Hovercraft aircraft carrier?
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Hovercraft aircraft carrier?
Does anyone know anything about hovercraft carrying aircraft? Not that they could launch or anything, but I was watching Not the Nine O'Clock [1] news on Britbox and in the opening sequence for episode 7 it shows a hovercraft traveling at speed with what looks like a lightning (EE not P38) on ... deck I suppose you'd say
I did a quick search but couldn't find anything
[1] and even after all these years, it's still pretty funny!
I did a quick search but couldn't find anything
[1] and even after all these years, it's still pretty funny!
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This I think... starts at 2:36.
Not sure it's an aircraft... Think it's the engine housing perhaps?
Not sure it's an aircraft... Think it's the engine housing perhaps?
This could probably carry (and launch?) AV-8Bs.
The US Navy -- Fact File: Landing Craft, Air Cushion - LCAC
The US Navy -- Fact File: Landing Craft, Air Cushion - LCAC
S.H.I.E.L.D HeliCarrier
Here you go...
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treadigraph is showing exactly what I was watching and granted it does look a lot like the SR.N6 in the photo Flap40 posted, but look again at the video and there's something that looks like a lightning in front of the 'normal' raised structure, it's offset to the starboard side
Wikipedia does say this: "In a military configuration, the SR.N6 is capable of carrying up to 55 fully equipped troops, or alternatively up to 6 tons of equipment"
I took the hovercraft to France once, but on an SR.N4 (I think - it's been along time now). I was very excited, but felt let down as there was so much spray that I couldn't really see out of the windows.
Anyone else make that trip?
Here's an interesting site: https://www.hovercraft-museum.org/ - I sent them an email and will let you know if they write back
Wikipedia does say this: "In a military configuration, the SR.N6 is capable of carrying up to 55 fully equipped troops, or alternatively up to 6 tons of equipment"
I took the hovercraft to France once, but on an SR.N4 (I think - it's been along time now). I was very excited, but felt let down as there was so much spray that I couldn't really see out of the windows.
Anyone else make that trip?
Here's an interesting site: https://www.hovercraft-museum.org/ - I sent them an email and will let you know if they write back
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Ah, Portsmouth/Ryde... traveled on those several times!
Yep! I came across the one with Pamela "Janet Street-Porter" Stephenson interviewing Billy Connolly who was desperately trying not to corpse!
and even after all these years, it's still pretty funny!
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This bit?
SRN-6 length 58ft
EE Lightning length 55ft.
Shouldagone to spec savers.
EE Lightning length 55ft.
Shouldagone to spec savers.
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Ah 
Hard to argue that really, even though the Mk 1S was stretched, it was only stretched by 10ft, so that still wouldn't work
I wonder what that structure was then
Hard to argue that really, even though the Mk 1S was stretched, it was only stretched by 10ft, so that still wouldn't work
I wonder what that structure was then
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I reckon it's this version of the SRN6:
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Pleasure, I'd forgotten how funny British comedians used to be! 
Did some studies years ago about flying gyro-planes off of Hovercraft/Hydrofoils to extend their capabilities for littoral work in the developing world . We did get Ken Wallis to fly of the I.O.W. ferry as a demo. The R.N.at the time could not see beyond " Winter North Atlantic" so company management was not supportive of the concept.
Now I think of gyro-planes ( A realistic "Little Nellie"? ) conducting armed game park patrols jn Africa,instead of microlights. .Ah Well!
Now I think of gyro-planes ( A realistic "Little Nellie"? ) conducting armed game park patrols jn Africa,instead of microlights. .Ah Well!
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The US Navy studied SES ( surface-effect ships ) in the 1970s; rigid-walled ACVs. The ultimate objective was a carrier version.
Bell built a proof-of-concept series, of which SES-100B clocked 92 knots.
One of the problems envisaged was wind over deck at such speeds. It would have required a lot more hangarage since spotting and maintenance on-deck would have been impossible.
Bell built a proof-of-concept series, of which SES-100B clocked 92 knots.
One of the problems envisaged was wind over deck at such speeds. It would have required a lot more hangarage since spotting and maintenance on-deck would have been impossible.
Blimey a 90kt headwind would make take off a doddle with max fuel/stores.
