Re: GEVs

On Fri, 3 Dec 1999, Roger Books wrote:

> > Still, I don't think these will make an appearance in the real
world.
> 
> Too late, already been used. :)  The Navy has used them and I believe
> they were used in Viet Nam.

Yep. PACV Patrol Air Cushion Vehicle  US Riverine Forces used them in
the 
Delta. The VC hated them. By the time you heard the things they were
right 
on top of you. The were perfect for riverine delta patrol since then 
could ride right over the tall reeds that were impassable to normal 
hulled PBRs and LCP's.

One of the tactics they would use was flying up into a bed of reeds and 
hiding. They'd wait for VC boats to come through then pop out and swoop 
in. 

Also note that the USN has the LCACs and the Russians have several Air 
Cusion vehicles including a monster that is used for coastal
deployments. 

See members.xoom.com/cmpotter/sk5.html for a rather nice group of images

of PACV's. Armament was 2 .50 cal MGs on top, 2 M60's inside out hte
side

> However, I am encountering another problem that could be
insurmountable.
> GEV over water, when the pressure required to hover (say 10psi)
exceeds
> the mass of the water underneath (not very well put, but I hope it
gets
> the idea across) wouldn't the vehicle sink?  Anyone know at what
pressure
> this would occur.

It would have to be pretty damn high. I would think the size of the
skirt 
would alleviate this. The US has the LCAC which is huge and can carry an

M1. The Russians have even bigger monster hover craft. 

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- Ryan Montieth Gill	  NRA / DoD# 0780 (Smug #1) / AMA / SOHC -
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