June 1959: The birth of the hovercraft

The culmination of six years of work, during which its inventor, Christopher Cockerell, was forced to sell his personal possessions to fund the project, the SR-N1 hovercraft research vehicle was built by Saunders-Roe on the Isle of Wight and ‘flew’ for the first time on the 11 June 1959.

Privileged to witness this landmark event in maritime history, The Engineer wrote: ‘The principle of operation is closely related to that of the jet flap, a pressure difference being sustained by the change in momentum of the jet sheet: the product of “cushion” pressure and hovering height has proved to be, as simple theory predicts, the change of momentum in deflecting the jet sheet into the horizontal plane.’

In the picture, Cockerell is shown pushing the machine while it floats on its cushion of air. The article continued: ‘In the foreground can be seen one of the four propelling nozzles with the control vanes that allow a transverse or vertical component of thrust to be developed. The Yaw vanes at the rear nozzles are extended upward to give directional stability and improved yaw when flying forward.’