Ground effect vehicle using a frontal ram air stream and aerodynamic lift

Abstract

A ground effect vehicle apparatus comprising a vehicle body of integral and contiguous construction including a medial portion having an aerodynamic upper surface, and a pair of spaced apart laterally positioned portions separated by the medial portion. Lower extremities of the laterally positioned portions extend downwardly below the medial portion to restrain air flow between them as it moves toward the rear of the body. Forward extremities of the laterally positioned portions extend forward of the medial portion to, again, restrain air flow from moving laterally. Power plants are mounted within the medial portion and support aircraft type propellers positioned forward of the medial portion of the body. The propellers are mechanized for moving over an arcuate vertical range, such that their force vectors are directable between the horizontal and approximately 45 degrees above the horizontal. In this manner, the propeller forces ram air below and to the rear of the medial portion of the vehicle body thereby developing cushion effect lift and forward thrust.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.