Hovercraft

 

I'd been wanting to try a model hovercraft for some time, but never got round to it until I found a design based on the Griffon 2000 on the web. The design was by Mark Porter and you can find his page HERE.

A few pictures showing the basic model:

Views showing box construction and deck supports

 

Having built the basic hull, I was wondering about colour schemes, superstructure and such, so I went back onto the web to search for ideas. This was where I found the Slingsby SAH2200.

 

I decided that this was what mine was going to look like.( well, as near as I could get it anyway).

As you can see, the picture is not too clear and a lot of the fine detail doesn't show up so I sent an email to Slingsby, asking whether they had any other pictures or more detailed information. Their sales and marketing manager replied almost immediately with a few more pictures and drawings.

Armed with this information, I was able to modify Mark's "Griffon" design and I ended up with this:

SAH2200, before fitting the skirt and a few bits'n pieces

Another view, this time with the main cabin lifted out

(the wires are for powering the radar scanner)

Yet another view with the motor access cover removed

Well, today I got the skirt fitted and, with some trepidation, powered the lift motor.

The skirt filled with air and the whole thing rose like a hovercraft, allowing it to glide across the carpet with just a tiny push.

I've now got all the radio control system, speed controllers and batteries fitted, so It's just about finished. All it needs is some water to glide over.

And, just to prove it really does what a hovercraft should......