These 10 technologies of the USSR could change the country and the world. Each was abandoned for strange reasons.

It is difficult to even imagine how different the past could be, the present and the future, if at least some of the technologies described below would go into series. Back at the beginning of the last century, the USSR came up with a video surveillance system in a modern way, and by the middle of it, a jet car was tested. By the beginning of the new millennium, the inhabitants of the Soviet Union could travel by hovercraft and study marine life on excursion submarines. It is a pity that much of the above remained only on paper.

External Surveillance System Theremin (1920)

Yes, video surveillance in the USSR was thought about at the beginning of the last century – it was invented by Lev Theremin (he also created a special musical instrument called theremin). Closer to 1920, he was invited to the laboratory of Abram Ioffe – at its base they offered to transmit the video sequence over a distance. There he came up with a special scan of the video sequence, which made it possible to transmit the image over a distance through a system of lenses and mirrors. The invention was highly appreciated in the circles of physicists, and the first prototype was tested in the Kremlin and even began to be used. However, once Stalin got into the frame, after which the system was classified. By the end of the 30s, it was no longer even written about in scientific newspapers and magazines.

▶︎ Fact: Voroshilov really liked video surveillance in itself – he showed it to guests and even planned to use it to protect state borders. However, after the incident, this idea had to be shelved.

Underwater plane Ushakov (1934)

The idea of ​​a flying submarine was actively promoted in the wake of the desire to strengthen the fleet of the Soviet Union. By 1934, Konstantin Ushakov proposed to the high command a project for a powerful aircraft that could land on the sea surface, dive under water and monitor the environment using a periscope. By 1937, they wanted to bring the idea to life, but ran into the imperfection of the technologies of their time, as well as a lack of funds. At various institutes of the USSR, Ushakov tried to independently find money for the construction of at least three copies of a specific hydroplane with a compartment for a propeller motor. However, the military ended up scrapping the project, citing its slow underwater movement speed.

Jet amphibious aircraft Bartini (1952)

In the post-war years, the USSR was puzzled by the creation of the most effective bombers to deter potential enemy forces. At that time, Tu-4s were in service, which did not cope with this as well as we would like. The creation of something fundamentally new fell on the shoulders of Robert Bartini. He calculated several layouts using a purely mathematical method and chose the best options. As a result, several projects turned out: first the T-203, and then the A-55 and A-57 (and even the A-58). The latter were amphibians that could land on the water, refuel from ships or submarines, and then continue moving – they were also supposed to have skis for ice. It’s a pity that in the end the project was considered too complicated and not even a prototype was released.

▶︎ Fact: after the closure of the A-57 project, the development of the F-57 began on its basis. It was smaller and not as technologically sophisticated. They tried to bring it to mind for a long time, but in the end they also closed it. The reasons were the same – too complicated and troublesome.

Jet car GAZ-TR “Strela” (1954)

It is important to understand that the engineering potential of the Union was used not only in a military context. This jet car, for example, was created to develop the industry. It had a very aerodynamic profile – the body was sheathed with aluminum sheets, and a directional stability keel was added. On each side of the aircraft are jet engines with a thrust of 1600 kgf (about 16000 newtons). Among the first to get behind the wheel was the champion of the USSR in auto racing Metelev. He was asked not to accelerate the vehicle to a potential 500 km/h, stopping at approximately 300 km/h. The tests were successful, but the Soviet roads were clearly not designed for such high speeds, so the project was eventually curtailed.

“Flying” car GAZ-16 (1962)

If the Soviet Union hadn’t been curtailed so often in automobile projects, by the end of the century the country would certainly have been the world’s leading manufacturer of vehicles. What is the car “all-terrain with aerodynamic unloading” – that’s what they called this conditionally flying miracle. The car could actually both drive on public roads at speeds up to 170 km / h, and soar above them at a height of up to 150 mm using an air cushion. To create the necessary air flow, an engine from a Mi-2 helicopter was used. Tests of the vehicle were quite successful almost everywhere – the only thing, when driving over water, it literally created a fog that limited visibility. It is possible that the project was curtailed precisely because of this.

▶︎ Fact: fragments of the “flying” GAZ-16 car are still kept in the museum of the Gorky Automobile Plant. While viewing this exhibit, it is important to visualize the Soviet version of the film “Back to the Future”.

Jet train based on ER22 (1970)

The final version of the locomotive was to be called the Russian Troika. It’s all the fault of a pair of heavy aircraft engines from the Yak-40, installed on the sides of its front. They created a thrust of 3,000 kgf (about 30,000 newtons). It was assumed that, among other things, there would also be a scientific laboratory inside. Tests of this miracle of technology were quite successful in 1971. Within their framework, the locomotive was able to accelerate to almost 250 km / h. It is difficult to say how appropriate it would be to use such a vehicle in terms of maintenance costs and fuel consumption. However, the project was officially canceled due to the fact that the Soviet railways were not designed for such high speeds.

Melnikov’s all-terrain vehicle (1976)

An introcycle is a motorcycle whose driver is placed inside a single wheel. This type of vehicle was not invented in the USSR. It has been known since the beginning of the last century – in the UK, the USA and other countries of the world there were both electric options and models based on internal combustion engines. In 1976, Eduard Melnikov introduced a similar development on the territory of the Soviet Union. It was positioned as a vehicle that does not need roads at all. Obviously, this had little to do with reality.

▶︎ Fact: The speed record for an introcycle is 98.5 km/h. The Soviet version was not dispersed so much that it did not endanger the life of the driver. Values ​​up to 60 km / h are considered normal for it.

Hovercraft TA-05 (1986)

If the Soviet Union had not eventually broken up into separate countries, it is quite possible that the fastest trains would have traveled along its railways. Already in 1986, not far from Moscow, a locomotive using a magnetic cushion was successfully tested. The vehicle of the new model was able to accelerate to a fantastic 250 km / h – and at the same time it moved relatively silently. However, this was not his only innovation – he also looked very futuristic. However, in 1988, the financing of the project was first suspended, and after the Union ceased to exist, the project had to be closed completely.

Submarine for excursions “Neptune” (1990)

This submarine was supposed to be used for purely tourist purposes – in order to show the guests the underwater world in all colors. The body of the vessel was made of steel – its dimensions were 28 × 4 meters. He had 22 viewing windows and a lot of restrictions. The vessel could not be operated with a wave of more than 2 points, as well as outside the temperature range of 0–35℃. After the collapse of the USSR, the boat was planned to be operated on the island of Antigua in the Caribbean. There, the money invested in the project was supposed to be repaid thanks to regular excursions. However, Neptune was eventually banned from operation due to safety issues.

▶︎ Fact: after the Neptune was sent to Severodvinsk to rust at the pier, there were rumors that the real reason for stopping the operation of the vessel was competition from the American company Atlantis. Apparently, she lobbied for this issue.