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Aviation History
1964
1964 - 0536.PDF
SUPPLEMENT TO FLIGHT International FEBRUARY 1964 Air-Cushion Vehicles DESIGN • COMPONENTS • APPLICATIONS "IF THIS WERE 1864 INSTEAD OF 1964" in this issue 16 International News 19 Classifications of Hovercraft 21 SR.N3 29 Kawasaki KAG-3 Editor-in-Chief Maurice A. Smith DFC Editor H.F.KingMBE Technical Editor W. T. Gunston Managing Director H. N. Priaulx MBE VOLUME 4 NUMBBR 20 Me Transport Publications Ltd Jgnet Home, Stamford Street, London SE1Wbphone: Waterloo 3333 (Telex 25137) nhjranu: Fligbtpres London Telex gmaltnbKriptions ' 18a. Overseas 18s. Canada and USAI93 W Offices WO Corporation Street, Coventry iefcphone: Coventry 25210£j« Edward House. New Street, Birmingham 2 Wephone: Midland 7191 —»•"—. *»Deai«gate. Manchester 3 :!r? one: B'»ckfriar» 4412 or Deansgate 3595 w Glasgow C2 fne: Central 1265/6 "Marsh Street, Bristol 1 'wphone: Bristol 21491/2 wJH & C°mPany : Digby 9-1197 ff" Tr»n»port Publications Ltd 1964. ^V,0 r°produce jUustrations and ;i n •b? «ramed only under written J, A ftracts or commenu may be h due acknowledgement. AS EACH MONTH PASSES the growing interest—and investment—in air- cushion vehicles of nations other than Britain becomes more apparent. In this issue, for example, we report an ambitious programme of demon- strations by America's Bell Carabao (which evidently owes much to the Folland GERM) and some notable ram-wing trials by Kawasaki. This last-named is an old-established Japanese shipbuilding concern which entered the aircraft business in the 1920s and which now seems attracted by the potentialities of the ram-wing concept for trans-oceanic work. Funds are, in any case, being made available for a more advanced pro- totype than the one discussed in this issue, whereas British ram-wing re- search appears to extend little, if any, further than a programme of model tests at Cranfield. If, as appears probable, this form of craft has a commercial future, then it would seem to merit further investi- gation and investment—especially so having regard to the price tag ap- pended to a single American super- sonic transport. It is well-nigh un- believable that this now reads: "Twelve million pounds." Of more immediate importance to Great Britain, however, is the establishment of ACV services on a truly commercial basis, and in this context we have the sorry tale to tell of Mr Desmond Norman and his associates seeking in vain financial support for a ferry service across the Solent. "The sad thing is," says Mr Norman, "that the British people do not seem willing to put money into things of this kind," adding. "If this were 1864 instead of 1964 the money would be there." This is the more deplorable because on the technical side we have the designers and engineers—Messrs Cockerell and Stanton Jones to the fore as always —discussing the entire Hovercraft project with an enthusiasm not merely undiminished but much en- hanced. Against this grey background, fortunately, we can set the realiza- tion by the National Research Deve- lopment Corporation that it may prove necessary to make an invest- ment in the commercial stage which the project is now entering, e.g., by financial participation in the deve- lopment and construction of a craft designed for a specific operation. Mr D. Hennessey, chairman of Hover- craft Development Ltd and deputy managing director of the NRDC, recently forecast that within a matter of months firm schemes for craft designed specifically for passenger and car ferry services across the Solent and the Bristol Channel would be in operation. When we introduced "The Cockerell Papers" we printed a picture of Mr Cockerell cap-in-hand. As we told him, this seemed quite appropriate having regard to the financial vicissitudes through which his project had to pass. Today more money must—and, we believe, will— be provided for the furtherance of this historic British venture. Not only must it be found for new craft but (to name but one project) for the modification and putting to work of the Denny D.2s. At present these are Cinderellas. We must ensure that they are not allowed to become Princesses. ACV—I
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