A different payload for the A-Model An-225?

[Lord Darth Beavis]

The Orolynok might just be air-deployable, even though it would sink like a rock, at least until it got into ground effect, then the cushion of air under the wings should catch it, and allow it to proceed.

Or, I could be wrong...

[The Rat]

The Orolynok might just be air-deployable, even though it would sink like a rock, at least until it got into ground effect, then the cushion of air under the wings should catch it, and allow it to proceed.

Or, I could be wrong...

I suspect that it would glide down at a fairly steep angle, but would build up enough speed, and therefore sufficient lift, that it could level out above the surface and carry on in ground effect. It's got to have more lift available that a 'lifting body' like the HL-10 or the M2F2, and they did okay.

[jcf]

Most Ekranoplan/WIG/wing-ship designs can fly out of ground effect, they have to be able to in order to clear obstacles, its just that they are 'optimized' to perform most efficiently while in ground effect and thus have a limited altitude capability while out of ground effect. The design for the unbuilt Orlyonok II had short wings added outboard of the main wing skegs to improve general flight characteristics.

BTW the Orlyonok on the back of the An 225 was a scheme for long-range rapid-response SAR and disaster relief, not invasion.

Jon