The Hovercraft Museum Trust

Office Address:   The Hovercraft Museum Trust, Argus Gate, Chark Lane, Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire  PO13 9NY  United Kingdom

Phone / Fax (24 hours): +44 (0) 23 9255 2090

Patrons: Frances Cockerell, Christopher Bland, Lord Romsey, Lord Hotham, Viscount Coke,
Lady Wilson of Rievaulx, Joseph Sullivan, Lord Somerleyton, Ray Wheeler, Michel Peissel

Museum Trustees: Alan Burns,  Terry George,  Warwick Jacobs,  Chris Potter,  Mick Wells

E-Mail enquiries to: enquiries@hovercraft-museum.org

Membership Secretary / Newsletter Editor: Chris Potter

Supported by The Hovercraft Society and The Hover Club of Great Britain
Founded 1986
Registered U.K. Charity No. 1003689
A member of the Association of Independent Museums, South Eastern Museum Service
& British Aviation Preservation Council

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In 1986 a group of hovercraft enthusiasts decided that a number of early hovercraft designs were coming up for disposal and if the idea of a hovercraft museum was to reach fruition, they would have to be saved from being scrapped. Currently the collection is stored in two Hangar Buildings at the former HMS Daedalus. The previous storage site was an old fort at Eastney, owned by English Heritage, and this was vacated in December 1992. It is hoped that the whole collection may one day be properly displayed under one roof, and with this in mind, an independent assessment of the collection is currently being undertaken with a view to securing a National Lottery grant. 

The trust has a number of craft in its care including parts of SR.N4 Mk II (002) Swift, SR.N6 MK 6 (twin prop) in fully operational condition and ex Royal Navy BH.7 Mk 2. SR.N6 Mk 1S (009) Sea Hawk and the SR.N5 along with a number of smaller craft are also on display in the hangars. The following are some examples of some of the craft in the museum's care: several working Hover Hawks, AV Tiger 12, HD.2, Marine Swift (similar to a Crossbow), two Britten Norman CC.7s as well as the SR.N4 cockpit, SR.N5, SR.N6s and BH.7. The museum also has an SR.N6 Mk 5 (well deck variant) build number 003 being restored to operational condition on site. Other craft in the collection include a Hovermidget, Clarkcushion, Hoverscout, Hoverlark, Skima 4s, GP Too and a fully restored Skima 12 which was purchased for the Museum by Mike Pinder from the Sultan of Oman and restored by the crew on the TV programme Salvage Squad. 

The trust is in possession of numerous manufacturer's concept models, as well as models of actual full size craft. Some special items housed at the Museum, are a replica of the Sir Christopher Cockerell coffee tin experiment, one of the first radio controlled models to prove the hovercraft concept, and the large 1:6 scale SR.N1 model built to demonstrate the craft before the full sized item was built; now fully restored with a Carnegie grant.

The ex Royal Navy BH.7 Mk 2 preserved at the former HMS Daedalus illustrates the activities of the Hovercraft Museum Trustees well. The recovery of this craft from the Isle of Wight cost nearly £8,000, most of which came from sponsorship by B.P. and other interested companies. SR.N4 Mk II Swift was acquired in 1994 and was for some time the largest craft in the collection. Recovery of this craft cost a total of £44,000; the insurance and sea tow for the move being paid for by Hoverspeed, the remainder being found via Museum fundraising. Unfortunately due to deterioration of the structure of the craft (making t unsafe for visitors), it was necessary to break it up, but several important components have been saved for display.

More recent arrivals include the two retired SR.N4 Mk 3 Channel hovercraft which were stored by their owners before being sold to a private individual. We await news on their final disposition, however if the Trust can secure one for the collection it will do.

The trust also administers the largest film, book and video library on Hovercraft in the world, a proportion of which is being scanned for display on this web site. The Science Museum recently donated it's entire Hovercraft archive to the Trust as it ran out of storage space for it...a very valuable addition to the library indeed.

Visits to the Hovercraft Museum Collection

The Hovercraft Museum Trust maintains a collection at the former HMS Daedalus site. The Museum is not yet open to the public, and the office is not permanently manned, however we have volunteer staff attending site on most days.

Members requiring a visit to the collection at HMS Daedalus should contact us via e-mail or on the office number – 023 9255 2090 / mobile 07970 986251 to arrange a mutually convenient time. If the office is unattended, please leave your details, a contact number and your requested visit date and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

It should be noted that for visitor numbers less than ten, a minimum twenty four hours notice is required and car registration details will need to be notified. For greater numbers, which will involve a greater number of hosts, as much notice as is practical is required.

Working parties are held on most Saturday mornings, where volunteers assist with cleaning and restoration work on the various craft in our care. If you wish to come along and help out, we would welcome your support...please contact us via the details above.

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