Once again welcome to world of hovercraft,& I would like to introduce FATHER OF HOVER CRAFT
sir Christopher COCKERELL
1. A diagram which shows the basic principle behind Christopher Cockerel's original experiment |
2. The original equipment put together to demonstrate the principle |
3. A more recent picture of Sir Christopher demonstrating the principle behind his experiment using a simplified replica of the equipment |
4. The gap between the two tin cans though which air was blown on to a pair of scales |
5. Christopher Cockerell with his first model designed to test the hovercraft principle |
6. The radio controlled model is prepared for a tethered flight on land |
7. Preparing to test the model |
8. And now on water, the model is prepared for another run |
9. And later with a different tail design, the model is flown over water |
10. The model as it is today in the collection of the Hovercraft Museum |
11. A closer view of the front of the original radio controlled model in its display case |
12. The SR.N1 - the first full-sized hovercraft - on it's journey across the English Channel from Calais to Dover on 25th July 1959. Cockerell can be seen on the bow of the craft acting as moveable ballast |
13. Another view of the SR.N1 on it's historic flight across the English Channel. Crew aboard besides Cockerell were Commander Peter Lamb (Pilot) and Mr John Chaplin |
14. The early morning arrival on Dover's beach inside the harbour |
15. Sir Christopher Cockerell with some models of hovercraft concepts - many of which were never built as full-size craft |
16. Looking in to other inventions with his company - Hovercraft Development Ltd |
17. Cockerell standing in front of the Vickers VA.3 Hovercraft |
18. And in the doorway entrance of an SR.N5 craft with Lord Mountbatten |
19. Showing the propeller of an SR.N6 Hovercraft to Lord Mountbatten |
20. Discussions with Lord Louis Mountbatten - an avid supporter of the hovercraft |
21. With Mountbatten standing on the side deck of a Hovertravel SR.N6 which provided the service from Southsea to the Isle of Wight |
22. Sir Christopher Cockerell at a presentation |
23. An article from a Hoverspeed magazine contained this picture of the craft's inventor |
24. Sir Christopher takes the controls of a hovercraft for himself - surprisingly for the first time ever - on the way to the October 1994 Hovercraft Museum event held especially for him |
25. Sir Christopher in the cockpit of a Griffon hovercraft, not long after trying out the controls himself in the previous picture |
26. Unveiling a plaque on the SR.N4 Swift to commemorate his visit to the Hovercraft Museum in October 1994 |
27. The original SR.N1 concept model - newly restored by the Museum - is demonstrated to Sir Christopher my Museum Trustee Warwick Jacobs |
28. Sir Christopher talks to a Royal Marine Hovercraft Pilot and Museum Trustee Warwick Jacobs at the event |
29. Having a conversation with the designer of the car-carrying SR.N4 - Raymond Wheeler in front of a Royal Marines Griffon 2000TDX Hovercraft |
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