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Hovercraft
Development Ltd (HDL) / NPL Hovercraft Group
Hovercraft Development
Ltd was established in 1959 by the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC)
to develop and exploit the early hovercraft patents. HDL had a facility at Hythe
on Southampton Water where the HD-1 and HD-2 development craft were developed.
The HD-1 was of mainly
wooden construction and was built by ship builders J. Samuel White of Cowes, Isle
of Wight - the craft was described as the first non-amphibious craft with air
curtains at both the front and rear (or bow and stern for the nautically minded!).
Built as a full scaled test bed for skirts and control.
The HD-2 was produced
as a full sized test vehicle to research hovercraft controls.
In October 1967,
the development and research aspects of HDL were transferred to the National Physical
Laboratory to form the NPL Hovercraft Group. HDL continued with the licensing
of the hovercraft patents.
The Hythe site continued
until the mid 1970's.
(Click
on an image to get a larger version)
HD-1 |  |
Shown here at Hovershow
'66 - 18th June 1966, the HD-1 was designed by HDL and built by J. Samuel White
shipbuilders of Cowes, Isle of Wight. Originally the craft was a non-amphibious,
sidewall craft, subsequently the sidewalls were removed and it was given a full
skirt.
- Length : 50 ft
- Beam: 23 ft (across
skirts)
- Speed: 35 knots
(max)
- Lift engines: 2
x 80 hp Coventry Climax engines
- Propulsion engines
:2 x Rolls Royce/Continental O-300D, 6 cylinder - replaced in 1964 by 2 x RR/C
G10-470-A, 6 cylinder
| | | | | HD-2
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HD-2 hovercraft on the
slipway at Hythe
contributed by Roy Johnson,
TechnicalScientific.com
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Designed and constructed
(1966) by HDL's own staff.
- Crew: 2, Passengers:
6
- Length 30 ft 9 inch
- Beam: 19 ft
- Max speed 45 knots
- Lift engine - single
Rover turbine 150shp
- Propulsion engines
- 2 x Rover turbine 150shp
The HD-2 is now in
the Hovercraft Museum
HD2 cutaway
| | | | | HU-4
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Originally the Cushioncraft
CC4, this was acquired by HDL for research into low pressure fan propulsion systems
(amongst other things) and was renamed HU-4.
See the Cushioncraft
page for details of the craft in its original configuration.
| | | | | | Hover-
bed |  |
HDL's Hoverbed
Developed by HDL
in 1966/67, the hoverbed was designed to treat patients suffering from burns,
the idea was that sterilised air supporting the patient rather than linen would
speed recovery.
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Tracked Hovercraft
From the early days
of hovercraft, the use of the technology for tracked trains was considered. Much
testing was done world-wide (especially in France where a full size track was
established). In the UK, initial experimentation was undertaken by HDL/NPL and
a model was demonstrated at Hovershow '66.
No full size model
was ever built in the UK, and world-wide the technology seems to have been overtaken
by MagLev (magnetic levitation).
| | |  | Early
model of tracked Hovercraft | | | | | | |  | An
experimental Tracked Hovercraft rig at Hythe (1960's) |
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