Page 22 - Theory and Design of Air Cushion Craft

Hovercraft beginnings 7

The work of Sir Christopher Cockerell resulted in the first successful full scale hov-
ercraft to be built in Europe, the Saunders Roe SR.Nl, which crossed the English
Channel for the first time on July 25, 1959. China began her own hovercraft research
in 1957 in Harbin Shipbuilding Engineering Institute, which successfully operated
their first open sea trials with a plenum chamber cushion hovercraft on the coast of
Port Lu Shun in July 1959. The principal particulars for both the Chinese and British
prototype hovercraft may be seen in Table 1.1.

Table 1.1 Principal particulars for the first Chinese and British hovercraft
Craft Name SR.Nl (Fig 1.9) Craft'33'(Fig 1.10)
Nationality England China
Research and Saunders Roe, Cowes, loW Harbin Shipbuilding Engineering
Manufacturing Unit Institute, Harbin Aeroplane
Manufactory
Craft Type Peripheral Jet Plenum Chamber
Craft Weight (tonnes) 3.4 4.0
Machinery Aviation piston engines with a total Aviation piston Engines 176.4 kW for
output of 319.7 kW, 70% of which lift and 117.6 kW for propulsion
is used as lift power and 30% for
propulsion
Hull Materials Aluminium Alloy Aluminium Alloy
First Sea Trial English Channel Port Lu Shun
Distance 25 nautical miles 16 nautical miles

Fig. 1.9 SR.N1 - the first British ACV, which successfully crossed the English Channel.