£245.00
1 in stock
This is an absolutely fascinating colour cine reel for anyone interested in the early development of Hovercrafts. We can date it pretty accurately to c1964 and appears to have been put together on 16mm film by BP and given to the UK Ministry of Defence. This silent Cine footage is just over 25 minutes long in total and consists of lots of mini segments (each lasting between 30 seconds- approx 1 minute) that depict the different types of craft and tests they had undergone up to that point.
The Hovercraft was patented by English Engineer Christopher Cockerell in 1954 but his first full scale machine (the SR-N1) was not completed and unveiled until 1959. It had been a Military secret for a latter 1950s who were not quite sure what to initially do with the idea. Once unveiled however the Hovercraft ushered in an almost instant wave of enthusiastic support and development from other companies and organisations around the world. In the UK the very first companies mostly received development backing from the Military and Government and the early 1960s was very much an exciting time of exploring the possibilities of this highly unusual craft.
As stated this reel is silent with each sub-section titled. The mixed quality and unusual variety of footage does not suggest Newsreel stock to me but more likely developmental footage shot privately by each company and pooled together by BP for the Ministry of Defence. Most are external footage with some internals. I’ve not yet personally come across any of this reel’s segments contained elsewhere online (but I can’t guarantee that it is not) and as well as the usual video shot on land, there is also plenty of footage shot overhead from a small plane. It includes the first tests over the Desert, Ice, Marsh, Heavy Seas and carrying passengers. An overview of the content is listed below:
In order of appearance:
Britten-Norman CC-2
Britten-Norman CC-4
Denny D-2
Hovercraft Development Ltd HD-1
Vickers VA-2
Vickers VA-3
Westland SRN-2
Westland SRN-3
Westland SRN-5
VA-2 being used along the Rhine Waterway
SRN-2 & 5 – Hovercraft Passenger Evaluation across the Solent
VA-2 from Malmo to Copenhagen- Scandinavia Hovercraft ferry route evaluation
VA-2 in Africa- 1st Hovercraft test in the Desert
VA-2 in the Baltic- Ice feasibility trials
VA-3 at Long Island NY- 1st Beaching trials
SRN-5 – Marsh land trials
SRN-5 – Heavy Seas trail
SRN-3 – Inter-Services Hovercraft Trails Unit Tests (3mins long)
I have had this reel digitally transferred to MP4 format and a memory stick will be included for the new owner. Please note no copyright to the contents of this reel are either offered or inferred with this sale. There has been a little bit of corrosion to the metal case but the reel is in very good condition. The paper label has unstuck from the reel and was tucked inside which probably preserved it better. However it is obvious the spot it was glued to.
Short clip of the 1st test in the Desert and over Ice:
Short clip of SRN-5 Hovercraft trial over Marsh Land:
