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Vickers Armstrong

The Vickers Armstrong company entered the hovercraft field in 1961 based at South Marston, Swindon (now the site of the Honda factory), Vickers also had a trials base on the Itchen river, Southampton. Three craft were developed (plus the Hover Rover) and a fourth (VA-4) was proposed as a concept, it was very similar to the original Westland's SR-N4 concept.

In 1966 the Vickers' and Westland's hovercraft activities were merged to form the British Hovercraft Corporation (shareholdings - Westland Aircraft 65%, Vickers 25%, National Research and Development Corporation 10%) - the Westland's designs continued, the Vickers' designs did not. By 1971, Westland Aircraft had bought out both of the other partners and Vickers connection with hovercraft was at an end.


(Click on an image to get a larger version)

VA-1 Vickers VA-1 hovercraft
Vickers VA-1 hovercraft

Vickers Armstrong entered the hovercraft field in October 1961 with the VA-1 experimental craft mainly built of resin-bonded plywood

  • 25 ft long
  • 13 ft beam
  • lift 139hp de Havilland Gipsy Major
  • propulsion 133hp Continental C90

  
VA-2

Vickers VA-2 hovercraft
Vickers VA-2 hovercraft

Built in 1962, this 5 seater was designed to be easily dismantled for air freighting.

  • 30 ft long
  • 15ft beam
  • lift 2 x 133hp Rolls Royce 6 cylinder aero engines
  • propulsion 310hp Continental
  • 60 knots

  
VA-3 VA-3 hovercraft under construction

"Nearing completion in the Vickers-Armstrong South Marston works is the 10 ton VA-3 which is designed to carry 25 passengers. This picture shows the structural details before the final skinning and decking hide them from view. Note the lift engines already mounted in the forward engine bay."

  Vickers VA-3 hovercraft


Vickers VA-3 hovercraft

Launched in May 1962, the 25 seater VA-3 ran the world's first commercial hovercraft passenger service in North Wales (across the Dee estuary) starting 20th July 1962 and operated by British United Airways.

Shown here during the 1962 operation with the original forward rudders, these were later removed.

  • 56 ft long
  • 27ft beam
  • 4 x 425 shp Bristol Siddley Turmo Free Turbines
    - 2 for lift, 2 for propulsion
  • 60 knots
  • 24 passengers
 Vicker Armstrong VA3 hovercraft VA-3 hovercraft shown here in 1966 at Hovershow '66, 18th June 1966
   
VA3A
concept		VA3A hovercraft concept Intended to carry 94 passengers at speeds up to 80 kts.
   
VA4VA4 hovercraft concept 115 ton concept - intended to carry about 500 passengers or 140 passengers plus 28 cars at 65 kts. At the time seen are direct competition for the Saunders-Roe SR-N4 hovercraft.
   
Hover Rover Hover landrover Vicker's attempt at a hover Landrover. A standard Land Rover with extended bodywork, used two fans driven from the standard engine. The skirt could be raised so that it could travel on wheels along a road or lowered "leaving the wheels in a lightly loaded state if they have to cross soft ground".

 

 

Cushioncraft - HDL/NPL - Hovermarine - Saunders-Roe/BHC - Vickers - Vosper Thornycroft
Hovertravel - Seaspeed

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