I'm crazy about my two person hovercraft, but my first love remains the larger
machines and I'm always happy to get new information about any hovercraft with
a hover height that gets measured in feet rather than inches. I was recently
delighted to find a book which gave me a lot of new information  on large
hovercrafts and what's more, the book *is currently on sale*.That's right --
first James Perozzo's excellent new book, and now this one too!   Just as
James' book gives a complete description of the world of build-it-yourself
hovercrafting, this new book gives a complete description of the world of
large hovercrafts.  Well, at least, the large hovercrafts built by
Westland/British Hovercraft Corp, which include the SRN series, the BH-7, and
the AP1.88.

The book, by Raymond L. Wheeler, is titled "From River to Sea" and is
subtitled "The Maritime Heritage of Sam Saunders"   It was first published
by Cross Publishing in 1993.  ISBN:  1 873295 05 7 (Hardback)

Raymond Wheeler served as the Chief Designer of British Hovercraft
Company, later served as Technical Director, Business Development
director, and Systems Support Director...  As a result, we get a behind
the scenes account of the Company's design and testing of its various
hovercraft.

The book includes the most interesting hovercraft photos I've ever seen.
We've all seen the glamour shots in Janes Surface Skimmers and in
introductory hovercraft books.  This book shows hovercrafts the
way engineers at the company saw them.

Here's a very partial list of some of the cool photos in the book 
(unfortunately all are in black and white):

Christopher Cockerell filming his model hovering over water, the SRN1
under construction, first hover and first sea trials of the N1, the N1
passing the Queen Mary on Press Day, the N1 carrying 20 marines, the N1
crossing the channel - Christopher Cockerell can be seen prone hanging on
for dear life on the bow amidst the spray acting as ballast!!!!!!  SRN1
Mark IV alongside the SRN2  -- very neat photo showing relative sizes, a
great photo of the N2 hovering on concrete -- you can see clearly
underneath all the way around, shot of the N2's cockpit, SRN3 operating
with marines -- interesting details of the loading door are visible, N3
with SRN5 in rough seas -- again interesting size comparison, N3 operating
in displacement mode with retractable water screws (I had no idea it even
had water screws!), N5 on water with 20 marines inside and 20 outside --
overloading tests, cockpit shot of the N5, a great close up of the
weird-looking stern skirts on the N5 and N6 (I think many people looking
at photos of the N5/N6 don't realize what a complicated set of skirts the
crafts have -- the pictures and diagrams in the book makes it more clear),
four N6s and the N3 in formation, pictures of how they failed to destroy
the N3 after blowing up mines right under it (it was damaged but returned
to base under its own power),  many more interesting shots, great closeups
of various engineering details, and photos of the SRN4, the BH-7, and the
AP1.88.....  Oh, and there are 3-d cut-away schematic diagrams of each
craft -- these and the construction photos answered a lot of my questions
about how the beasties were put together.

Also, to my surprise, Cushioncraft's CC-7 "the Whispering Hovercraft" is
covered -- BHC bought Cushioncraft Ltd and oversaw the production of the
final three CC-7s.....

In addition to the pictures, there are great stories.  Here's one about
the SRN1:

  "Early in the sea trials of SRN1 it was soon found that the bow tended
to bury itself in head seas particularly in shallow water.  A rudimentary
bow structure was added to prevent this happening just before the craft
left Cowles for the Channel crossing.  In December 1959 the company was
honored by a visit from the Duke of Edinburgh, perhaps encouraged by his
Uncle, Lord Louis Mountbatten, to see this wonderful new invention for
himself.  Naturally he wished to helm the craft himself and he drove the
craft down a fairly strong Westerly wind past Osborne Bay at a speed
approaching 35 knots and was, apparently, very impressed.  On return to
base it was found that the plating of the bow had been 'dished'.  This
minor damage was never allowed to be repaired and was affectionately known
by both works and design staff as the Royal Dent."

Here's another story about the SRN1, this one about getting it ready
to show it to the press for the first time (and about the very first
sea trial!): 

  "During the initial trials a number of development problems occurred as
is usual in a new engineering project. The engine cooling was inadequate;
the control valves fluttered but the worst problem was in the propulsion
ducts which were unmanageable.  The simpler flap vanes were removed and
far larger gate valves were installed in the propulsion ducts in their
place.  It still proved possible with the frantic expenditure of much
physical and mental effort to present the craft to an astonished press on
June 11th."
  "After seeing a model of the Nl perform the full scale craft was
maneuvered slowly on the Columbine slipway with just under one foot of
hover height and rested back on its landing pads. This was intended to be
the end of the show but the press demanded to see the craft at sea. She
was towed out of the harbor by the company launch and then in a cloud of
spray she set off down the Solent and with amazing good luck was
photographed passing the 'Queen Mary'."

And I won't give it away, but one of the best stories in the book concerns a
hoverlloyd SRN4 and a bomb!

I fully recommend this book to anyone interested in large hovercrafts.  I
do have one caution:  only the last third of the book is about
hovercrafts!  The book is actually about all the activities of the company
founded by Sam Saunders (the "S" in SRN), and the first two thirds of the
book concern the various boats the Saunders Roe company produced prior to
1959.  But no matter -- the last third of the book is so fascinating it
stands on its own.



-----------how to order-------------------------------
The book is in print in the U.K.   I didn't have any luck trying to order
the book through North American bookstores but I found the book for sale for 
25 pounds (about 39 US dollars) at:

The Book Shop: International Direct Mail Services
20 High Street,
Princes Risborough
Bucks
England
HP27 0AX
Tel: +44 (0)1844 346876
Fax: +44 (0)1844 346876
Email: [email protected]
WWW: http://www.bookshop.co.uk/

Contact them for payment arrangements and over-seas shipping charges.