Name the aircraft

**GEEDUBBYA** · 17-09-2006

Howdy Guys and Gals,

Here is one for you, this is a "little known" aircraft. What is it?

have a good day,

Greg

Tailspin14 · 17-09-2006

Hehe.. almost looks like the Jupiter 2 from Lost in Space...

Jayjay · 17-09-2006

If I told you all what is was, No-one else would have a chance at guessing it

Jay

**rjwood_uk** · 17-09-2006

a highly modified, flattened komet?

tigertc · 17-09-2006

no idea

**GEEDUBBYA** · 17-09-2006

Ok, Guys, this one was somewhat hard, so i will let ya'll off the hook.

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Looking like a flying saucer which has just captured a Mil Mi2 Fuselage, the ALA-40 was a 'proof of concept' design by Aviastar at Ulyanovsk, Russia. The program began in 1985, proceeding under chief designer Yuri Ishkov, and a prototype was ready in 1992.

The craft was a rigid-structure airship with heat control available. The 40 metre diameter ALA-40 was designed for 5-6 tonne cargoes, paving the way for the 200 m. diameter ALA-500, with 500-600 tonne capacity.

The airships were intended to provide large, ecologically clean bulk carriers requiring virtually no airport or ground support. Timber and oil support equipment was among the proposed cargoes, with variants to include a flying tourist hotel, an emergency evacuation vehicle (for sea disasters, earthquake relief etc.), a firefighting aircraft, and a mobile hospital.

Its composite structure and skin, coupled with large size, was expected to provide high stability.

More Thermoplane links:

www.airspacemag.com/asm/mag/supp/jj97/uglies.html

Have a good day,

Greg

**rjwood_uk** · 17-09-2006

so i take it it never made it into prduction??

**GEEDUBBYA** · 18-09-2006

Howdy RJ,

I really dont know, I havent done that much research on it or the company.

have a good day,

Greg

**Bunkerbarge** · 18-09-2006

I'm a great beleiver that airships have never really been thoroughly investigated and that they should still have a place in the modern world for carrying cargo.

The trouble is we want everything immediately nowadays but if we could learn to forecast material and cargo requirements better and allow for longer delivery times we should be carrying cargos across continents in this way.

For just the same reason I think we should be making a hell of a lot more use out of our canal system and get some of the lorries of the roads.

**Bluewavestudios** · 18-09-2006

Richard,
I quite agree...another machine worth looking at is the Russian Orljonok A90,
You probably know some of the history of Ekranoplans but they are still being looked at now...the Russians having done all the hard work and proving that this concept does work......very efficiently too !!!

Yes I have drawn up plans for one of these but it is 9 & 1/2 feet long...building is easy...getting it powered and performing right will be another matter.

Last Pic is a classic pic of 2 of these machines skimming the waves at 350mph !!

Regards......Mark.