attached vertically to a block-type sponson, do essentially the same thing, but the effect can be even more dramatic, because the flat paddle or rudder portion of the sponson provides a sharper and more pronounced edge to catch the water. Aircraft On flying boats—as first patented by Claudius Dornier and first used on the Kaiserliche Marines German World War I flying boat, the Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.IV—a sponson can help extend the hull higher in the water, reducing drag and providing additional lift when the plane is taking off. Helicopters may also feature one or more sponsons, and though most helicopters are not designed to land in or take off from water, these safety features are important should the aircraft crash land in water. Sponsons on a helicopter can also store fuel or landing gear, e.g., Sikorsky S-92 and Bell 222. When mounted on aircraft, they must be adjusted properly for aerodynamics when the aircraft is in flight; if they are not adjusted properly, the aircraft might become unstable or damage to the aircraft might occur. Military On land vessels, such as tanks or other military vehicles, and on naval warships, a sponson may refer to a mounting or enclosure projecting from the side or top of the structure/hull that is not used for buoyancy, but for armaments such as machine guns, or for purposes of visibility. In the case of warships of the late 19th to early 20th Centuries, the sponson could be enclosed and combined with a casemate, similar to those of early British heavy tanks. Alternatively, a sponson could be open-topped for a pivoting gun (which could be fitted with a backless blast shield or unshielded). Often a collapsing bulwark would be mounted around the edge of an sponson to improve seaworthiness. Later examples of open-topped sponsons on warships were even used to mount fully-enclosed turrets upon and were sometimes combined with an embrasure of the hull. It can be used for storage as well as a transport platform for people entering or leaving the vehicle. It may also provide layers of bulletproof protection and storage space, as found over the tracks of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. See also Anti-torpedo bulge - aka blister Costa Concordia salvage—an example of sponsons in use Ship camel—related technology of external flotation tanks affixed on a ship to reduce her draught References Shipbuilding Aircraft components Military technology