History of the Hovercraft
The formative years of today's practical hovercraft began as
an idea to reduce the drag placed on boats and ships as they
plough through water at high speeds. The term 'hovercraft' was
actually a commercial name patented in 1955, then subsequently
released to public domain. The hovercraft concept, however,
can be traced back to the early 1700's.
The principle behind today's hovercraft was originally demonstrated
by Sir Christopher Cockerell in 1955, using a contraption
constructed with a cat food can, a coffee can and a set of
kitchen scales. During recent decades, this early demonstration
has metamorphosed into a vehicle that now performs a multitude
of vital services: saving lives in rescue operations; transporting
military troops; ferrying passengers; and providing a vast
array of recreational opportunities to people throughout the
world.
The history of the hovercraft is a rich one, created by
unique individuals with extraordinary vision and perseverance.
The Hovercraft History Links below will introduce you to these
hovercraft pioneers and to their innovative ideas.
Submit Your Nation's Hovercraft History
Our hovercraft history articles currently focus on developments
in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and
the United States. The evolution of the hovercraft, however,
was considerably influenced by local environments, therefore
each nation has it's own unique story to tell.
We invite you to help build a comprehensive and accurate
history of the hovercraft by submitting your country's hovercraft
history to hovermail@neoterichovercraft.com.
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