Northern Ireland Aviation Enthusiast's Forum
General Aviation Discussion => General Aviation Discussion => Topic started by: smudge on January 11, 2018, 11:56:42 AM
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In 1960 / 61 Folland experimented with various forms of air-cushion vehicles.
One, the GERM, was intended as the prototype for a hover-truck and bore a B-class aircraft reg G-39-15
It was originally powered by a pair of Royal Enfield 700cc motorcycle engines and flew in September 1960, but in August 1961 Flight wrote:
The prototype GERM is now being re-engined with a four-cylinder Coventry Climax engine to provide increased power for further development trials
By 1965 it was in storage with Hawker-Siddeley at Marchwood, Hampshire.
There was also a Hover Stretcher though it seems a little less practical, what with deafening and asphyxiating its cargo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0RRgC8acDY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0RRgC8acDY)
I'll keep digging and see what I can discover.
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