Chinese LCAC Development - 1950s-1970s
Since the late 1950s, China has been working on the application of air cushion technology and the development of hovercraft. For more than 40 years, in the aspect of air cushion technology, through the principle research, model test, intermediate test and trial use, the technology of full pad lift and side wall hovercraft has been basically mastered, and the development and application stage of practical models have been entered. The development and application of air cushion technology has adapted to the special needs of the military and civilians, and created conditions for the navigation and login of ships in specific environments (such as shallow water rapids, rivers and shoals, shallow beaches and ice and snow areas).
In the late 1950s, in order to explore new air cushion technology, more than 40 units across the country organized forces to start principle research and model tests, and then trial production manned tests. Some units used aviation engines for propulsion, air propulsion or jet propulsion; some units have developed hovercrafts to log in; others have developed land-based experimental ground effectors called “driving cars”. ", "wheelless car", "air cushion aircraft" and so on. Although the names are different, the essence is a full pad-lifting air cushion model. At the time, these test boats were not equipped with aprons, and the maneuverability was poor. Many problems were found in both sea and land tests, and they only stayed in the principled application research stage.
In 1960, Zhang Aiping, deputy director of the National Defense Science and Technology Commission, presided over the National Air Cushion Technology Conference. After the on-site exhibition of various types of test vehicles and test boats, the ship was the main research direction, and decided to shorten the front line, relatively concentrated, step by step, and key technologies. The problem organization has collaborated and tackled the situation, which has changed the situation of “spreading everywhere”. After 1961, the country was in a period of adjustment, the research funding was short, and the supply of materials was difficult. Many units stopped research on air cushion technology and there was a big ups and downs.
In 1962, the National Science and Technology Commission Ship Professional Group organized the development of the ship science and technology development ten years (1963 to 1972), and the development of air cushion technology was included in the planning project. The Science and Technology Commission decided to focus on the Seventh Institute and continue to organize research work.
From 1963 to 1967, Shenyang Songling Machinery Factory in Northeast China developed a full-lift air cushion test boat "Songling L", "Songling 2" and "Songling 3" using aviation piston engines. In the initial stage, a single-layer peripheral apron was used, and then the peripheral jet ham-shaped flexible apron was used. The trial test was carried out in the Songhua River, Lushun offshore and Liaohe water network.
The Shanghai 708 Research Institute specially organized the organization and established a research institute. In the five years after 1963, the Shanghai East Shipyard successively produced small-sized full-cushion air cushion test boats 711-1 and 711-2 with a total weight of 4 tons. In the early stage, only the hard peripheral jet was used, and then the ham-shaped flexible apron was added. Finally, the capsule-shaped apron was changed on the 71l-2 boat. After the completion, the test was repeated in Shanghai Dianshan Lake and Huangpu River to study the hovercraft sailing. Basic performance is related to problems such as flying, propelling, burying, tilting, stability and side drift. After the 711-2 boat was improved, a variable pitch positive and negative pitch controlled pitch air propeller was adopted. The electro-mechanical system operation and driving of the whole boat was controlled by one person, and the apron lifting and rudder linkage enabled the boat to have a large radius of gyration. The reduction and maneuverability had been greatly improved. It has the ability to smoothly enter the river, return to shore, and surpass the ditch. The speed of the lake testing reached 98 km/h.
In 1967, during the trial of the Jinsha River section in Sichuan and the Xishuangbanna River in Yunnan, the beach was successfully crossed. After the boat returned to Shanghai, it was improved, and it traveled along the Huangpu River and the Yangtze River to the coast of Zhoushan for the wave resistance test. During this period, in order to explore the rigid structure of water inlet on both sides of the hull to form the side wall to facilitate the propeller propulsion, the 708 Institute designed and prototyped the side wall air cushion test boat 711-3 in 1966. After the navigation test of the mountain lake and the Huangpu River, a series of intermediate tests were carried out in the Jinsha River, the Lancang River and Zhoushan, and the rapid flow and the whirlpool water were successfully passed (there were also lateral stability, first and last gas seal, first hydrofoil, etc.) Test), achieved initial success. Through the above-mentioned multiple tests of various types of intermediate test boats, China has practically mastered the basic laws of air cushion technology for ships.
In the winter of 1965, Zhang Youzhen, deputy director of the State Science and Technology Commission, held a seminar on ship technology policy, decided to promote the development of domestic hovercraft, and developed a trial boat with the goal of solving the urgent needs of the military and civilians. Since then, there have been a full-pad-lift test boat type 2, a side wall test, a test boat type 4, which was gradually pushed from the inland river to the coastal in-depth test.
In the late 1960s, in order to meet the transportation needs between the coastal islands, the General Logistics Department of the People's Liberation Army commissioned the 708 Institute to design a full-lift air cushion traffic trial boat type 716, which was built by Hudong Shipyard in 1978. The total weight of the boat is 16 tons, and the designed payload is 2 tons. It was tested in Dianshan Lake at that time and the speed was 100 km/h. Afterwards, it was transferred to the Guangdong Sea Area for trial use, and it was found that the aviation piston engine used high-volatility gasoline to cause accidents and stopped using it.
After the 1960s, domestic research on sidewall air cushion trial boats was very active. In the late 1960s, in order to meet the needs of the rapid traffic passenger transportation of the Chuanjiang River and the Jinsha River, the 708 Institute designed it. The Hudong Shipyard built the 713 type of side-mounted hovercraft, and in 1971, it was handed over to the Chongqing Steamship Company for trial use. The boat is made of aluminum. It is powered by the first domestically produced 12V135 supercharged high-speed diesel engine, which carries more than 80 passengers. However, due to the host failure, maintenance is difficult, and the economic benefits are poor, it is not officially operated. It is idle after 1973. In 1977, the boat was modified and repaired. It was set up with other hovercraft for long-range trials. It sailed from Chongqing to Yibin and went back to Jinshajiang to Xinshi Town. After returning to Yibin, it went back to Lijiang and then returned to Chongqing. The boat withstood the test of rapids, steep walls, shoals, large eddies and sharp turns.
In 1967, the General Logistics Department of the People's Liberation Army entrusted the 708 Research Institute to design and build a new type of shipbuilding plant to build a shallow water rapids section with a water jet propulsion sidewall type naval boat type 717. The boat was built in 1973, with a total weight of 12 tons and a load of 2 tons. It is powered by a domestic 12V150ZC diesel engine with a power of 220 kW and a speed of only 42.8 km/h, which has not met the design requirements. The boat was deactivated after 1975, and was transferred back to the 708 Institute for improvement. The improved model was named 717-A. Its maneuverability was good. It was convenient to leave the dock. The speed of the river reached 48.5 km/h and it was able to drive in the crowded channel.
Since the 1970s, the Shanghai Institute of Marine Transportation Science has been committed to the development of a fiberglass hull structure suitable for use in air-conditioned areas. In view of the characteristics of shallow inland water, more bays, more ships, and less rapid speed, a double-fan 5-ton all-glass steel side wall test boat was developed. The trial was successful in 1975.
In 1970, the 708 Institute designed the 719 type coastal side air cushion test boat for steel hull and FRP superstructure. The main engine used three 12V180Z high-speed diesel engines, each with a power of 880 kW. Due to the turmoil of the decade, the boat was not completed until 1978. The speed of the boat was low, only 64.8 km / h. From 470 nautical miles of Fuzhou Changhang to Shanghai, many tests were carried out along the way, and problems such as shaft vibration, apron tearing and tail seal mud were found. In 1983, the boat was improved to be named Model 717-1. The length of the boat increased by 6.5 meters, the total weight increased to 96 tons, the number of passengers increased to 180, and the speed was 57 km/h. The economy improved. The boat was under construction by the Wuhu Shipyard and was operated by Nanjing Tourism Company after completion.
Through the various types of test boats in the rivers and coastal areas, China basically mastered the law of air cushion technology for the lifting, propulsion, rapidity, stability and maneuverability of ships, and practiced And theoretically began to study the seaworthiness of hovercraft, laying the foundation for practical use.
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