World's First Hovercraft Race

Flight International Magazine , UK
Special Supplement: Air Cushion Vehicles
23 April 1964

MARCH 14, 1964, may become a famous date in ACV history, for on that day, at Canberra, the world's first competitive hovercraft trials took place. They attracted 11 amateur entries from all over Australia, ten of which were actual starters. An analogy may be drawn between the Canberra trials of 1964 and the Rheims air meeting of 1909: both mark the beginning of competitive development in their respective fields, with relatively primitive machines conceived by enthusiastic experimenters. Personal ACVs stand now as aeroplanes stood then, though enjoying the benefit of over 50 years' development of reliable and lightweight engines. This report of the Canberra trials is by Noel Tanswell, of the RAAF [Royal Australian Air Force] Public Relations Office, and the photographs by Jerry Sebastian, of the same office, and Lawrence Doctors of Sydney.

The motor mower engine of the air cushion vehicle spluttered, burst into action and sent a cloud of thick red dust into the early autumn sunshine. Australia's – and the world's – first hovercraft race was underway.

To the 50 or so enthusiasts gathered along the foreshore of Lake Burley Griffin in the picturesque capital of Canberra, the occasion was a significant one. It represented the first "window display" of a new field of aeronautics in Australia as well as the end of 12 months of planning and hard work by members of the Canberra Branch of the Royal Aeronautical Society. It was, in a sense, comparable with the "salad days" of aviation in Australia, when the racing of new-fangled machines was often fraught with apprehension on the part of the organizers.

But the competitors, too, had their worries. With only a few hours' sleep during the previous week, several of the crews of the 12 hovercraft entered in the races still had to make last-minute adjustments to their craft. The amateur ACV builders had come from many parts of the Australian continent, and had not yet had an opportunity to see if the craft were mechanically sound or buoyant. In fact, one entrant, A.W. Powell, of Canberra, twice capsized his craft while carrying out trial runs. He then fixed two inflated rubber tubes to increase the buoyancy of his delta-shaped vehicle, which later went on to win a special trophy for the highest recorded speed – an average of 30 m.p.h.

Of the 12 hovercraft entered, 11 arrived for the races, ten actually took part, but only five finished the courses. One entrant, F. Greenham, of Molamein, NSW, was having his craft towed away for another event to take place, when it suddenly disappeared into the waters of the lake.

Organized as part of the Canberra Day celebrations, the ACV races were staged with the idea of stimulating interest in aeronautics. The hovercraft was chosen as a project, and the chairman of the Canberra Branch of the Aeronautical Society, Gp Capt N.F. Lamb, because success was possible in this field by one man's personal efforts at a very limited cost.

As the morning wore on towards noon, thousands of people began taking up vantage points on the banks of both sides of the lake to watch an aquatic programme which included speedboat races, water skiing, and the ACV races.

Efficiency formula

Despite the comparatively short time that the Canberra RAeS had in which to organize the races, its selection of judges for the ingenuity prizes was made only after very mature consideration. They were the RAAF's Air Member for Technical Services, AVM E. Hey; the Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Sydney University, Prof P.T. Fink; and Prof T.D.J. Leech, of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority – all fellows of the RAeS.

The main event of the day, the efficiency or formula race, was awarded to the entrant who gained the most points according to a formula devised by Dr R. J. Stalker, of the Physics Department at the Australian National University at Canberra. This formula provided a handicap based on comparative times to complete a prescribed course (roughly 1½ miles) combined with total installed power and comparative hoverheight factors. Essentially, its purpose was to give all entrants a fair opportunity to win. Awards for the section were ₤100 first prize, awarded by BP Australia Pty Ltd; a ₤40 second prize; and a ₤10 third prize. A NSW entrant, G.L. Cottee (driver, A. Hawkins) won this event with a craft of American design. A South Australian machine entered by K.M. McLeod and W. Selge was second, and a Canberra entrant, A.L. Ellis, was third.

The second award, the ingenuity prize, awarded by the David Jones Emporium, was won by a team of RAAF technicians from Amberley, Qld. This prize was earmarked for the competitor who showed the most noteworthy ingenuity in construction of craft and other features and who contributed something new to the art of ACV design. The judges took into consideration the materials used, structure, ease of maintenance, engine configuration, means of propulsion, safety, buoyancy, aerodynamics, stability, overall control, air ducting, and maneuverability.

A second race was held in the form of a slalom. This event tested the maneuvering capability of the entries. First prize of ₤50, donated by the KLG Sparking Plug Co, was won by A. Ellis of Canberra; second prize, of ₤20, went to K.M. McLeod and W. Selge.

In an appraisal of Australia's first hovercraft race, Gp Capt Lamb said the meeting had been an outstanding success. "It illustrated ingenuity of the individual to allocate sufficient of his own time and a little money to have a worthwhile hobby and make a first-class machine. The ACV races have helped sustain a personal interest in aeronautics, which is extremely difficult, having regard to the high cost of aeroplanes," he said.

He added that the fact that ten completely different types of air cushion vehicles had been entered for the races stressed the latent talent available. Comments from the competitors had indicated that the machines that would be available for next year's Canberra Day celebrations would be faster and more sophisticated and provide magnificent spectator appeal.

Gp Capt Lamb congratulated the secretary, Wg Cdr A.M. Stewart, and the hovercraft committee, for their work. Members of the committee were Sqn Ldr V.C. Carter, Sqn Ldr S.M. Jackson, Flt Lt C.G. Beatty and Dr R. Stalker.