Rocket ship on underwater. Hydrofoil boat "Raketa": description, technical characteristics. Water transport

Having risen above the surface of the water, these ships rush past at the speed of an express train; At the same time, they provide their passengers with the same comfort as on a jet airliner.
In the Soviet Union alone, the leading country for ships of this class, hydrofoil ships of various types annually transported more than 20 million passengers on regular lines.
In 1957, the first Project 340 “Raketa” left the Feodosia shipyard in Ukraine. The ship was capable of reaching an unheard-of speed of 60 km/h at that time and carrying 64 people.

Following the “Rockets” in the 1960s, larger and more comfortable twin-propeller “Meteors” appeared, produced by the Zelenodolsk Shipyard. The passenger capacity of these ships was 123 people. The ship had three salons and a buffet bar.

In 1962, Project 342m “Comets” appeared, essentially the same “Meteors”, only modernized for operation at sea. They could walk at a higher wave, had radar equipment (radar)

In 1961, simultaneously with the launch of the Meteors and Comets series, the Nizhny Novgorod shipyard "Krasnoe Sormovo" launched the Project 329 ship "Sputnik" - the largest SPC. It carries 300 passengers at a speed of 65 km/h. Just like with Meteor, they built a naval version of Sputnik, called the Whirlwind. But during four years of operation, a lot of shortcomings were revealed, including the great gluttony of four engines and the discomfort of passengers due to strong vibration.

For comparison, “Sputnik” and “Rocket”

Sputnik is now...
In Togliatti they turned it into either a museum or a tavern. In 2005 there was a fire. Now it looks like this.

"Burevestnik" is one of the most beautiful ships in the entire series! This is a gas turbine vessel developed by R. Alekseev’s Central Design Bureau SPK, Gorky. "Burevestnik" was the flagship among river SPCs. It had a power plant based on two gas turbine engines borrowed from civil aviation (from the Il-18). It was operated from 1964 until the end of the 70s on the Volga on the route Kuibyshev - Ulyanovsk - Kazan - Gorky. The Burevestnik accommodated 150 passengers and had an operating speed of 97 km/h. However, it did not go into mass production - two aircraft engines made a lot of noise and required a lot of fuel.

It has not been used since 1977. In 1993 it was cut into scrap.

In 1966, the Gomel Shipyard produced a vessel for shallow rivers, just over 1 meter deep, “Belarus”, with a passenger capacity of 40 people and a speed of 65 kilometers per hour. And from 1983, it will produce a modernized version of the Polesie, which can already carry 53 people at the same speed.

Rockets and Meteors were getting old. New projects were created at the R. Alekseev Central Clinical Hospital. In 1973, the Feodosia Shipyard launched the second-generation Voskhod SPK.
Voskhod is the direct receiver of the Rocket. This vessel is more economical and more spacious (71 people).

In 1980, at the Shipyard named after. Ordzhonikidze (Georgia, Poti) production of the Kolkhida agricultural production complex opens. The speed of the vessel is 65 km/h, the passenger capacity is 120 people. In total, about forty ships were built. Currently, only two are in operation in Russia: one ship on the St. Petersburg - Valaam line, called “Triada”, the other in Novorossiysk - “Vladimir Komarov”.




In 1986, in Feodosia, the new flagship of the marine passenger SPK, the double-deck Cyclone, was launched, which had a speed of 70 km/h and carried 250 passengers. Operated in Crimea, then sold to Greece. In 2004, he returned to Feodosia for repairs, but is still standing there in a semi-disassembled state.

"Saroavto Transport Blog Collection"

River and sea expresses - hydrofoil ships. Impressions from traveling on them are some of the most vivid memories of river or sea travel.

The chief designer of these ships is Rostislav Alekseev.

In total, more than 3,000 passenger hydrofoil ships were built at shipyards in Russia, Ukraine and Georgia.

This is how these ships were transported. Monument to R. Alekseev in Nizhny Novgorod.

An engineer in the Soviet Union, Rostislav Alekseev, defended his thesis “Hydrofoil glider” in 1941, at the age of 25. During the war, the management of the plant where he worked allocated time and funds to work on the SPC. However, Alekseev’s combat boats appeared at the end of the war, and did not have time to fight. After the war, Alekseev continued working for the army, but also developed a passenger ship, to which he gave the catchy and relevant name of those years “Raketa”, like today “Fast and Furious”.

"Rocket"- this is the first Soviet passenger hydrofoil ship. Developed and launched in 1957 at the shipyard of the Krasnoye Sormovo plant (Nizhny Novgorod). Production continued until the mid-1970s. This ship was awarded the Gold Medal at the Brussels Exhibition.

During the period from 1957 to 1979, about 300 ships of this class were built. Production was established in Feodosia (FSK More), Volgograd, Leningrad (St. Petersburg), Nizhny Novgorod, Khabarovsk and Poti (Georgia). Apart from the USSR, missiles were purchased by Finland, China, Lithuania, Romania and Germany. Some rockets are still used on flights today. And many rockets, after the collapse of the USSR, were converted into cafes and dachas. Soon the name "Raketa" became synonymous with all ships of this type, regardless of the name of their models.

The hydrofoil “rocket,” although it was created by order of the Ministry of Shipbuilding, had dubious prospects due to its unusual and non-standard nature for that time. Most likely, it was precisely because of the fear of being misunderstood that Rostislav Alekseev conceived a daring plan - to show “Rocket” to the Secretary of the Central Committee himself, Nikita Khrushchev, bypassing his superiors. And it was done like this: in the hot summer of 1957, on Student Youth Day, Alekseev ordered the Raketa to be launched, and at full speed headed from the Krasnoye Sormovo plant straight to Moscow. Knowing where Khrushchev was staying, Alekseev moored the rocket and invited the Secretary General to take a ride. Here the Secretary General is swimming at super speed along the Moscow River, easily overtaking other ships, and this swim is watched by amazed students who came from all over the world for the festival. The “rocket” struck Nikita Sergeevich, and under an explosion of pleasant feelings, He immediately uttered the memorable words “We’ll stop riding oxen along the rivers! Let's build!"

The rocket became a large-scale ship, Alekseev received the right to contact Khrushchev directly once a year, as well as enmity with the Minister of Shipbuilding, Boris Butoma: “The bastard is getting over our heads!” Let us mention here that Boris Butoma is also a talented engineer and a competent leader, but jumping over the heads of his superiors will quarrel between these two talented people. Further mistakes by both Butoma and Alekseev will lead to a tragic end.

"Rockets" at the Northern River Station in Moscow.

Scheme of the "Rocket" routes along the Moscow Canal

The rocket served as a firefighter during the Soviet era; in the 2000s, the firefighting rocket was retired. She was moved to the training base of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. During its operation, this rocket evacuated more than one hundred passengers from sinking ships, and extinguished about a dozen ships.

Length: 27 m

Width: 5 m

Height (on wing): 4.5 m

Draft (full): 1.8 m

Operating speed: 35 kz, 60 km/h

Powerplant: 1000 hp. diesel M50

Propulsion: screw

Crew/staff: 3

Passengers: 64

Gas turbine ship "Burevestnik".

The gas turbine ship Burevestnik is the fastest type of river transport. Has two engines
from IL-18. In 1964-1979 he worked on the Kuibyshev-Ulyanovsk-Kazan-Gorky route.

This is the most beautiful hydrofoil of all created earlier and later.

In 1964, the flagship of the USSR river passenger fleet, Burevestnik, began operation, accommodating 150 passengers and having an operating speed of 97 km/h. However, this ship did not go into production, although it was in operation for about 15 years.

The Burevestnik had problems - two aircraft engines made a lot of noise and required a lot of fuel. In addition, the stern of the ship was constantly smeared with fumes from used engines that had exhausted their service life.

In 1974, the Burevestnik collided with a tug and was severely damaged. They refused to repair it then, but thanks to the pressure of the captain and the enthusiasm of the workers, they repaired it.

After repairs, the Burevestnik operated for only a couple of years, and then rising fuel prices made it unprofitable. The gas turbine ship was cut down and later towed to a landfill, where it remained for most of its life. In 2000, it was cut into scrap.

Length: 43.2 m
Hull width: 6 m
Height (on wing): 7 m
Displacement: 40 t
Draft: 2 m
Operating speed: 45 knots, 97 km/h
Range: 500 km
Powerplant: 2x GTE AI24
Propulsion: 2x water jet
Type and consumption of fuels and lubricants: Kerosene, 330 g/hp.
Passengers: 150

"Gull"- an experimental rocket built in a single copy in 1962. Chaika was created as a smaller model of the upcoming Petrel. It was used to perfect a new hydrofoil shape, aerodynamic contours and a water jet - like a new propulsion device. There are allegations that the geometry of the hull of the KM ekranoplan was also worked out on the Chaika.

The Chaika worked as a delivery vessel for Rechflot employees, reaching a speed of 85-90 km/h and accommodating up to 30 passengers. And then it was cut into metal. The seagull lived only a couple of years, but turned into a symbol of a high-speed ship for the USSR.

Length: 26.3 m
Width: 3.8 m
Height: 3.5 m
Displacement: 9.9 t
Draft: 0.6 m
Operating speed: 40 U.S. 85 km/h
Powerplant: 1200 hp diesel
Propulsion: water cannon
Crew/staff: 3
Passengers: 30

Motor ships "Meteor" and "Comet".

In 1961, a new type of civilian SPK “Meteor” went into production. More capacious ships were required than Raketa.

So the Meteor already took 115 people on board, had a comfortable cabin (with a bar and a cafe), and a long range.

However, it used two engines instead of one, which in terms of operation and profitability made the Meteor equal to the Rocket.

On the basis of the Meteors, a naval version of the Comet was designed, on which the hull was modified and other wings were installed. This increased capacity to 120 people and improved the ship's seaworthiness.

Comets were produced from 1961 to 1981, in Feodosia and Poti. More than 100 ships were built, of which 39 were for export to Greece.

An incident in 1992, during the conflict between Georgia and Abkhazia, is associated with Comet 44. An unknown helicopter fired a machine gun at Comet 44, with 70 passengers on board, Comet stopped for inspection. But instead of inspection, the helicopter made a combat turn and opened fire with NURS (unguided missiles). The 3rd salvo hit the hull and made a hole below the waterline measuring 1m2. If the “comet” had remained in place, it would have drowned. But the crew turned the engines to maximum, and the SPK rose to the wings, which prevented the ship from sinking. "Comet" reached Sochi safely.

"Comet-44" in Turkey

As for the Meteors, they were produced from 1961 to 1993, more than 400 ships were built. Today they are modernized by installing efficient engines and resold abroad (to China, Greece and South Korea).

Some cars, like the Verny meteor, are bought by private individuals and turned into elite super-yachts, with modern cabins, showers, and lounges.

SEC "Meteor-Verny" on the Yenisei.

"Meteora" on vacation in St. Petersburg

One of the Meteors was converted into a bar in the city of Kanev, Ukraine:

And this "Meteor" ended up in China. Operating on the Yangtze River

"Sputnik" and "Whirlwind".

In 1961, simultaneously with the launch of the Meteors and Comets series, the type 329 motor ship Sputnik, the largest (at that time) SPK, was launched from the stocks. It carries 300 Passengers at a speed of 65 km/h.

But over the course of 4 years of operation, a lot of shortcomings emerged: the great gluttony of 4 engines, and the discomfort of passengers due to strong vibration from the operation of so many diesel engines. As a result, Sputnik hit a snag in one of the swims, breaking one engine. The ship could continue to sail, but it would no longer “take off” on its wing, and therefore it was erected as a monument to the Soviet SEC in the city of Togliatti. In 2005, a fire burned inside, causing severe damage to the interior of the ship.

Just like with Meteor, they built a naval version of Sputnik, called the Whirlwind. There is information that 3 Whirlwinds were built, one had 4 diesel engines, like Sputnik, and the other two were equipped with AI-20A aircraft turbines. The fate of these ships is unknown.

For comparison, "Sputnik" and "Raketa" on the Volga.

Length: 48 m
Width: 12 m
Height: 7.5 m
Draft: 2.5 m
Operating speed: 37 knots, 65 km/h
Fuel consumption: 650-750 kg/h
Powerplant: 4x1000 hp diesel
Propulsion: screw
Passengers: 240

"Belarus" and "Polesie".

For shallow rivers, a little more than a meter deep, in 1963 they developed the motor ship "Belarus", named after the Republic in which this motor ship was assembled (plant in Gomel). Belarus took 40 passengers. About 30 ships were built. In 2005, these ships successfully sailed along the Karakum Canal.

In 1983, a replacement, or rather a modernization of the Belarus, appeared: a motor ship of the Polesie type. The hull became angular, which reduced the cost of production, and multiple parts of the hull and engine in Polesie were standardized with parts of the Voskhod type motor ship, which further reduced the cost of production. In addition to being cheaper, Polesie accepts 50 instead of 40 passengers. A little less than a hundred of these ships were built. These SPCs are still in operation, for example in Romania and Belarus.

Length: 21.5 m
Width: 5 m
Height: 2.6 m
Displacement: 12 t + 6 t cargo
Draft: 0.9 m

Range: 400 km

Propulsion: screw
Type and consumption of fuels and lubricants: 150-170 kg/hour
Crew/staff: 2
Passengers: 50

"Sunrise" and "Swallow".

"Rockets" and "Meteors" were getting old. To replace them, the second generation Voskhod SPK was launched in 1973. Voskhod is the direct receiver of the Rocket. This ship is more economical, more spacious, more reliable - in fact, every characteristic of the Voskhod is better than that of the Raketa. In addition, although Voskhod was designed as a river SPC, its characteristics allow it to operate without changes in sea coastal zones, for example in Crimea.

Since 1973, about 300 ships have been built, and further construction was stopped by the collapse of the USSR and the economic crisis, which has been going on for 25 years. New ships continue to be built in small series.

Thus, the Dutch company Connexicon ordered three modernized versions of Voskhod in 2003. These ships were delivered to Canada, Turkey, Austria, Thailand and China.

The last 3 SPKs of this series were assembled in 2003 for the Connexicon company in the Netherlands.

Length: 27.6 m
Width: 6.4-7 m
Height (on wing): 4 m
Displacement: 20.4 t + 8 t cargo
Draft (full): 2 m
Operating speed: 35 kz, 60 km/h
Range: 500 km
Powerplant: 1000 hp diesel
Propulsion: propeller N. fuel and lubricants: 150-170 kg/hour
Crew/staff: 3 / 5
Passengers: 70

Due to the fact that Voskhod could also operate at sea, a “sea” version of this ship, called Lastochka, appeared much later, in the 80s.

And it had significant changes - a modified shape of the wings, and a twin-engine power plant, which, in addition to seaworthiness, increased the speed to 85 km/h. We assembled 3-4 ships, which were bought by European companies.

A little-known fact - in 1986, "Rockets" and "Voskhods" of the Ukrainian SSR participated in the removal of residents of Pripyat. One of the Chernobyl “Sunrises” is called “Shkval” - a suitable name for a fighter against that tragedy.

"Olympia".

The marine passenger hydrofoil vessel "Olympia" (hereinafter SPK "Olympia") is the generally recognized flagship of the Russian high-speed passenger fleet. Its appearance is mesmerizing and creates a feeling of hidden swiftness and power, which can be fully felt when sailing on this vessel. This vessel fully corresponds to the proud and beautiful name "Olympia", given to it by its creator - the famous "Central Design Bureau for Hydrofoils named after R.E. Alekseev", Nizhny Novgorod, whose achievements in the design of hydrofoils and ekranoplanes have not been surpassed to date by anyone in the world.

It is also necessary to pay attention to the fact that the Olympia SPK, which will be discussed below, were built at a shipbuilding enterprise with unique technical and technological capabilities and highly qualified specialists - the Feodosia Shipbuilding Company "More", Feodosia, where During its existence, more than 630 ships were built and launched, the products of which were delivered to 40 countries around the world.

Motor ship "Olympia - Hermes" in Sochi.

"Colchis" and "Katran"

SPK "Katran" and "Kolkhida" are twin brothers.

In 1980, at the Shipyard named after. Ordzhonikidze (Georgia, Poti) production of the Kolkhida agricultural production complex opens. The speed of the vessel is 65 km/h, the passenger capacity is 120 people. In total, about forty ships were built. Currently, only two are in operation in Russia: one ship on the St. Petersburg - Valaam line, called "Triad", the other in Novorossiysk - "Vladimir Komarov".

"Kolkhida" is a type of marine passenger twin-screw hydrofoil vessels designed for high-speed passenger transportation. The navigation area is open seas with a distance of up to 50 miles from the port of refuge and up to 100 miles in closed seas and lakes. The vessels were produced according to projects 10390 and 10391, developed by the Central Design Bureau for the SPK named after. R.E. Alekseev and approved in 1980. They were built at the Potiysky Shipyard and the Volga Shipyard in Nizhny Novgorod. The first vessel of the series entered testing in 1981. The vessels of this series had a number of improvements compared to the Comet series. The ship's hull, welded using argon-arc and resistance welding, was divided below the main deck along the length by watertight bulkheads into 9 compartments; the ship's unsinkability is ensured when any two adjacent compartments are filled. The bow saloon had no front windows. There was a special room for luggage. In total, about 40 motor ships of this series were built.

Currently, they are almost never used on passenger lines in the Russian Federation - a number of ships have been mothballed, sold abroad, cut into metal, and converted into cafes. Some Kolkhida vessels continue to operate in maritime passenger transportation in foreign countries.

The modernization of "Colchis" is developed by the Central Design Bureau for the SPK named after. R.E. Alekseev series of ships “Kolkhida-M” (project), “Katran” (4 vessels were built, 2 of which: “Seaflight-1” and “Seaflight-2”, operate on high-speed lines on the Black Sea), and "Katran-M" (project).

Similar in appearance to the “Kolkhida” and “Katran” was the experimental hydrofoil “Albatross”, built in a single copy at the Poti Shipyard in 1988. Unlike the “Kolkhida”, the “Albatross” had high-speed Soviet-made M421 diesel engines ( Zvezda plant).

Until 1996, he worked on the lines of the Black Sea Shipping Company (home port of Odessa), after which he was sold and worked in the Mediterranean Sea on the line between Cyprus and Lebanon under the name “Flying Star”.

"Katran" is a Project 10391 twin-screw hydrofoil passenger motor ship, designed for high-speed transportation of passengers on sea and lake coastal lines, with a distance from the port of refuge up to 50 miles and up to 100 miles in closed seas and lakes and a cruising range of up to 380 miles. The lead vessel was built in 1994.

"Cyclone"

"Cyclone" is a new flagship, but already a marine passenger ship. Equipped with two gas turbine engines (GTE), has a speed of 70 km/h, and a capacity of up to 250 passengers. "Cyclone" is a second-generation marine SPK, built in 1986. The Cyclone's competitor was the Olympia, which was built at the same shipyard in Feodosia.

There is 1 ready-made “Cyclone”, which in 2004 returned from Greece to Feodosia for repairs, but it still stands there, in a semi-disassembled state. In addition, there is at least 1 more Cyclone backlog, with a readiness of 30%. There is unconfirmed evidence that there was a second “Cyclone” backlog with a readiness of 15%, but it could have been destroyed.

Length x Width x Height: 44.2m x 12.6m x 14.2m
Displacement: 101 t + 36 t cargo
Draft (afloat/foil): 4.3 m / 2.4 m
Operating speed: 42 knots, (70 km/h)
Range: 300 miles
Powerplant: 2x3000 hp gas turbine engine
Propulsion: 2x screws
Type and consumption of fuels and lubricants: kerosene
Passengers: 250

Another interesting fact is that all SPKs are registered with the military; in case of war, they should be used as river hospitals.

New developments of the Central Design Bureau for hydrofoils named after R.E. Alekseeva
During the exhibition “International Naval Show 2013”, held in St. Petersburg, Russian shipbuilders announced the upcoming revival of one almost forgotten direction. During July, the Rybinsk shipyard "Vympel" will begin construction of a new hydrofoil vessel. The last time such equipment was built in our country was about twenty years ago.

Nizhny Novgorod Central Design Bureau for Hydrofoils named after. R.E. Alekseeva (CDB for SPK) several decades ago created several models of such equipment that became widely known. However, recently the development and construction of hydrofoils has ceased. The new vessel, whose keel is scheduled for the coming days, will be built in accordance with the new project 23160 “Kometa-120M”. This project allegedly combines the best developments of past years, as well as modern technologies and electronic equipment. According to the figurative expression of the General Director and Chief Designer of the Central Design Bureau for SPK S. Platonov, “Kometa-120M” differs from the previous “Kometa” in the same way as the “Sapsan” train differs from a simple electric train.

The new Kometa-120M differs from previous hydrofoils primarily by the widespread use of composite materials in its design. In addition, the control systems have undergone major improvements. As a result of all these measures, it was possible to save several tons and significantly lighten the ship. Reducing the weight of the entire vessel, in turn, made it possible to change the draft and the design of the hydrofoils, which ultimately had a beneficial effect on performance. The declared maximum speed of the Comet-120M is about 60 knots, which exceeds the capabilities of all previous vessels of this class.

Project 23160 vessels are proposed to be equipped with modern electronic navigation and communication equipment. At the IMDS-2013 salon, the Central Design Bureau for SPK demonstrated not only models of its hydrofoils, but also a full-scale model of the Comet-120M control systems. All the usual instruments on the panel have been replaced by several large monitors, and most of the controls have given way to push-button remote controls. At the same time, the functionality and information content of the new systems fully corresponds, and in some respects even exceeds the corresponding indicators of the systems used previously.

The declared economic qualities of the new vessel "Kometa-120M" will probably be of interest to potential customers. The payback period is determined to be five years, and the total service life with timely maintenance should exceed 25 years. During this period, the ship will be able to carry up to 120 passengers on each voyage. It is especially noted that two versions of the Comet-120M are available for order, intended for use on rivers and at sea. Most of the design of both options has no differences, but the ship for the sea will have a different anti-corrosion coating on the structural elements and a hydrofoil of a different shape, adapted for operation in sea conditions.

Construction of the first hydrofoil vessel of the Kometa-120M project will begin literally any day. Subsequently, the Central Design Bureau for hydrofoils named after. R.E. Alekseeva plans to bring several more similar projects to production. Thus, at the last exhibition, a model of the hydrofoil vessel Project 23170 “Cyclone-250M”, designed to carry 250 passengers, was demonstrated. In addition, in the coming years, serial construction of Project 23180 Valdai-45R ships, capable of carrying about four dozen passengers, may begin. However, these projects are still only plans. First of all, the Central Design Bureau for SPK intends to launch production of the new Komet-120M. Only after these ships go to work on passenger transportation will preparations begin for the construction of other types of shipbuilding complexes.

The impetus for the current work of the Central Design Bureau for hydrofoils and the Vympel shipyard can be considered the Federal Target Program “Development of Civil Maritime Transport”, within the framework of which promising research and development programs are financed. During this program, only the Central Clinical Hospital for SPK named after. R.E. Alekseeva, commissioned by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, is leading several projects, the total cost of which exceeds 590 million rubles. According to available information, the Central Design Bureau is required to prepare four projects for hydrofoil ships and two projects for air-cavity ships by 2014, as well as conduct several research programs necessary for the implementation of other projects.

The high characteristics of the new hydrofoil vessels, as well as extensive experience in operating such equipment, suggest that the Kometa-120M will be of interest to potential customers and will enter service in certain numbers with carrier companies. It is too early to talk about specific prospects for TsKB’s new SPK projects, since construction of the first vessel of the new project has not even begun.

At the end of the 19th century, the first attempts to build hydrofoil ships began. The first country that decided to develop the speed of water transport is France. It was there that de Lambert, a designer of Russian origin, proposed creating a ship with wings under water. He suggested that when using hydrofoils or propellers, some kind of air cushion would be created under the ship. Due to it, water resistance will be much less and ships equipped with hydrofoils will be able to reach much higher speeds. But the project was not implemented, since the power of steam engines was simply not enough.

History of the development of hydrofoil boats

At the beginning of the last century, the Italian aircraft designer E. Forlanini was nevertheless able to realize Laber’s idea of ​​hydrofoils. And this happened thanks to the emergence and use of new, powerful gasoline engines. Multi-tiered wings and 75 hp motor. With. on gasoline, did their job, the ship was able not only to stand on its wings, but also reached a record speed of 39 knots at that time.

A little later, the American inventor improved the design, increasing the ship's speed to a record 70 knots. Later, already in 1930, an engineer from Germany invented wings of a more ergonomic shape, reminiscent of the Latin letter V. The new wing shape allowed the ship to stay on the water, even in strong waves, with a speed of up to 40 knots.

Russia also became one of the countries that were engaged in similar developments and in 1957, a famous Soviet shipbuilder developed a series of large boats codenamed:

• Rocket;
• Meteor;
• Comet.

The ships were very popular in the foreign market, they were purchased by countries such as the USA, Great Britain, as well as countries of the Middle East. Widespread use of hydrofoil boats served for military purposes, for reconnaissance of territory and patrolling maritime borders.

Soviet and Russian military hydrofoil boats

The Navy had about 80 hydrofoil boats. The following types were distinguished:

• Small anti-submarine ships. In terms of technical components, the boat consisted of an engine with two turbines with a capacity of 20 thousand hp. pp., middle side rudder, thruster, located in the bow of the ship and two rotary columns located at the stern. The main advantages were high speed and a radio station that operated over thousands of kilometers. The ship weighed 475 tons and was 49 meters long and 10 meters wide. The speed was 47 knots, with autonomy up to 7 days. The ships were armed with two or four tube torpedo tubes, and the ammunition load was 8 missiles.
• Boats of project 133 “Antares”. Any boat from this series had such technical characteristics as a displacement of 221 tons, a length of 40 meters and a width of 8 meters. The maximum speed was 60 knots, with a range of 410 miles. The power plants consisted of two gas turbine engines of the M-70 series, with a capacity of 10 thousand hp. With. each. The armament included a 76-mm artillery system with 152 rounds of ammunition and a 30-mm anti-aircraft gun with 152 rounds of ammunition. In addition, most of the ships had 6 BB-1 class depth charges and an MRG-1 grenade launcher and one bomb releaser. It was considered a great advantage that the ship was capable of reaching speeds of up to 40 knots in a force five storm.

At one time, all developed countries managed to take part in the construction of hydrofoil boats, but Soviet ships are considered the best. During the Soviet era, about 1,300 hydrofoil ships were built. The main disadvantages of the ships were considered to be low fuel efficiency and the impossibility of approaching an unequipped shore.

In 1990, the last hydrofoil boat was put out of service. Over the entire history of that ship, it was controlled by 4 captains - V.M. Dolgikh and E.V. Vanyukhin - captains of the third rank, V.E. Kuzmichev and N.A. Goncharov - lieutenant captain. Subsequently, it was transferred to the OFI for disarmament and cut into metal.

The concept of hydrofoils, which made it possible to dramatically increase the speed of ships, was proposed back in the 19th century. Since then, this design, embodied in thousands of ships, has come a long way and is now widely used in shipbuilding.

To be meticulous, we are talking about more than a century. Back in 1869, Parisian Emmanuel Denis Farcot received a patent with the formula: “Attaching inclined planes or wedge-shaped elements to the sides and bottom of a vessel, which, when the vessel moves forward, will lift it in the water and thus reduce drag.” In the years that followed, many patents were issued regarding various methods of lifting a vessel (wholly or partially) above the water in order to increase its speed or improve its performance on waves. The Comte de Lambert, a Russian citizen living in Versailles, applied for the patent in 1891. He attached several independently adjustable wings (lifting planes) along the sides of the ship, which were supposed to lift the ship above the water as speed increased. However, the very location of these primitive wings, in principle, did not make it possible to completely lift the ship above the surface of the water.

"Raketa" - the first Soviet passenger ship

But the real history of the hydrofoil begins with Italian engineer Enrico Forlanini. He began working on the hydrofoil in 1898, and a series of model tests allowed him to derive mathematical principles. Based on the formulas, he began designing and building a full-scale vessel. Forlanini's designs were distinguished by a “stepped” arrangement of wings. Experiments with models showed that lift was proportional to the square of the speed - thus, as speed increased, less wing area was required. The “stepped” scheme was invented precisely in order to ensure automatic reduction in area. The experimental vessel weighed about 1,200 kg and was powered by a 60-horsepower engine that drove two counter-rotating propellers. The design speed of the vessel was 90 km/h, but during tests on Lake Maggiore in Italy in 1906, a speed of 68 km/h was achieved.

Early experiments with hydrofoils brought the greatest fame to an American living in Canada. It was Alexander Graham Bell. Along with Frederick W. (Casey) Baldwin and Philip L. Rhodes, he designed and built several hydrofoils, including the HD-4, powered by twin Liberty engines. On September 9, 1919, this ship set an official speed record, showing 114 km/h. Later, to improve the driving performance of the HD-4, many changes were made to the design, but this record remained officially unsurpassed.

The initial stage of the history of hydrofoils would be incomplete without paying tribute to the genius of Baron Hans von Schertel. Experiments of “Baron” (as his friends called him) with hydrofoils began in 1927. The fact that hydrofoils have evolved from an unreliable, unstable exotic toy capable of running only “on smooth water” into modern safe, efficient, high-speed means of transportation is largely due to von Schertel.

Meanwhile, interest in submersibles had revived in Canada, and a 15-meter, five-ton boat based on Baldwin's latest designs was built on Lake Massawippi in Quebec. After several demonstration tests in fairly rough weather, the ship was transported to the Naval Research Institute, where it received the official name R-100. However, the unofficial name - "Massawippi" - was used much more often. Experiments with the R-100 were considered successful, and the Canadian government decided to finance the construction of another experimental vessel by Saunders-Roe in England. The R-103, with a displacement of 17 tons, had an aluminum hull (the R-100 was all wood), stacked wings and struts made of sheet aluminum, riveted to aluminum ribs and stringers (previously these elements were monolithic). The propulsion unit was organized in a fundamentally new way - the transmission shafts were connected at right angles through bevel gears, the stern tube, like in an outboard motor, went vertically down, and at its end there was a fairing with two screws - at the back and at the front. This complex design is radically different from the simple long and downward sloping shaft of the R-100. Two 12-cylinder Rolls Royce Griffon gasoline engines with a power of 1,500 hp were installed on board.

Experimental boat of the founder of the hydrofoil concept, Enrico Forlanini. The wings were arranged in a “stack” (steps), and this made it possible to solve the problem of reducing the wing area with increasing speed in order to maintain a constant lift force. During testing on Lake Maggiore, the boat reached 68 km/h.

Then different times came, and the attention of the Canadian military focused on the fight against submarines. The role assigned to hydrofoil ships in these strategic plans required maximum mobility and versatility. A very cost-effective alternative to developing powerful long-range sonars that would be installed on large ships involved deploying a large number of low-power devices. In 1964, the hull of the new vessel BRAS D'OR was laid down, but on November 5, 1966, during construction work, a devastating fire occurred in the main engine room, which almost led to the termination of the entire program. And yet, despite all the delays and additional financial expenses, a new ship with the index FHE-400 and the same name BRAS D’OR was launched in 1967. Subsequently, this ship was used in tests and experiments, and also participated in naval parades.

Hydrofoils can be divided into two general classes - partially submerged and fully submerged foils. The partially submerged wings are designed so that their tips penetrate the water-air interface during cruising mode. The struts connecting the wings to the hull of the vessel must be of sufficient length so that when moving at design speeds, the hull does not touch the water at all. As the speed increases, the lift force caused by the flow of incoming water around the underwater part of the wing increases; as a result, the ship rises somewhat, and, accordingly, the area of ​​the submerged part of the wing decreases. This system is self-stabilizing: at any speed, the ship will rise exactly enough to ensure that the lifting force of the wing is equal to the weight of the entire ship.

In Russia, unlike the United States and the entire Western world in general, many thousands of hydrofoils were widely used in regular navigation on many rivers, canals and lakes. This is easy to understand if you consider that in a huge country with a general shortage of cars and roads, there are 150,000 rivers and 250,000 lakes. Krasnoye Sormovo in Gorky is one of the oldest shipyards in the Soviet Union. At this shipyard, in addition to a variety of displacement ships for the river fleet, many passenger hydrofoil ships were also built, and the variety of models had no analogues throughout the world. The father of Soviet hydrofoil boats was Rostislav Alekseev, who had been developing such systems since the early 1940s.

Fully submerged hydrofoils are below the surface of the water. In this configuration, the hydrofoil system lacks the ability to self-stabilize. In response to changing conditions - ship speed, weight, waves - it is necessary to change the angle of attack of the wings and their lift. The main and invaluable advantage of a system with fully submerged wings is the ability to practically eliminate the impact of waves on the vessel. This allows a relatively small hydrofoil to move at high speeds in rough seas without affecting the comfort of passengers and crew, and in military applications without interfering with the use of combat equipment.

The ships used the effect of a low-submerged hydrofoil (Alekseev effect). Alekseev's hydrofoil consists of two main horizontal load-bearing planes - one at the front and one at the rear. The toe-in dihedral angle is either small or absent, and the weight distribution is approximately equal between the front and rear planes. A submerged hydrofoil, rising to the surface, gradually loses lift, and at a depth approximately equal to the length of the wing chord, the lift approaches zero.

It is due to this effect that the submerged wing is not able to fully come to the surface. In this case, a relatively small hydroplaning (sliding along the surface of the water) fender liner is used to help with “coming out on the wing”, and also does not allow the ship to return to displacement mode. These fender liners are located in close proximity to the front struts and are mounted so that they touch the surface of the water while moving, while the main wings are submerged to approximately a depth equal to the length of their chord. This entire system was first tested on a small boat powered by a 77-horsepower automobile engine.

Based on the arrangement of the wings, they distinguish between an aircraft pattern, a canard pattern, and a tandem pattern (from top to bottom). Vessels are usually classified as an aircraft (conventional) or canard configuration if 65% of the weight or more falls on the bow or stern props, respectively. If the weight is distributed relatively evenly, this configuration is commonly called a "tandem".

Based on Alekseev’s developments, a large number of commercial hydrofoil vessels were built in Russia: “Raketa”, “Strela”, “Sputnik”, “Meteor”, “Kometa”, “Cyclone”, “Burevestnik”, “Voskhod”... They were also built military vessels, including the largest ship of this class in the world, the “Butterfly”, which was preceded by the “Bee”, “Turya” and “Locust”.

Hydrofoil principle

The essence of the concept is to lift the ship's hull out of the water and maintain it in this position in a dynamic mode, using planes called hydrofoils. As a result, it is possible to reduce the influence of waves and reduce energy consumption when moving at high speeds, often unattainable in normal (displacement) mode. The price you pay is increased draft at low speeds and stability problems. For ships with fully submerged wings, which almost completely “isolate” the ship’s hull from the influence of waves, but lack self-stabilization, an “autopilot” is required that monitors the position of the ship and corrects the lift of the wings by changing the angle of attack and deflecting the flaps.

Western Europe also did not stand aside. Gustoverft in Holland, Westermoen in Norway, Vosper Thornycroft in Great Britain are actively engaged in the development and construction of hydrofoils. But the most successful commercial projects developed and built in Western Europe are, of course, the works of the Italian Rodriquez Centieri Navali. Among its many products, it would be worth noting the RHS series of commercial vessels. Over the years, the vessels of this series grew in size and ventured into those waters where their wings, in principle designed to glide across the surface, were subjected to such loads that are not found in rivers, lakes and coastal lagoons. To create acceptable conditions for passengers, the Rodriquez company has developed a “Seakeeping Augmentation System” (SAS), which, as practice has shown, is very successful in combating vertical, pitching and roll in fairly strong waves.

The Boeing Jetfoil had water-jet propulsion, fully submerged wings, a cruising speed of 45 knots in fairly high waves, and at the same time provided decent comfort for passengers.

In the early 1950s, the New York shipbuilding firm Gibbs & Cox joined forces with a group of specialists from the US Navy to create a universal hydrofoil prototype. The apparatus was built by the Bath Iron Works and named BIW. It was a boat 6 m long, one and a half meters wide and with a displacement of 0.8 tons, with a 22-horsepower outboard motor. BIW was very useful for testing various hydrofoil layouts, control systems, and various sensors. The most important result of this work was the basis for the development of an electro-hydraulic autopilot, as well as the decision to build a new vessel of this series - SEA LEGS (Sailor's Gait). The electronic autopilot, containing 160 radio tubes, was developed by Draper Laboratory in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1957, SEA LEGS made its maiden voyage, demonstrating excellent seaworthiness in high waves at speeds of up to 27 knots.

The fastest ferry in the world. The hybrid vessel with a forward hydrofoil Superfoil 40, built by the Almaz Marine Plant, has a cruising speed of more than 100 km/h.

This success inspired shipbuilders, and the American Navy began seriously working on experimental hydrofoils. These were Little Squirt, Hydrodynamic Test System (HTS), Foil Research Experimental Supercavitating Hydrofoil (FRESH-1). Several experimental vehicles were built by Boeing and Grumman/Lockheed Shipbuilding - High Point (PCH-1), Flagstaff (PGH-1), Tucumcari (PGH-2) and Plainview (AGEH-1). From the 57-ton Flagstaff to the 320-ton Plainview, the craft clearly demonstrated the capabilities and potential applications of hydrofoils in military operations. As a result, the Boeing Marine Systems division built the PHM (Patrol Hydrofoil Missile Ship) patrol vessel specifically for the US Navy. According to NATO plans, it was planned to build 26 such ships, but Germany and Italy refused to participate in this project, so that from 1977 to 1982, only six ships, named after constellations, entered service: PHM-1 PEGASUS (“Pegasus”), PHM -2 HERCULES (“Hercules”), PHM-3 TAURUS (“Taurus”), PHM-4 AQUILA (“Eagle”), PHM-5 ARIES (“Aries”) and PHM-6 GEMINI (“Gemini”).

Hybrids

Vessels, the design of which simultaneously uses two or more methods of maintaining on the water (or above the water) in most modes, are usually called hybrid. They use hydrofoils to generate lift, complementing conventional buoyancy.
1. Hydrofoils with a small waterline area. This is a hybrid of the hydrofoil principle and the SWATH (small waterline area ships) developments that were carried out in the 1970s and 1980s at the US Surface Warfare Research Center. The vessel consists of two hulls: one completely submerged hull with a completely recessed fender system, and above this another hull, supported completely above the water by a thin and long longitudinal strut. At low speed, buoyancy is provided by the displacement of the lower hull, the strut and a small segment of the upper hull. As speed increases, the dynamic lift of the wings lifts the upper hull above the water, and the waterline area (the horizontal cross-section of the thin strut) becomes extremely small. In this mode, the lower hull and submerged part of the strut provide 70% of the total buoyancy (due to displacement), and the wing system provides the remaining 30%. In the 1990s, the US Navy funded an attempt to build a demonstrator called QUEST. Maritime Applied Physics Corporation in Baltimore designed, built, launched and successfully tested the nine-metre, 12-ton vessel. QUEST had a speed of 35 knots in almost two-meter waves. More recently, Rodriquez developed the Aliswath, which uses a similar principle. It is reported that this large vessel - it will be a car and passenger ferry - should be launched as early as 2007.
2. Hydrofoil catamaran. Much of the work on the hydrofoil-assisted catamaran concept was done by Dr. Hopp, a naval engineer at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. This hybrid is a catamaran with completely asymmetrical hulls, between which a hydrofoil is located. In English, such catamarans are called Hydrofoil Supported Catamaran, and are designated by the abbreviation HYSUCAT. Variations of this concept are often used in the construction of passenger ferries (like the Foilcat).
3. Planing hulls/integrated wings. This configuration was proposed by Navatek - it was they who developed and tested various configurations of planing hulls with wings in different combinations. Since 1996, successful demonstrations of this principle have been carried out on prototype Midfoil and Waverider vessels. Using computer fluid dynamics calculation programs and involving specialists from the University of California at Long Beach, Navatek took a new step in the development of planing hulls - an integrated wing (Blended Wing Body, BWB). The main purpose of BWB is to improve the seaworthiness and speed of existing or designed types of vessels.
4. Vessels with a front fender. The stern of such a vessel seems to “drag” through the water. A typical example of this approach is the Superfoil 40 catamaran, built by Almaz Marine Plant according to a project by the St. Petersburg branch of the British company MTD (Marine Technology Development) and commissioned by the Estonian company Linda Lines Express. This ship is the fastest passenger ferry in the world, it is capable of reaching a speed of 55 knots (over 100 km/h), so the trip on the Tallinn-Helsinki route takes only 50 minutes.

But instead of modernizing these ships, the leadership of the American fleet decided to write them off in 1993. Later, some of these boats were sold under the hammer, and some were scrapped. Since then and to this day, the US Navy has been doing nothing but making plans, doing “paper developments” and going through designs for ships with a displacement from 615 to 2400 tons: Corvette Escort, DBH, PCM, Grumman HYD-2...

During the 1990s, the commercial direction developed in its own way, absorbing new design solutions from Japan, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Italy and the USA. One of the new Russian developments is the Cyclone vessel with a cruising speed of 42 knots (78 km/h) - an enlarged double-deck version of the Comet, designed for 250 passengers and equipped with an electronic automatic control system. An even newer Russian design, the Olympia, is the pinnacle in the development of large vessels capable of operating routes almost on the open sea.

Boeing's Jetfoil model went into production in the mid-1970s and has served well in many parts of the world. At that time, this was the height of perfection for commercial hydrofoils. In 1989, Kawasaki acquired a license from Boeing and launched its own production of the Jetfoil model. Many devices from this series are still in service in the vicinity of Hong Kong. There, in Japan, Mitsubishi designed and built several passenger hydrofoils called Rainbow.

In Sweden and Norway, devices with a catamaran hull and wings mounted on relatively short struts, such as Westamarin's Foilcat 2900, were operated on Baltic lines.

In 1994, the Italian company Rodriquez released the Foilmaster, another example of the careful layout of a pusher propeller with the appropriate wing profile for maximum performance, but with the traditional layout of stern propellers driven by a long inclined shaft.

“Burevestnik”, “Sputnik”, “Comet” and “Meteor” - the names of these Soviet ships gave rise to romantic thoughts about flight. Although we were talking only about a river trip. However, it’s hard to say, a trip on a hydrofoil is also swimming, but there is something of flying in it. These ships, which in general terms were called rockets and could reach speeds of 150 km/h (carrying up to 300 passengers), were the same symbol of the USSR of the 60s - 80s, like the real space rockets that roamed the Bolshoi Theater outer space.

The severe economic crisis (if not an industrial disaster) of the 90s led to a sharp reduction in the number of ships of this class. Now let's remember the brief history of these unusual ships.

The principle of movement of these ships was twofold. At low speed, such a ship moves like an ordinary ship, that is, due to the buoyant force of water (hello to Archimedes). But when it develops high speed, due to the hydrofoils these ships have, a lifting force arises, which lifts the ship above the water. That is, a hydrofoil is both a ship and, as it were, an airplane at the same time. He just flies low.

Perhaps the most elegant high-speed hydrofoil was the so-called. gas turbine ship "Burevestnik". It was developed by the Central Design Bureau of the SPK R. Alekseev in the city of Gorky and, with a length of 42 meters, could reach a design speed of 150 km/h (although there is no data that the ship ever reached such a speed).

The first (and only) experimental vessel, Burevestnik, was built in 1964.

It was operated by the Volga Shipping Company on the Volga along the route Kuibyshev - Ulyanovsk - Kazan - Gorky.

What made this vessel especially impressive were the two aircraft gas turbine engines on its sides (such engines were used on the IL-18 aircraft).

In such a ship, travel should indeed resemble flight.

The captain's cabin was particularly elegant, the design of which was reminiscent of the design of futuristic American limousines of the 50s (the photo below, however, is not the cabin of the Burevestnik, but about the same).

Unfortunately, having worked until the end of the 70s, the unique 42-meter “Burevestnik” was written off due to wear and tear, and remained in a single copy. The immediate reason for the decommissioning was an accident in 1974, when the Burevestnik collided with a tug, severely damaging one side and the gas turbine engine. After this, it was restored, as they say, “somehow” and after some time its further operation was considered unprofitable.

Another type of hydrofoil was the Meteor.

The Meteors were smaller than the Burevestnik (34 meters in length) and not as fast (no more than 100 km/h). Meteors were produced from 1961 to 1991 and, in addition to the USSR, were also supplied to the countries of the socialist camp.

A total of four hundred motor ships of this series were built.

Unlike the aircraft engines of the Burevestnik, the Meteors flew using diesel engines driving propellers typical of ships.

Vessel control panel:

But the most famous hydrofoil is probably the Raketa.

“Rocket” was first presented in Moscow in 1957 at the International Student Youth Festival.

The leader of the USSR Nikita Khrushchev himself then expressed himself in the spirit that, they say, it’s enough to swim along rivers in rusty bathtubs, it’s time to travel in style.

However, at that time only the first experimental “Rocket” was running along the Moscow River, and after the festival it was sent for trial operation to the Volgna on the Gorky-Kazan line. The ship covered a distance of 420 km in 7 hours. An ordinary ship would travel the same route for 30 hours. As a result, the experiment was considered successful and “Rocket” went into production.

Another famous Soviet ship is the Comet.

"Comet" was a naval version of "Meteor". This 1984 photo shows two Comets in the seaport of Odessa:

"Comet" was developed in 1961. They were mass-produced from 1964 to 1981 at the Feodosia shipyard "More". A total of 86 Komets were built (including 34 for export).

One of the “Comets” that has survived to this day in a bright design:

By the beginning of the 70s, “Rockets” and “Meteors” were already considered obsolete ships and the “Voskhod” was developed to replace them.

The first ship of the series was built in 1973. A total of 150 Voskhods were built, some of which were exported (China, Canada, Austria, Hungary, the Netherlands, etc.). In the 90s, production of Voskhods was stopped.

Sunrise in the Netherlands:

Among other types of hydrofoils, it is worth remembering the Sputnik.

It was truly a monster. At the time of construction of the first Sputnik ship (October 1961), it was the world's largest passenger hydrofoil ship. Its length was 47 meters, and its passenger capacity was 300 people!

"Sputnik" was first operated on the Gorky - Tolyatti line, but then, due to its low landing, it was transferred to the lower Volga on the Kuibyshev - Kazan line. But he spent only three months on this line. On one of the voyages, the ship encountered a sinkhole, after which it stood in a ship repair yard for several years. At first they wanted to cut it into scrap metal, but then they decided to install it on the Togliatti embankment. “Sputnik” was placed next to the river station, where it housed a cafe of the same name, which with its appearance continues to delight (or frighten) the residents of Avtograd (proof).

The marine version of Sputnik was called “Whirlwind” and was intended for sailing in waves up to 8 points.

It is also worth remembering the ship “Chaika”, which was created in a single copy and took 70 passengers on board, but reached a speed of up to 100 km/h

Another rare one we can’t help but mention is “Typhoon”...

...and "Swallow"

A story about Soviet hydrofoils would be incomplete without a story about a man who devoted his life to creating these ships.

Rostislav Evgenievich Alekseev (1916-1980) - Soviet shipbuilder, creator of hydrofoils, ekranoplanes and ekranoplanes. Yacht designer, winner of all-Union competitions, master of sports of the USSR.

He came to the idea of ​​hydrofoils while working during the war (1942) to create combat boats. His boats did not have time to take part in the war, but in 1951 Alekseev was awarded the Stalin Prize of the second degree for the development and creation of hydrofoils. It was his team that created “Rocket” in the 50s, and then, starting in 1961, almost every year a new project: “Meteor”, “Comet”, “Sputnik”, “Burevestnik”, “Voskhod”. In the 60s, Rostislav Evgenievich Alekseev began work on creating the so-called. "Ekranoplans" - ships for the airborne forces, which were supposed to hover above the water at a height of several meters. In January 1980, during testing of a passenger ground-propelled aircraft, which was to be put into operation for the 1980 Olympics, Alekseev was seriously injured. He died from these injuries on February 9, 1980. After his death, the idea of ​​ekranoplanes was never returned to.

And now I offer some more photos of these incredibly beautiful hydrofoils:

Built in 1979, Comet-44 is today operated in Turkey:

Project "Olympia"

Project "Katran"

Double-decker monster "Cyclone"

Ship cemetery near Perm.

Bar "Meteor" in Kanev (Ukraine)

Red Meteor in China

But even today these ships of the 60s designs look quite futuristic.