Did you know that during the 1930s Vladimir Levkov had designed and built a number of hovercrafts. His design attempts where trying to make vortex engines and mate them with tanks to render them amphibious. Though the results were rumored to have never even progressed beyond mock up stages, photos in this article prove that to be different. The history behind these types of crafts has been almost forgotten by many since WWII. The fact is that the Soviet Union had an experimental military armored cavalry which in today's world has become the hover tank. There are notable differences between and amphibious hovertank and hovercraft. One treads across dry land to move at a rapid rate of speed and the other with a vortex engine can make it float across bogs or slow moving bodies of water. Ultimately this proves that Levkov's designs held a lot of valuable technology.

In Russia, sunbathers were surprised when a hovercraft interrupted a peaceful day at the beach. Hundreds of people became first hand eyewitnesses to the unexpected landing of a 60-meter military hovercraft. The beach was packed with beach-goers, sunbathers and tourists when without a warning the hovercraft approached. There were no injuries but it was reported that the people were afterwards surrounded by Russian military paratroopers. This air-cushioned landing military craft is the Soviet-designed Zubr-class, which is the biggest hovercraft in the world as of 2012. Currently, there are nine active and operational hovercrafts of this kind in the world. It can plant and transport mines and it can sea-lift tanks or marines (assault units) from both non-equipped and equipped vessels to the shore. The hovercraft is being used by the Greek Navy, The Ukrainian Navy and the Russian Navy. Here are the specifications of the Zubr hovercraft: - Cargo area: 400 sq. meters (4,300 sq ft) - Fuel capacity: 56 tons - Cargo capacity: 3 main battle tanks (maximum of 150 tonnes) 10 armored vehicles plus 140 troops (maximum of 131 tonnes) 8 armored personnel carriers (maximum of 115 tonnes) 8 amphibious tanks around 500 troops Here's the video of that incident: