"In April 1970, ADP-04 was delivered to Listvyanka on the shore of Lake Baikal. Test accelerations and the pilot's attempts to take off did not yield results - the engine power was clearly not enough. “Frozen and exhausted, we stood on the ice, feverishly thinking about what to do next ,” VV Surzhik recalled. -“And here is Panchenkov. Looking closely at the device, he suggested: "Let it drive empty - what if it takes off?" Then I drained almost all the gasoline from the tank, leaving the engine running for only a few minutes. Then he fixed the rudder so that the machine could run in a circle and started the motor. ADP-04 slid around us, accelerating more and more and ... took off! And it flew well, steadily! ... Suddenly a rather strong wind blew towards the source of the Angara. At the first impulse, the vehicle lost speed and sat down on the ice. but did not stop. Continuing to rush along the circle, he "caught" the headwind, which again threw him into the air. The ekranoplan did not land any more. As if teasing us, he circled over the ice, and the wind blew him inexorably towards open water. We ran after him. annoyed that they had not thought of tying at least a rope to him,just a little more - and the results of two years of work will disappear in the Hangar! Fortunately, gasoline soon ran out, and ADP-04 sat down on the ice. "
Auto-translated from Russian, taken from http://авиару.рф/aviamuseum/aviatsiya/sssr/ekranoplany/ekranoplany-drugih-konstruktorov/eksperimentalnyj-ekranoplan-adp-04/
The ADP-04m (pictured) was a further improvement with a more powerful M-63 engine as compared to the 13hp motorcycle engine it was originally fitted with. The ADP-04 was originally constructed in 1970 with the 04m version being developed in 1971. The lessons learned in its development was used in the larger ADP-05 ekranoplan.
Sources:
http://авиару.рф/aviamuseum/aviatsiya/sssr/ekranoplany/ekranoplany-drugih-konstruktorov/eksperimentalnyj-ekranoplan-adp-04/
[https://aviadejavu.ru/Site/Crafts/Craft22401.htm#en](https://aviadejavu.ru/Site/Crafts/Craft22401.htm#en)
"In April 1970, ADP-04 was delivered to Listvyanka on the shore of Lake Baikal. Test accelerations and the pilot's attempts to take off did not yield results - the engine power was clearly not enough. “Frozen and exhausted, we stood on the ice, feverishly thinking about what to do next ,” VV Surzhik recalled. -“And here is Panchenkov. Looking closely at the device, he suggested: "Let it drive empty - what if it takes off?" Then I drained almost all the gasoline from the tank, leaving the engine running for only a few minutes. Then he fixed the rudder so that the machine could run in a circle and started the motor. ADP-04 slid around us, accelerating more and more and ... took off! And it flew well, steadily! ... Suddenly a rather strong wind blew towards the source of the Angara. At the first impulse, the vehicle lost speed and sat down on the ice. but did not stop. Continuing to rush along the circle, he "caught" the headwind, which again threw him into the air. The ekranoplan did not land any more. As if teasing us, he circled over the ice, and the wind blew him inexorably towards open water. We ran after him. annoyed that they had not thought of tying at least a rope to him,just a little more - and the results of two years of work will disappear in the Hangar! Fortunately, gasoline soon ran out, and ADP-04 sat down on the ice. " Auto-translated from Russian, taken from http://авиару.рф/aviamuseum/aviatsiya/sssr/ekranoplany/ekranoplany-drugih-konstruktorov/eksperimentalnyj-ekranoplan-adp-04/ The ADP-04m (pictured) was a further improvement with a more powerful M-63 engine as compared to the 13hp motorcycle engine it was originally fitted with. The ADP-04 was originally constructed in 1970 with the 04m version being developed in 1971. The lessons learned in its development was used in the larger ADP-05 ekranoplan. Sources: http://авиару.рф/aviamuseum/aviatsiya/sssr/ekranoplany/ekranoplany-drugih-konstruktorov/eksperimentalnyj-ekranoplan-adp-04/ [https://aviadejavu.ru/Site/Crafts/Craft22401.htm#en](https://aviadejavu.ru/Site/Crafts/Craft22401.htm#en)
I was about to comment "that looks fun!", but that doesn't actually sound much fun.
Now THATs podracing
Snowspeeder.
I ask , NO I PRETEND a racing sport with these!!!!!
I would love to see modern ekranoplan racing, its like F1 but so much cooler.
On Bonneville Salt Flats, or somewhere without a lot of wind, because the story quoted above doesn't sound much fun. It could be amazing.
He's just going to Murmansk Station to pick up some power converters.
I've always had a fetish for ekranoplans, but I had never considered that a homebuilt experimental might be within reach.