The interior of the sеcrеt flying vehicle from the Soviet era that is slated to become a tourist attraction in Dagestan, southern Russia, is revealed in these breathtaking images.
‘Caspian Sea Monster’-dubbed the Lun-class ekranoplane was dragged onto the shore in Derbent in July 2020 after being discovered by the United States during the Cold Wаr.
The enormous apparatus measures 301 feet and 10 inches in length, 123 feet in wing span, and is estimated to weigh 380,000 kilograms.
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Visual representations of the interior of the monster unveil intricate switch boards, controls, and displays that have experienced their age.
The Soviet Union developed the experimental ground effect vehicle known as the Lun-class ekranoplan during the 1960s.
Although the International Maritime Organization classifies it as a ship, it is in fact a technologically distinct entity.
The aircraft maintains a vertical trajectory of one to five meters over the water’s surface by utilizing the ground effect aerodynamic principle.
The vessel achieves its ability to traverse water without physical contact by harnessing the force of air-water interface reactions.
‘Caspian Sea Monster’ was the moniker given to the machine in 1966, when it commenced operations in the landlocked sea separating Iran and the Soviet Union.
The Soviet Navy subjected it to testing until 1987, at which point it entered formal service.
A variant of the vessel, designed to resupply unarmed ammunitiоn, was in development and nearing completion in the early 1990s.
Subsequently, the entire implementation was terminated, and the Lun-class ekranoplane that had been in service was withdrawn.
In July 2020, this Lun was transported to its probable final resting site, thirty years after it was abandoned.
From the Russian Navy base in Kaspiysk to Derbent, the enormous machine was towed across the Caspian Sea using rubber platoons, three tugboats, and two escоrt ships.
It became stranded in July on a beach located to the south of Derbent. The managing team took measures to safeguard the vessel for a duration of five months, preventing it from finishing its intended voyage.
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December 2020 saw a second attempt to relocate the enormous vessel 30 meters from the water.
It is slated to emerge as the primary draw at Patriot Park, a newly established tourist destination.
A military museum and amusement park showcasing a variety of Soviet and Russian machinery and equipment will be located on the site.
It is anticipated that Derbent’s Patriot Park, which features two UNESCO heritage sites and is the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in Russian territory, will become a major attraction for tourists.