A hovercraft is a vehicle that can travel both on water and on land. It’s not at all difficult to make such a vehicle with your own hands.

This is a device that combines the functions of a car and a boat. As a result, the ship turned out to be air cushion(SVP), having unique characteristics maneuverability, without loss of speed when moving through water due to the fact that the hull of the vessel does not move through the water, but above its surface. This made it possible to move through the water much faster, due to the fact that the friction force of the water masses does not provide any resistance.

Although the hovercraft has a number of advantages, its field of application is not so widespread. The fact is that this device cannot move on any surface without any problems. It requires soft sandy or soil soil, without stones or other obstacles. The presence of asphalt and other hard bases can render the bottom of the vessel, which creates an air cushion when moving, unusable. In this regard, “hovercrafts” are used where you need to sail more and drive less. If on the contrary, then it is better to use the services of an amphibious vehicle with wheels. The ideal conditions for their use are difficult, swampy places where no other vehicle except a hovercraft (hovercraft) can pass. Therefore, hovercrafts have not become so widespread, although similar transport is used by rescuers in some countries, such as Canada, for example. According to some reports, SVPs are in service with NATO countries.

How to purchase such a vehicle or how to make it yourself?

Hovercraft is an expensive type of transport, the average price of which reaches 700 thousand rubles. Scooter-type transport costs 10 times less. But at the same time, one should take into account the fact that factory-made transport is always different best quality, compared to homemade products. And the reliability of the vehicle is higher. In addition, factory models are accompanied by factory warranties, which cannot be said about structures assembled in garages.

Factory models have always been focused on a narrowly professional area associated with either fishing, or hunting, or special services. As for homemade hovercraft, they are extremely rare and there are reasons for this.

These reasons include:

• Quite a high cost, as well as expensive maintenance. The main elements of the device wear out quickly, which requires their replacement. Moreover, each such repair will cost a pretty penny. Only a rich person will afford to buy such a device, and even then he will think again whether it is worth getting involved with it. The fact is that such workshops are as rare as the vehicle itself. Therefore, it is more profitable to purchase a jet ski or ATV for moving on water.
• The operating product creates a lot of noise, so you can only move around with headphones.
• When moving against the wind, the speed drops significantly and fuel consumption increases significantly. Therefore, homemade hovercraft is more of a demonstration of one’s professional abilities. You not only need to be able to operate a vessel, but also be able to repair it, without significant expenditure of funds.

DIY SVP manufacturing process

Firstly, assembling a good hovercraft at home is not so easy. To do this you need to have the opportunity, desire and professional skills. A technical education wouldn't hurt either. If the last condition is absent, then it is better to refuse to build the apparatus, otherwise you may crash on it during the first test.

All work begins with sketches, which are then transformed into working drawings. When creating sketches, you should remember that this device should be as streamlined as possible so as not to create unnecessary resistance when moving. At this stage, one should take into account the fact that this is practically an aerial vehicle, although it is very low to the surface of the earth. If all conditions are taken into account, then you can begin to develop drawings.

The figure shows a sketch of the SVP of the Canadian Rescue Service.

Technical data of the device

As a rule, all hovercraft are capable of achieving decent speeds that no boat can achieve. This is when you consider that the boat and hovercraft have the same mass and engine power.

At the same time, the proposed model of a single-seat hovercraft is designed for a pilot weighing from 100 to 120 kilograms.

As for driving a vehicle, it is quite specific and does not fit in with driving a regular motor boat. The specificity is associated not only with the presence of high speed, but also with the method of movement.

The main nuance is related to the fact that when turning, especially at high speeds, the ship skids strongly. To minimize this factor, you need to lean to the side when turning. But these are short-term difficulties. Over time, the control technique is mastered and the hovercraft can demonstrate miracles of maneuverability.

What materials are needed?

Basically you will need plywood, foam plastic and a special construction kit from Universal Hovercraft, which includes everything you need for self-assembly vehicle. The kit includes insulation, screws, air cushion fabric, special glue and more. This set can be ordered on the official website by paying 500 bucks for it. The kit also includes several variants of drawings for assembling the SVP apparatus.

Since the drawings are already available, the shape of the vessel should be linked to the finished drawing. But if you have a technical background, then, most likely, a ship will be built that is not similar to any of the options.

The bottom of the vessel is made of foam plastic, 5-7 cm thick. If you need a device to transport more than one passenger, then another sheet of foam plastic is attached to the bottom. After this, two holes are made in the bottom: one is intended for air flow, and the second is to provide the pillow with air. Holes are cut using an electric jigsaw.

At the next stage, the lower part of the vehicle is sealed from moisture. To do this, take fiberglass and glue it to the foam using epoxy glue. At the same time, unevenness and air bubbles may form on the surface. To get rid of them, the surface is covered with polyethylene and a blanket on top. Then, another layer of film is placed on the blanket, after which it is fixed to the base with tape. It is better to blow the air out of this “sandwich” using a vacuum cleaner. After 2 or 3 hours, the epoxy resin will harden and the bottom will be ready for further work.

The top of the body can have any shape, but take into account the laws of aerodynamics. After this, they begin to attach the pillow. The most important thing is that air enters it without loss.

The pipe for the motor should be made of styrofoam. The main thing here is to guess the size: if the pipe is too large, then you will not get the traction that is necessary to lift the hovercraft. Then you should pay attention to mounting the motor. The motor holder is a kind of stool consisting of 3 legs attached to the bottom. The engine is installed on top of this “stool”.

What engine do you need?

There are two options: the first option is to use an engine from Universal Hovercraft or use any suitable engine. This could be a chainsaw engine, the power of which is quite enough for a homemade device. If you want to get a more powerful device, then you should take a more powerful engine.

It is advisable to use factory-made blades (those included in the kit), since they require careful balancing and this is quite difficult to do at home. If this is not done, the unbalanced blades will destroy the entire engine.

How reliable can a hovercraft be?

As practice shows, factory hovercraft (hovercraft) have to be repaired about once every six months. But these problems are insignificant and do not require serious costs. Basically, the airbag and air supply system fail. In fact, the likelihood is that homemade device will fall apart during operation, it is very small if the “hovercraft” is assembled competently and correctly. For this to happen, you need to run into some obstacle at high speed. Despite this, the air cushion is still able to protect the device from serious damage.

Rescuers working on similar devices in Canada repair them quickly and competently. As for the pillow, it can actually be repaired in a regular garage.

Such a model will be reliable if:

• The materials and parts used were of good quality.
• The device has a new engine installed.
• All connections and fastenings are made reliably.
• The manufacturer has all the necessary skills.

If the SVP is made as a toy for a child, then in this case it is desirable that the data of a good designer be present. Although this is not an indicator for putting children behind the wheel of this vehicle. This is not a car or a boat. Operating a hovercraft is not as easy as it seems.

Taking this factor into account, you need to immediately begin manufacturing a two-seater version in order to control the actions of the one who will sit behind the wheel.

The construction of a vehicle that would allow movement both on land and on water was preceded by an acquaintance with the history of the discovery and creation of original amphibians - hovercraft(AVP), study of their fundamental structure, comparison various designs and schemes.

For this purpose, I visited many Internet sites of enthusiasts and creators of WUAs (including foreign ones), and met some of them in person.

In the end, the prototype of the planned boat was taken by the English Hovercraft (“floating ship” - that’s how the AVP is called in the UK), built and tested by local enthusiasts. Our most interesting domestic machines of this type were mostly created for law enforcement agencies, and in recent years - for commercial purposes; they had large dimensions and therefore were not very suitable for amateur production.

My hovercraft (I call it “Aerojeep”) is a three-seater: the pilot and passengers are arranged in a T-shape, like on a tricycle: the pilot is in front in the middle, and the passengers are behind next to each other, one next to the other. The machine is single-engine, with a divided air flow, for which a special panel is installed in its annular channel slightly below its center.

Technical data of the hovercraft
Overall dimensions, mm:
length	3950
width	2400
height	1380
Engine power, l. With.	31
Weight, kg	150
Load capacity, kg	220
Fuel capacity, l	12
Fuel consumption, l/h	6
Obstacles to be overcome:
rise, deg.	20
wave, m	0,5
Cruising speed, km/h:
on water	50
on the ground	54
on ice	60

Consists of three main parts: propeller installation with a transmission, a fiberglass body and a “skirt” - a flexible fence for the lower part of the body - so to speak, a “pillowcase” of the air cushion.

1 - segment ( thick fabric); 2 - mooring cleat (3 pcs.); 3 - wind visor; 4 - side strip for fastening segments; 5 - handle (2 pcs.); 6 - propeller guard; 7 - ring channel; 8 - rudder (2 pcs.); 9 - steering wheel control lever; 10 - access hatch to the gas tank and battery; 11 - pilot's seat; 12 - passenger sofa; 13 - engine casing; 14 - engine; 15 - outer shell; 16 - filler (foam); 17 - inner shell; 18 - dividing panel; 19 - propeller; 20 - propeller hub; 21 - timing belt; 22 - unit for fastening the lower part of the segment. enlarge, 2238x1557, 464 KB

hovercraft hull

It is double: fiberglass, consists of an inner and outer shell.

The outer shell has a fairly simple configuration - it is just inclined (about 50° to the horizontal) sides without a bottom - flat over almost the entire width and slightly curved in its upper part. The bow is rounded, and the rear has the appearance of an inclined transom. In the upper part, along the perimeter of the outer shell, oblong holes-grooves are cut out, and at the bottom, from the outside, a cable enclosing the shell is fixed in eye bolts for attaching the lower parts of the segments to it.

The inner shell is more complex in configuration than the outer shell, since it has almost all the elements of a small vessel (say, a dinghy or a boat): sides, bottom, curved gunwales, a small deck in the bow (only the upper part of the transom in the stern is missing) - while being completed as one detail. In addition, in the middle of the cockpit along it, a separately molded tunnel with a canister under the driver’s seat is glued to the bottom. It houses the fuel tank and battery, as well as the throttle cable and the steering control cable.

In the aft part of the inner shell there is a kind of poop, raised and open at the front. It serves as the base of the annular channel for the propeller, and its jumper deck serves as an air flow separator, part of which (the supporting flow) is directed into the shaft opening, and the other part is used to create propulsive traction force.

All elements of the body: the inner and outer shells, the tunnel and the annular channel were glued onto matrices made of glass mat about 2 mm thick on polyester resin. Of course, these resins are inferior to vinyl ester and epoxy resins in terms of adhesion, filtration level, shrinkage, and the release of harmful substances upon drying, but they have an undeniable advantage in price - they are much cheaper, which is important. For those who intend to use such resins, let me remind you that the room where the work is carried out must have good ventilation and a temperature of at least 22°C.

The matrices were made in advance according to the master model from the same glass mats on the same polyester resin, only the thickness of their walls was larger and amounted to 7-8 mm (for the housing shells - about 4 mm). Before gluing elements with work surface the matrix was carefully removed all roughness and burrs, and it was covered three times with wax diluted in turpentine and polished. After this, a thin layer (up to 0.5 mm) of gelcoat (colored varnish) of the selected yellow color was applied to the surface with a sprayer (or roller).

After it dried, the process of gluing the shell began using the following technology. First, using a roller, the wax surface of the matrix and the side of the glass mat with smaller pores are coated with resin, and then the mat is placed on the matrix and rolled until the air is completely removed from under the layer (if necessary, you can make a small slot in the mat). In the same way, subsequent layers of glass mats are laid to the required thickness (4-5 mm), with the installation of embedded parts (metal and wood) where necessary. Excess flaps along the edges are cut off when gluing “wet-to-edge”.

After the resin has hardened, the shell is easily removed from the matrix and processed: the edges are turned, grooves are cut, and holes are drilled.

To ensure the unsinkability of the Aerojeep, pieces of foam plastic (for example, furniture) are glued to the inner shell, leaving only the channels for air passage around the entire perimeter free. Pieces of foam plastic are glued together with resin, and attached to the inner shell with strips of glass mat, also lubricated with resin.

After making the outer and inner shells separately, they are joined, fastened with clamps and self-tapping screws, and then connected (glued) along the perimeter with strips coated with polyester resin of the same glass mat, 40-50 mm wide, from which the shells themselves were made. After this, the body is left until the resin is completely polymerized.

A day later, a duralumin strip with a cross-section of 30x2 mm is attached to the upper joint of the shells along the perimeter with blind rivets, installing it vertically (the tongues of the segments are fixed on it). Wooden runners measuring 1500x90x20 mm (length x width x height) are glued to the lower part of the bottom at a distance of 160 mm from the edge. One layer of glass mat is glued on top of the runners. In the same way, only from inside the shell, in the aft part of the cockpit, a base is made of wooden slab under the engine.

It is worth noting that using the same technology used to make the outer and inner shells, smaller elements were glued: the inner and outer shells of the diffuser, steering wheels, gas tank, engine casing, wind deflector, tunnel and driver's seat. For those who are just starting to work with fiberglass, I recommend preparing the manufacture of a boat from these small elements. The total mass of the fiberglass body together with the diffuser and rudders is about 80 kg.

Of course, the production of such a hull can also be entrusted to specialists - companies that produce fiberglass boats and boats. Fortunately, there are a lot of them in Russia, and the costs will be comparable. However, in the process of self-production, you will be able to gain the necessary experience and the opportunity to further model and create yourself. various elements and fiberglass structures.

Propeller-powered hovercraft

It includes an engine, a propeller and a transmission that transmits torque from the first to the second.

The engine used is BRIGGS & STATTION, produced in Japan under an American license: 2-cylinder, V-shaped, four-stroke, 31 hp. With. at 3600 rpm. Its guaranteed service life is 600 thousand hours. Starting is carried out by an electric starter, from the battery, and the spark plugs work from the magneto.

The engine is mounted on the bottom of the Aerojeep's body, and the propeller hub axis is fixed at both ends to brackets in the center of the diffuser, raised above the body. The transmission of torque from the engine output shaft to the hub is carried out by a toothed belt. The driven and driving pulleys, like the belt, are toothed.

Although the mass of the engine is not so large (about 56 kg), its location on the bottom significantly lowers the center of gravity of the boat, which has a positive effect on the stability and maneuverability of the machine, especially an “aeronautical” one.

Exhaust gas exhaust is routed to the lower air flow.

Instead of the installed Japanese one, you can use suitable domestic engines, for example, from snowmobiles “Buran”, “Lynx” and others. By the way, for a one- or two-seat AVP, smaller engines with a power of about 22 hp are quite suitable. With.

The propeller is six-bladed, with a fixed pitch (angle of attack set on land) of the blades.

1 - walls; 2 - cover with tongue.

The annular channel of the propeller should also be considered an integral part of the propeller engine installation, although its base (lower sector) is integral with the inner shell of the housing. The annular channel, like the body, is also composite, glued together from outer and inner shells. Just in the place where its lower sector joins the upper one, a fiberglass dividing panel is installed: it separates the air flow created by the propeller (and, on the contrary, connects the walls of the lower sector along a chord).

The engine, located at the transom in the cockpit (behind the back of the passengers' seats), is covered on top by a fiberglass hood, and the propeller, in addition to the diffuser, is also covered by a wire grille in front.

The soft elastic fencing of a hovercraft (skirt) consists of separate but identical segments, cut and sewn from dense lightweight fabric. It is desirable that the fabric is water-repellent, does not harden in the cold and does not allow air to pass through. I used Finnish-made Vinyplan material, but domestic percale-type fabric is quite suitable. The segment pattern is simple, and you can even sew it by hand.

Each segment is attached to the body as follows. The tongue is placed over the side vertical bar, with an overlap of 1.5 cm; onto it is the tongue of the adjacent segment, and both of them, at the point of overlap, are secured to the bar with a special alligator clip, only without teeth. And so on around the entire perimeter of the Aerojeep. For reliability, you can also put a clip in the middle of the tongue. The two lower corners of the segment are suspended freely using nylon clamps on a cable that wraps around the lower part of the outer shell of the housing.

This composite design of the skirt allows you to easily replace a failed segment, which will take 5-10 minutes. It would be appropriate to say that the design is operational when up to 7% of the segments fail. In total, up to 60 pieces are placed on the skirt.

Principle of movement hovercraft next. After starting the engine and running it for Idling the device remains in place. As the speed increases, the propeller begins to drive a more powerful air flow. Part of it (large) creates propulsive force and provides the boat with forward movement. The other part of the flow goes under the dividing panel into the side air ducts of the hull (the free space between the shells up to the very bow), and then through the slot-holes in the outer shell it evenly enters the segments. This flow, simultaneously with the start of movement, creates an air cushion under the bottom, lifting the apparatus above the underlying surface (be it soil, snow or water) by several centimeters.

The rotation of the Aerojeep is carried out by two rudders, which deflect the “forward” air flow to the side. The steering wheels are controlled from a double-arm motorcycle-type steering column lever, through a Bowden cable running along the starboard side between the shells to one of the steering wheels. The other steering wheel is connected to the first by a rigid rod.

A carburetor throttle control lever (analogous to a throttle grip) is also attached to the left handle of the double-arm lever.

To operate a hovercraft, you must register it with the local state inspection for small craft (GIMS) and obtain a ship's ticket. To obtain a certificate for the right to operate a boat, you must also complete a training course on how to operate a boat.

However, even these courses still do not have instructors for piloting hovercraft. Therefore, each pilot has to master the management of the AVP independently, literally gaining the relevant experience bit by bit.

This boat is a high-speed vessel, capable of moving over smooth water and over any flat, hard surface: swamp, sand, snow. The idea of ​​a hovercraft dates back to the 18th century. But it was only in 1926 that the Russian scientist and inventor Tsiolkovsky developed the principle of hovercraft. And almost 10 years later, engineer V. Levkov designed the first such device. Unfortunately, the project was completely destroyed during the Second World War. The “floating apparatus”, on the basis of which all modern ships are built, was created by the British inventor Cockerell. The first ship, the SR-N1 model, built in 1959, crossed the English Channel in just 20 minutes. Nowadays, boats are used for military purposes, on expeditions to hard-to-reach places, in difficult climatic conditions, and also as an entertainment attraction for tourists.

Operating principle of an air cushion

The cushion is formed as a result of the accumulation of compressed air under the bottom of the ship. He lifts the boat above water and land. Thanks to the supplied air, the friction force is reduced. This allows the device to move unhindered over surfaces.

There are several types of air cushion:

1. A type in which air currents, collected by a propeller, freely envelop the bottom around the ship. Strong air currents make the boat float higher.
2. Skeg boats are equipped with narrow hulls called skegs. They save air. Such a vessel can sail exclusively over water.
3. Boats with a nozzle type move due to the accumulation of air from special nozzles. The pillow is protected by jets of water generated in the nozzles.

Pillows are also divided according to the method of formation:

1. The static device is generated using an external fan;
2. Dynamic air cushion - product high blood pressure in the bottom, which is formed when the boat moves above the surface.

Technical capabilities

The technical characteristics of the boat are quite extensive. Such boats are suitable for active recreation, research expeditions, and participation in military operations.

1. High speed with low fuel consumption. At a cruising speed of about 60 km/h, fuel consumption is 20 liters.
2. The boat can move on almost any surface: water, sand, swamp, snow and even grass and asphalt.
3. The average carrying capacity of a passenger boat is 1-1.5 tons.
4. The boats can operate at any time of the year and in any weather conditions, even during ice drift.

Landing boat “Kalmar”

With such characteristics, the boat still has limitations in use. Firstly, this vessel cannot overcome solid obstacles over 35 centimeters. For example, a collision with a snag or log will cost a shipping apparatus a decrease in pressure in the bottom or damage to the flexible fencing of the vessel. Secondly, the boat cannot withstand high waves. This makes movement difficult and can even sink it. Thirdly, walking through dense and high thickets can also cause movement difficulties.

Amphibious boats

Amphibious vessels are compact vessels that are usually propelled by propellers. They are located on top of the body. Thanks to the screw ring nozzles, the noise from their operation is reduced and the traction force is increased. To make the ship move faster, the amphibian's hull is lightweight. It is made of aluminum, and the control room is made of fiberglass. The power plant is usually diesel or gasoline and is air cooled. A light hull with a powerful power plant makes the boat fast. Prominent representatives of amphibious boats can be considered:

• Neptune 3 with Rotax-582UL engine;
• Pegasus 4M – Rotax912 model;
• Khivus-4 with a VAZ-21213 power plant;
• The Cayman is powered by a Subaru engine. Its power is 260 horsepower;
• Cheetah with a 3M3-53-11 engine installed.

Boat “Gepard”

Development of Russian boats

Development Russian boats can be divided into several stages. The first stage begins from 1937 to 1940 with the design of “L” series boats by engineer Levkov. Unfortunately, the weight of the built and tested ships could not withstand the harsh combat conditions of the 1940-1945 war, and were destroyed.

An important stage in the development of ships is the design idea of ​​the English professor Cockerel, who proposed in 1955 to pump air using nozzles. Subsequently, the main ships designed were based on his invention.

The leading shipbuilding bureau Almaz became the main place for the development of Soviet hovercraft. The first production boat of the organization, which was created in 1969, was the Skat landing attack aircraft. Then it became the basis for the modifications “Moray eel” and “Omar”. IN next years The Kalmar landing craft was created.

Landing hovercraft "Zubr"

In 1988, the world's largest high-speed boat, the Zubr, was created with a carrying capacity of 150 tons.

All technologies used in the construction of military ships were also taken into account in civilian boats. But later, after analyzing all previous experience in creating swimming facilities, the designers came to the conclusion that the project was unprofitable. And it was decided to use more economical diesel engines.

Representatives of civil courts

The Bars boat is designed for search and rescue operations and transporting passengers to hard-to-reach places. Its length is 6.8 meters and width is 3.5 meters. The boat accommodates from 6 to 8 people with a driver. It reaches speeds of up to 80 km/h. It has one gasoline engine model M-14B26 with a power of 325 horsepower.

The Gepard hovercraft is a four-seater aluminum vessel. Used by rescuers, river police, postal services. The power plant includes a ZMZ-53-11 automobile engine and two propellers with a ring nozzle, which makes the boat low-noise. Develops speeds up to 60 km/h.

Representatives of military courts

Landing boats have a military purpose and are designed to land troops, military cargo, weapons in hard to reach places. These can be marshy or snowy areas, hidden beaches and coves. Tactical vessels can carry out armed strikes and provide fire support to other vessels.

The Project 1205 Skat landing craft is the first production project of the Almaz design bureau. The ship is designed to carry 40 soldiers. The length of the ship is 21.4 meters, width - 7.3 meters, and draft - 50 centimeters. The Skat is equipped with two TVD-10M and one TDV-10 gas turbines. The boat reaches speeds of up to 49 knots. The cruising range is 200 miles. The ship's crew is 4 people. The landing craft is armed with four 30-mm BP-30 “Plamya” grenade launchers and two 7.62-mm Kalashnikov machine guns. Also on board is Kivach-1 radar equipment.

Hovercraft “Zubr”

The Zubr hovercraft landing craft is so far the largest boat of its kind. It is designed for the release of troops, cargo, as well as for the transportation and laying of mines and fire support for other ships. He is able to move on land and swamps, bypass ditches and minefields. The length of the vessel is 57 meters and the width is 25.6 meters. Thanks to five gas turbine engines total capacity 50 thousand horsepower, it reaches a maximum speed of up to 60 knots.

Armament is:

1. Two A-22 Ogon launchers with unguided missiles
2. Two 30-mm AK-630 mounts and an MP-123 fire control system
3. Eight sets of the Igla anti-aircraft missile system.

A boat hull usually consists of an outer and an inner shell. The outer shell consists of sides inclined at 50 degrees without a bottom. They are flat across the width and slightly convex at the top. The bow of the boat is rounded. There are open boats and boats with closed cabin. Steering equipment and communications equipment are installed inside the cabin.

Landing ships have more powerful gas turbine engines of various models. For example, the Kalmar is equipped with the AL-20K model, and the American LCAC is equipped with the Allied-Signal TF-40B. Small passenger boats are equipped with automobile diesel or gasoline engines of various models. These are VAZ-21213, and Subaru, and Rotax and ZMZ-53.

Hovercraft have propellers mounted on the hull. Depending on the size of the vessel, they are: 4, 6 and 9-bladed with a fixed pitch. The number of screws varies from 1 to 4.

The soft fence or “skirt” is quite elastic. These are separate parts, sewn from dense but light fabric. The canvas has water-repellent and waterproof properties and does not freeze. Usually rubberized nylon is used.

Anti-noise protection of the vessel is provided by:

1. Engine damping
2. Availability of elastic couplings
3. Exhaust silencers
4. The cabin structure has three layers
5. Using soundproofing material between the passenger compartment and the fuel tank compartment.

The case material can be either aluminum or composite. Military hovercraft are made of durable aluminum alloys. Passenger hovercraft are made from high-tech and durable composite materials. All fasteners and metal elements are made of stainless steel.

Usually small boats are quite easily repaired by specialists or crew. It is possible to do minor repairs yourself. To do this, you must have a special repair kit on board. Larger vessels are repaired by a specially trained team of ship repairers.

The Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) is a high-speed means of landing troops from large landing dock ships. It is capable of carrying about 68 tons of payload (up to 75 tons when overloaded). The boat is used to transport weapons systems, equipment, cargo and personnel from the ship to the shore or along the coastline. The main advantage of hovercraft landing craft is that LCACs are capable of navigating swamps and other coastal obstacles while carrying heavy payloads such as the M-1 Abrams tank at high speed, and can be equipped to transport personnel in up to 180 people. The LCAC is capable of performing its assigned mission regardless of water depth, underwater obstacles, shoals or unfavorable tides.

It is capable of floating on a cushion of air despite obstacles up to one and a half meters high and regardless of terrain or topography, including muddy, sand dunes, ditches, swamps, river banks, wet snow or slippery and icy coastlines. Equipment such as trucks and tracked vehicles can be unloaded under their own power via bow and stern ramps, reducing critical unloading time. Thus, the LCAC is capable of landing troops on 70 percent of the world's coastlines, compared to just 17 percent for conventional amphibious assault ships.

LCACs were developed to meet the need for hovercraft capable of delivering troops, artillery, combat equipment, tanks and other essential elements of combat and support equipment to unprepared shores. These hovercraft are based on a custom-built prototype that underwent extensive testing by the US Navy between 1977 and 1981. On June 29, 1987, the LCAC was approved for mass production. In 1989, funding was provided for forty-eight hovercraft landing craft. In 1990, $219.3 million was allocated for the construction of nine more boats, and in 1991, 12 more LCACs were fully funded. In 1992, 24 boats were financed. As of 2001, 91 LCACs had been delivered to the US Navy. The boats were manufactured by Textron Marine and Land Systems/Avondale Gulfport Marine. Shipbuilding company Lockheed was selected on a competitive basis as the second potential manufacturer. LCAC boats 1-12, 15-17, 19, 20, 22-26, 28-30, 37-57, 61-91 were built by Textron Marine and Land Systems; 13, 14, 18, 21, 27, 31-33, 34-36, 58-60 Avondale Gulfport Marine.

LCAC testing was conducted in Panama City, Florida. The LCAC was subsequently tested in California, Australia and Arctic waters. Tests in Alaska in March 1992 included an assessment of the operational effectiveness of the LCAC in Arctic conditions. During the tests, it turned out that LCACs turned out to be ineffective for conducting operations in the Arctic, and even the use of a special kit for cold weather is not able to change the situation. Tests have also shown that in cold temperatures, engine power is increased to the limit of the gearbox, but icing and sea conditions cancel out this benefit. Since then, LCACs have been used in two Arctic exercises, one of which involved operations in temperatures as low as minus 10°C and difficult weather conditions. Based on these exercises, it was decided that there was no need for further trial operation. LCACs have demonstrated the ability to move around thin ice and open water in a fairly calm sea. The distance traveled per exit varied from 4 to 16 km in one direction. Icing occurring under certain conditions required periodic aborts of the mission to remove ice. During testing in the Arctic, JP-5 fuel was used, which alleviates problems with filter clogging. In addition, the LCAC has taken part in a number of minesweeping exercises, where it has proven itself to be a potentially effective shallow water minesweeper.

The LCAC was first deployed in 1987 when landing craft numbers 02, 03 and 04 were taken aboard the USS Germantown (LSD-42). In July 1987, LCAC 04 crossed Buckner Bay, Okinawa, marking the first LCAC landing on foreign soil. LCAC's largest deployment took place in January 1991, when four squadrons of eleven boats deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Desert Storm.

Landing craft hovercraft users note some similarities between the LCAC and the aircraft. The “pilot” of the boat is located in the “cockpit”, wearing a radio headset. He receives instructions from the air traffic control center located next to the stern gate of the docking ship. While moving, the crew experiences the same sensations as on an airplane during high turbulence. The pilot operates a Y-shaped yoke, with his feet on the control pedals, and he "flies like an air hockey puck." LCAC is also similar to a helicopter, it has six dimensions of motion.

With a machine as expensive and inherently dangerous as the LCAC, common sense and acceptance right decisions play a key role. Concerns about the cost of training, projections for an increase in the number of LCACs and their crews, and high personnel turnover in educational departments led the Navy to recognize the importance of developing more accurate candidate selection methods. Thus, the turnover of operators and engineers has decreased from an initial level of 40% in 1988 to 10-15% today.

LCAC has had successful combat experience in Somalia, Bangladesh, Liberia, Haiti and Kuwait. He also provided invaluable assistance during disaster relief efforts, including tsunamis and hurricanes.

Thirteen years ago, the US Navy decided to modernize its hovercraft landing craft and extend their service life from 20 to 30 years. The real work began in 2005, and to date 30 amphibious assault ships have been upgraded or are in the midst of it (seven LCACs are currently undergoing this process). The amount of modernization is about $9 million each. Another 72 boats are in service, ten are in reserve (as replacements), and two are used for research and development. The entire process will take more than ten years.

During the modernization process, the engine is replaced (in cases where replacement can be avoided, it undergoes a major overhaul), structural elements damaged by corrosion are replaced, and new electronics and other auxiliary equipment are installed.

The C4N (command, control, communications, computers and navigation) system underwent a modernization process, replacing the LN-66 radars with more modern and more powerful P-80 radars. New open architecture electronics based on modern commercial equipment provide the fastest integration of precision navigation systems, new communication systems, etc. The new LED screens and LED keyboards use less power than older cathode ray tubes and lamp-type indicators and generate less heat. In combination with the new air conditioner installed in the command room, this provides the hovercraft crew with improved working conditions. In addition, the engines were upgraded to the ETF-40B configuration, which provides additional power and lift (this is especially important at temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius), reduced fuel consumption, and reduced maintenance intervals.

The body elements susceptible to corrosion were replaced with new, more durable ones made of non-corrosive materials. The new air cushion skirt reduces drag, increases performance over water and land, and also eases the requirements for maintenance. After the above procedures and painting, the modernized boats look like new, but with significant improvements. Upgraded LCACs are easier to maintain, more reliable and have better performance.

On July 6, 2012, Textron Inc was awarded a contract to develop a replacement for the LCAC, which was approaching the end of its service life. The new SSC (Ship-to-Shore Connector) landing craft will be an evolutionary replacement for the existing fleet of hovercraft. SSC will enhance the tactical capabilities of over-the-horizon airborne assets. They will have increased reliability and maintainability, reduce the total cost of operation, and will also meet the growing payload requirements of the Marine Expeditionary Battalion-2015 program. The program involves the construction of a total of 73 boats (one for testing and training and 72 for adoption). Deliveries are scheduled for fiscal year 2017 with entry into service in fiscal year 2020.

Performance characteristics:
Length without pillow: 24.9 meters
Length with cushion: 28 meters
Width without cushion: 14.2 meters
Width with cushion: 14.6 meters
Height above surface with cushion: 5.8 meters
Height above ground without cushion: 7.8 meters
Pillow height 1.5 meters
Displacement: 88.6 tons empty; 173-185 tons with full load
Power plant: four Avco-Lycoming TF-40B gas turbines (2 for propulsion / 2 for creation lift) with a capacity of 3955 horsepower each
Propellers: 2 four-blade reversible propellers with adjustable pitch with a diameter of 3.58 meters for propulsion; 4 fans with a diameter of 1.6 meters, centrifugal or mixed flow to create lift
Fuel capacity: 19,000 liters
Average fuel consumption: 3,700 liters per hour
Fully loaded range: 200 miles at 40 knots or 300 miles at 35 knots (90 percent fuel)
Speed ​​at full load in sea state 2: 50 knots (92.6 km per hour)
Speed ​​at full load in sea state 3: 35 knots (64.8 km per hour)
Speed ​​at full load on land: 25 knots (46.3 km per hour)
Load capacity: 68 tons (overloaded 75 tons)
Cargo deck: 20x8.2 meters, 168 sq.m
Crew: 5 people
Accommodation of the crew and landing force: on the starboard side on the upper deck there is a commander, flight engineer, navigator, landing director and landing commander, on the lower deck there are 7 paratroopers; on the left side on the upper deck there is a loading specialist, on the lower deck there is a mechanic and 16 paratroopers
Armament: 2 12.7 mm machine guns; automatic 40-mm grenade launcher Mk-19 Mod3; M-60 machine gun
Navigation equipment: navigation radar Marconi LN 66 with a power of 25 kW, I band, satellite and inertial systems navigation
Radio communications: 2 UHF/VHF radios, HF and portable radios

LCAC availability per day (out of a total of 54)
Day one - 52
Day two - 49
Day three - 46
Day four - 43
Day five - 40
Estimated operating time: 16 hours per day
Exit time when transporting vehicles: 6 hours 8 minutes
Exit time when transporting goods: 8 hours 36 minutes
Number of exits per day when transporting vehicles: 2.6
Total: 104 LCAC outputs per day using 40 LCACs
Number of departures per day when transporting goods: 1.86
Total: 74 LCAC outputs per day using 40 LCACs
Landing force: 145 marines or 180 civilians
Vehicles per exit: 12 HMMWV/ 4 armored personnel carriers/ 2 amphibious infantry fighting vehicles/ 1 M1A1 tank/ 4 M923 trucks/ 2 5-ton M923 trucks and 2 M198 howitzers and 2 HMMWVs
To land an infantry regiment you must:
269 ​​HMMWV - 23 outputs
10 5 ton trucks - 3 outputs
To land a tank battalion:
58 M1A1 - 58 outputs
95 HMMWV - 8 outputs

8 fuel tankers - 4 exits
To land an armored personnel carrier battalion:
110 armored personnel carriers - 28 exits
29 HMMWV - 3 outputs
23 5-ton trucks - 6 outputs
8 fuel tankers - 4 exits

Possibility of basing on dock ships:
Class LSD 41 - 4 LCAC
Class LSD 36 - 3 LCAC
Class LHA 1 - 1 LCAC
Class LHD 1 - 3 LCAC
LPD class 4 - 1 LCAC

We owe the final design, as well as the informal name of our craft, to a colleague from the Vedomosti newspaper. Seeing one of the test “take-offs” in the publishing house parking lot, she exclaimed: “Yes, this is Baba Yaga’s stupa!” This comparison made us incredibly happy: after all, we were just looking for a way to equip our hovercraft with a rudder and a brake, and the way was found by itself - we gave the pilot a broom!

This looks like one of the silliest crafts we've ever made. But, if you think about it, it is a very spectacular physical experiment: it turns out that a weak air flow from a hand-held blower, designed to sweep weightless dead leaves from paths, is capable of lifting a person above the ground and easily moving him in space. Despite its very impressive appearance, building such a boat is as easy as shelling pears: if you strictly follow the instructions, it will only require a couple of hours of dust-free work.

Using string and a marker, draw a circle with a diameter of 120 cm on a plywood sheet and cut out the bottom with a jigsaw. Immediately make a second circle of the same type.

Align the two circles and drill a 100mm hole through them using a hole saw. Save the wooden disks removed from the crown; one of them will serve as the central “button” of the air cushion.

Lay the shower curtain on the table, place the bottom on top and secure the polyethylene furniture stapler. Trim off the excess polyethylene, stepping back a couple of centimeters from the staples.

Tape the edge of the skirt with reinforced tape in two rows with a 50% overlap. This will make the skirt airtight and avoid air loss.

Mark the central part of the skirt: there will be a “button” in the middle, and around it there will be six holes with a diameter of 5 cm. Cut out the holes with a breadboard knife.

Carefully tape the central part of the skirt, including the holes, with reinforced tape. Apply tapes with 50% overlap, apply two layers of tape. Re-cut the holes with a breadboard knife and fasten the central “button” with self-tapping screws. The skirt is ready.

Turn the bottom over and screw the second plywood circle to it. 12mm plywood is easy to work with, but it is not rigid enough to withstand the required loads without warping. Two layers of such plywood will be just right. Place thermal insulation around the edges of the circle to plumbing pipes and secure it with a stapler. It will serve as a decorative bumper.

Use the 100mm vent duct cuffs and corners to connect the blower to the skirt. Secure the engine using angles and ties.

Helicopter and puck

Contrary to popular belief, the boat does not rest on a 10-centimeter layer of compressed air, otherwise it would already be a helicopter. An air cushion is something like an air mattress. The polyethylene film that covers the bottom of the device is filled with air, stretched and turned into something like an inflatable ring.

The film adheres very tightly to the road surface, forming a wide contact patch (almost over the entire area of ​​the bottom) with a hole in the center. Air under pressure comes from this hole. Over the entire contact area between the film and the road, a thin layer of air is formed, along which the device easily glides in any direction. Thanks to the inflatable skirt, even a small amount of air is enough for a good glide, so our stupa is much more like an air hockey puck than a helicopter.

Wind under the skirt

We usually do not publish exact drawings in the “master class” section and strongly recommend that readers use their creative imagination in the process, experimenting with the design as much as possible. But this is not the case. Several attempts to slightly deviate from the popular recipe cost the editor a couple of days of extra work. Don't repeat our mistakes - follow the instructions carefully.

The boat should be round, like a flying saucer. A vessel resting on a thin layer of air requires perfect balance: with the slightest defect in weight distribution, all the air will come out from the underloaded side, and the heavier side will fall with its entire weight on the ground. The symmetrical round shape of the bottom will help the pilot easily find balance by slightly changing his body position.

To make the bottom, take 12 mm plywood, using a rope and a marker, draw a circle with a diameter of 120 cm and cut out the part electric jigsaw. The skirt is made from a polyethylene shower curtain. Choosing a curtain is perhaps the most important stage at which the fate of the future craft is decided. Polyethylene should be as thick as possible, but strictly uniform and in no case reinforced with fabric or decorative tapes. Oilcloth, tarpaulin and other airtight fabrics are not suitable for building a hovercraft.

In pursuit of the strength of the skirt, we made our first mistake: the poorly stretching oilcloth tablecloth was unable to press tightly to the road and form a wide contact patch. The area of ​​the small “spot” was not enough to make the heavy car slide.

Leaving an allowance to let more air in under a tight skirt is not an option. When inflated, such a pillow forms folds that will release air and prevent the formation of a uniform film. But polyethylene tightly pressed to the bottom, stretching when air is pumped, forms a perfectly smooth bubble that tightly fits any unevenness in the road.

Scotch tape is the head of everything

Making a skirt is easy. It is necessary to spread polyethylene on a workbench, cover the top with a round piece of plywood with pre- drilled hole for air supply and carefully secure the skirt with a furniture stapler. Even the simplest mechanical (not electric) stapler with 8 mm staples will cope with the task.

Reinforced tape is a very important element of the skirt. It strengthens it where necessary, while maintaining the elasticity of other areas. Please pay Special attention to reinforce polyethylene under the central “button” and in the area of ​​the air supply holes. Apply the tape with a 50% overlap and in two layers. The polyethylene must be clean, otherwise the tape may come off.

Insufficient reinforcement in the central area caused a funny accident. The skirt tore at the “button” area, and our pillow turned from a “donut” into a semicircular bubble. The pilot, with his eyes widened in surprise, rose a good half meter above the ground and after a couple of moments fell down - the skirt finally burst and let out all the air. It was this incident that led us to the mistaken idea of ​​using oilcloth instead of a shower curtain.

Another misconception that befell us during the construction of the boat was the belief that there is never too much power. We sourced a large Hitachi RB65EF 65cc backpack blower. This beast of a machine has one significant advantage: it is equipped with a corrugated hose, with which it is very easy to connect the fan to the skirt. But the power of 2.9 kW is clearly too much. The polyethylene skirt must be given exactly the amount of air that will be sufficient to lift the car 5-10 cm above the ground. If you overdo it with gas, the polyethylene will not withstand the pressure and will tear. This is exactly what happened with our first car. So rest assured that if you have any kind of leaf blower at your disposal, it will be suitable for the project.

Full speed ahead!

Typically, hovercraft have at least two propellers: one propulsion propeller, which gives the vehicle forward motion, and one fan, which forces air under the skirt. How will our “flying saucer” move forward, and can we get by with just one blower?

This question tormented us right up until the first successful tests. It turned out that the skirt glides so well over the surface that even the slightest change in balance is enough for the device to move by itself in one direction or another. For this reason, you only need to install the chair on the car while it is moving, in order to properly balance the car, and only then screw the legs to the bottom.

We tried the second blower as a propulsion engine, but the result was not impressive: the narrow nozzle produces a fast flow, but the volume of air passing through it is not enough to create even the slightest noticeable jet thrust. What you really need when driving is a brake. Baba Yaga's broom is ideal for this role.

Called himself a ship - get into the water

Unfortunately, our editorial office, and along with it the workshop, are located in the concrete jungle, far from even the most modest bodies of water. Therefore, we could not launch our device into the water. But theoretically everything should work! If building a boat becomes a summer activity for you on a hot summer day, test it for seaworthiness and share with us a story about your success. Of course, you need to take the boat out onto the water from a gently sloping bank at cruising throttle, with the skirt fully inflated. There is no way to allow it to sink - immersion in water means the inevitable death of the blower from water hammer.