- Title: U.K.: HOVERCRAFT DEVELOPMENT CENTRE SHOWS OFF LATEST MODELS AND TEST DEVICES
- Date: 24th July 1965
- Summary: 1. GV HDI HOVERCRAFT OUT OF WATER 0.12 2. CU HDI ONTO BEACH AND STOPS 0.21 3. GV HDI STATIONARY 0.23 4. SV TECHNICIANS TALK WITH COCKERELL (CENTRE) 0.25 5. CU COCKERELL 0.28 6. LV 1/12 SCALE MODEL OF HOVERCRAFT TESTED 0.37 7. CU MODEL STOPPED AND TOWED BACK TO STARTING POSITION 0.42 8. CU WAVE MAKER 0.45 9. SV MODEL OVER SIMULATED WAVES 0.53 10. CU WOMAN OPERATOR 0.54 11. CU PAN 1/15 SCALE MODEL HOVERCRAFT UNDERGOES TEST 1.02 12. SV MODEL OFF LAND INTO WATER AND BACK ONTO LAND AGAIN 1.09 13. CU MODEL INTO WATER FROM RAMP 1.10 14. LV TEST CONTINUES 1.14 Initials AA/V/MR/PC AA/V/MR/OS EMBARGOED UNTIL 1100 HOURS GMT ON TUESDAY 27TH JULY 65 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 8th August 1965 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND
- City:
- Country: United Kingdom
- Reuters ID: LVABMVDWGUKY23RGACPQK9HYC1WB
- Story Text: SINCE 1958, WHEN THE HOVERCRAFT WAS RELEASED FROM OFFICIAL SECRECY RESTRICTIONS, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT HAS GONE AHEAD WITH GREAT SPEED UNDER BRITAIN'S NATIONAL RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION - A GOVERNMENT AGENCY FORMED TO PROMOTE PROMISING INVENTIONS IN THE NATIONAL INTEREST.
BECAUSE OF THE RANGE AND SCOPE OF THE HOVERCRAFT AND ITS APPLICATIONS, A SPECIAL COMPANY WAS FORMED CALLED HOVERCRAFT DEVELOPMENT LTD.THE COMPANY RECENTLY HELD AN OPEN DAY FOR THE PRESS TO SEE HOW RESEARCH IS PROGRESSING.
THE COMPANY DIRECTS ITS WORK INTO THREE MAIN CHANNELS: DEVELOPMENT OF THE FLEXIBLE EXTENSIONS OR "SKIRTS" WHICH SURROUND THE CUSHION OF AIR ON WHICH THE HOVERCRAFT RIDES; PROJECT WORK, SUCH AS THE SUITABILITY OF VARIOUS TYPES OF HOVERCRAFT FOR A PARTICULAR JOB; AND THIRDLY, DEVELOPMENT OF THE "TRACKED HOVERCRAFT" - A HOVERCRAFT WHICH COULD OPERATE OVER A PREPARED TRACK FOR HIGH SPEED LAND TRANSPORTATION.IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE POSSIBILITIES OF THE TRACKED HOVERCRAFT COULD LEAD TO HOVERCRAFT BEING FASTER THAN AIRCRAFT FOR JOURNEYS UP TO 500 MILES (800 KILOMETRES).
AT THE RESEARCH CENTRE HD.1 IS A SPECIALLY BUILT RESEARCH CRAFT.MADE OF WOOD WITH A SIMPLE HULL FORM, HD.1.CAN BE QUICKLY MODIFIED OR REPAIRED.PROPULSION IS BY TWO ROLLS ROYCE CONTINENTAL AERO ENGINES, AND TWO COVENTRY CLIMAX ENGINES DRIVE THE LIFT FANS.
MR.CHRISTOPHER COCKERELL, THE INVENTOR OF THE HOVERCRAFT PRINCIPLE, LEADS THE WORK AT HYTHE.DEVELOPMENT IS EXPENSIVE BUT THOUSANDS OF POUNDS HAVE BEEN SAVED BY THE USE OF MODELS.THERE ARE SEVERAL MODELS AT THE CENTRE AND A TEST POOL 50 YARDS BY 3 YARDS (46 BY 12 METRES).OUR FILM SHOWS A SCALE MODEL, 1/12 OF ACTUAL SIZE, BEING TOWED ACROSS THE POOL AT A CONSTANT SPEED.THIS IS A MODEL OF A 180 TON FERRY, AND ITS ABILITY TO RIDE THE WAVES IS DEMONSTRATED BY THE USE OF A WAVE-MAKER WHICH SIMULATES WAVES FOUR FOOT (1.2 METRE) HIGH.
ANOTHER MODEL DEMONSTRATED FOR OUR CAMERAMAN WAS A 1/15 SCALE VERSION OF A 300 TON CROSS-CHANNEL FERRY DESIGN.TETHERED TO A CENTRE POLE, THE MODEL SWEPT OVER GRASS AND WATER WITH EASE AND STABILITY.THE MAIN USE OF THE MODELS IS TO TEST THE DEPTH AND TYPE OF "SKIRT" MOST SUITABLE FOR THE TYPE OF HOVERCRAFT.VARIOUS MATERIALS ARE USED FOR THE SKIRTS WHICH CONTAIN THE CUSHION OF AIR.THE BASE MATERIAL IS USUALLY A NYLON OR TERYLENE WEAVE COATED WITH EITHER POLYVINYL CHLORIDE (P.V.C.) POLYURETHANE, HYPALON OR NEOPRENE.ESSENTIALLY THE SKIRT MUST BE STRONG AND LIGHT, AND THE DESIGNS HAVE TO AVOID JOINTS AND SEAMS.
BRITISH HOVERCRAFT ARE ALREADY ESTABLISHED IN COMMERCIAL AND MILITARY USE, AND THE FUTURE POINTS TO FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS AND COMMERCIAL SERVICE.
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