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Tuesday, November 04, 2014

Wing in Ground: Is WiGgy Coming Back?

Soviet WiG Plane
About 9 years ago, I had a post about Wing in Ground aircraft, Going WiGgy which was a look at the fearsome Soviet Wing in Ground planes of the old days.

WingShip photo
Now it appears a South Korean company WingShip Technology Corp. is looking to revive the concept in a big way. According to The Economist, things are moving right along despite the sad history of previous failures in WiG:
But hope springs eternal, and the Wing Ship Technology Corporation, a South Korean company, is trying to revive the idea. The country’s armed forces have already agreed to buy some and the firm says it hopes to announce its first commercial sales (to an oil-and-gas firm and a Mediterranean ferry company) shortly.
Corporate video:



WingShip suggests a number of uses for their design here, including military:

Similar to development and operation of previous WIG crafts for military purpose by Soviet Union, WSH series is considerably attractive in military market. She could be used for special purpose because it’s hard to detect her during operation.

Hmmm.

1 comment:

  1. Finally. for 33 years now, I have been suggesting that a modified WIG craft would be ideal for Navy and Coast Guard.
    ie: fully rigid-hulled, AMPHIBIOUS, airships. Designed with broad lifting-body shapes and operated in a manner that combines features of lighter-than-air together with wing-in-ground.
    Using lighter-than-air technologies can offset some of the problems inherent in true, full WIG craft.

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