Low-Pass
Caspian Sea Monsters
"Caspian Sea Monsters" are WIGs (wing in the ground effect) vehicles designed by a number of Soviet experimental design bureaus. The WIG vehicles take advantage of an additional lift provided by cushion of dense air trapped between large wing of the craft and the surface. Induced drag (drag due to the lift) of wing is considerably reduced if the altitude of the aircraft is similar to the chord of the wing. Ground effect provides a considerable fuel economy and increase of range than convenient flight. WIG can operate over water, flat surfaces of Earth (shallows and wetlands), ice and snow. The major application of WIGs is anti-submarine warfare (ASW), search and rescue, sealift, amphibious assault and coastal defense.
Started off somewhere around 1960's
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