The museum has an inventory of all the collection, which belongs to the nation. As part of museum and galleries practice the schedule of trust property is accessioned, catalogued and given a rating as part of the trusts "Acquisition and Disposal " policy. None of the collection is insured for value, only third party, as it is mostly irreplaceable . As the only hovercraft museum in the world with a collection collected over 23 years, the web site tells the history of each craft before and after the museum received it. Most the craft were donated to the trust which has enabled us to spend the funds on moving and storing the collection.
This page lists all the hovercraft that we offer along with a brief/detailed description of the individual craft. Newly acquired craft will be added occasionally.
SR.N4 The largest commercial hovercraft in the world. Six were built between 1967 and 1977. Two were stretched in 1978-9 to increase their capacity, making the Super 4. The Museum has had 3 SR.N4s at its Daedalus site. The craft retired from 33 years of service in October 2000. ....more
SR.N5 The first production hovercraft in the world, of which only a dozen were built, mostly seeing service for the military and coastguard. 15-seater with Gnome gas turbine engine and the most powerful power to weight ratio of any hovercraft. ....more
SR.N6 The most successful early production line with over 70 in operation around the world throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The Canadian coastguard and Saudi Arabian coastguard ran them into the new Millennium. ....more
BH.7 Seven of these craft were built in the 1970s for the UK military and the Iranians. Two were seen in service in the Persian Gulf in 2002 exercises. ....more
SR.N6 Mark 6 The fastest SR.N6 built. With twin propellers to keep the revolutions down making it a quieter hovercraft than its single prop sisters. Five were built of which four were destroyed during the Gulf Wars.
Sealand In the early 1970s, 30 plus of these fibreglass V6 engine craft were mass produced at Millom, Cumbria. Giving the north of England some government backed hovercraft investment.
Skitabug Two seater inflatable mass produced from the Sealand stable using a single Lloyd engine for lift and thrust. ....more
Hoverhawk The HA-5 mass produced for nearly 3 years during 1969 to 1971. Hoverhawks look the part and regularly turn up second hand 40 years later. Crazy two-seaters with 3 engines! ....more
Marineswift A six-seater developed in 1985 on the Isle of Wight. Based on the Air Bearings craft that preceded it. This futuristic smart craft had no visible propellers or fans and boasted reverse thrust. ....more
Hoverlark Baby of the Hoverair stable during 1969. Two engines to carry one light person around over level surfaces. ....more
Transhover The T-6 was a six-seater integrated hovercraft from 1975. Only survivor of three. ....more
Hovermini Home built from a Mini kit car during 2000s. But only seats two! ....more
Clarkecushion One of the earliest home built hovercraft designs with Velocette and Viceroy engine. ....more
Hovermidget The smallest hovercraft in the world. 1960s Hatton and Bass design. ....more
Canair Snazzy 1980s Canadian flat pack hovercraft. Every component can be replaced. ....more
James Bond North Korean de-militarized zone small craft Two of these "Die Another Day" film stars from 2002 are at the Museum as well as the larger craft. ....more
James Bond large craft "Die Another Day" film star from 2002 is at the Museum as well as the two smaller craft. ....more
Hayes School Middlesex Three craft spanning three decades of building and racing. ....more
Skima 12 The Sultan of Oman's personal hovercraft restored on TVs "Salvage Squad". ....more
Skima 4 The most successful light inflatable 4-seater hovercraft. ....more
Skima 2 Two-seater inflatable craft from 1970 with 3 fans. ....more
Pincushion The worlds first inflatable hovercraft. ....more
Express Air Rider 1970s Daily Express Newspaper plan hovercraft. ....more
Early Beach Rescue Hovercraft Not quite Baywatch, but set the trend for light hovercraft to be used in local rescue services. ....more
Hoverchair Fly around the room with a school chair and 1960s vacuum cleaner. ....more
Heathrow Airport Fire Brigade Rescue Craft Until Terminal 5 was built over the sewage farm, the CAA stipulated a hovercraft had to be on hand in case an aircraft crashed into the ponds. Two craft used are now both at the Museum. ....more
1966 School Craft After a school trip to Hovershow 66 one class thought they could design their own. ....more
Hover Scout A Hover Knight two-seater plan kit hovercraft built from plywood in the 1960s. ....more
Decider One million pounds of government money spent on this Hovermarine man carrying test craft. 1980s sidewall. ....more
Hoverpallett How to move a heavy load with one person. ....more
The Martyn Scott Craft The last of Hoverclub member Martyn's farm built hovercraft from the Norfolk Broads. ....more
The Winfield Fairground hovercraft from 1969 from the Jersey Hoverdrome. Bumper hovercraft. ....more
Air Lubricat A Roys Barns 5 fanned, open-skirted, single VW-engined skimmer. Very fast but not that manouverable. ....more
HD.2 Experimental trials hovercraft.As significant as the SR.N1. The first hovercraft to have a loop-segmented skirt and 14 methods of control. ....more
CC.7 Two of these Army cushioned craft in 1975, were used in Norway, Germany and Britain. Known as the whispering hovercraft, lift and thrust provided by centrifugal fans. ....more
Scrapheap Challenge Hovercraft Two hovercraft built in the scrap yard in 10 hours. ....more
