmented owing to the ground effect created by compression of the ram air stream between the wings and the supporting surface. A higher lift/drag ration enables WIG craft to obtain the same lift at lower speeds, making this type of craft, in principle, more fuel efficient when compared to regular aircraft. Since large flat surfaces on land are uncommon, WIG craft are generally intended for use over water, leading some to question whether these new craft are very low-flying aircraft or ships that have lifted themselves out of the water.
The author presents a general overview of Russia's pioneering work in this unusual area of aviation and provides descriptions, illustrated with diagrams and photographs, of specific craft designs. Item #4611
Stamped with a previous owner's name on title page: Barry L. Miller, 54 Roslyn Road, Belmont VIC, 3216.
Price (AUD): $115.00