 Russia’s Ekranoplans
Red Star Volume 8
By Sergey Komissarov
Midland Publishing, ©2002
ISBN 1-85780-146-6
Softbound, 128 Pages This is a book that I’ve been waiting for a long time, ever since I saw the first blurry photos of a Soviet Ekranoplan. This book goes into great depth on the subject of Wing In Ground-effect (WIG) craft, covering several different pioneers in the field. Filled with photos, both color and black & white, as well as a section of drawings, this book is easily the best single reference on the Ekranoplans out there. The book is broken down into five main sections, each dealing with one major manufacturer or designer. The first section covers the design house of Alexeyev, the pioneer of the Ekranoplan. The most commonly seen Ekranoplans are those from Alexeyev, including the famous Caspian Sea Monster, the KM. This is the largest of the sections, which is understandable considering the number of craft built and tested by Alexeyev. Following Alexeyev are the designs of Bartini, Beriyev, and Sukhoi, all of who have made some steps into the WIG craft arena. Bartini was an Italian-born designer who created designs very different from those of Alexeyev, utilizing a twin pontoon arrangement. Beriyev followed a similar concept, but added hydrofoils to the hull. Finally, Sukhoi aimed its designs more towards the commercial end, looking at passenger and private craft. So far, none of the Sukhoi WIG designs have flown, though.
This is an interesting history of a little-known type of aircraft, and
the presentation balanced between photos, drawings and text results in
a book that is easy to read and very informative. This is a must-have
title for anyone interested in WIG craft or aviation pioneers.
This book is available from Specialty
Press for $27.95. Each order has a $4.95 shipping and handling charge,
and Specialty Press carries the rest of the Red Star series as well.
| 
|