The KM (Korabl Maket), literally "Model-Ship", known colloquially as the Caspian Sea Monster, was an experimental ground effect vehicle developed in the Soviet Union in the 1960s by the Central Hydrofoil Design Bureau. The KM began operation in 1966, and was continuously tested by the Soviet Navy until 1980 when it crashed into the Caspian Sea.
The KM was the largest and heaviest aircraft in the world from 1966 to 1988, and its surprise discovery by the United States and the subsequent attempts to determine its purpose became a distinctive event of espionage during the Cold War.
Specifications
General Characteristics
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- Wingspan 124.2ft (37.9m)
- Length 302.4ft (92.2m)
- Height 91.7ft (27.9m)
- Empty Weight 2,309lbs (1,047kg)
- Loaded Weight 10,792lbs (4,895kg)
Performance
- Power/Weight Ratio 1.015
- Wing Loading 105.5lbs/ft2 (515.3kg/m2)
- Wing Area 102.3ft2 (9.5m2)
- Drag Points 2005
Parts
- Number of Parts 110
- Control Surfaces 2
- Performance Cost 307
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