Air Cushion Vehicles Australasia - A photo archive

11/04/2023

This clip shows ACVA-10 being craned into the water near Kings Wharf Launceston. It's not the first water trial as the craft has been modified since its initial testing to have the radiators mounted on the rear and side of the engine supports to prevent engine overheating. It struggles to get over the "hump" speed and escape the hole it's sitting in, being blown in the water. Once a craft escapes that, then it truly becomes frictionless. The wake behind the craft in this clip is a telltale sign of not being above the hump.

11/04/2023

This clip is a mixture of FRBH-1 operating in the top reaches of the Tamar River in both hovercraft and sidewall configuration, and ACVA-6. Most of the clips here were short by former ABC Camerman Bob Montgomery.

11/04/2023

The start of this clip is a mystery. I think it's southern Tasmania around the Coles Bay-Sorell area, but there's no information about the men around the car with the landscape in the background. It may have been scouting for testing areas. The 2nd part of the clip shows ACVA-6 at Kelso once more, coming up the sand flats, coming to rest adjacent to John Ford's seaside shack. Unknown passengers then disembark from the craft.

11/04/2023

This video shows ACVA-6 static on cushion with Robert Ford at the controls. The gate in the background shows the Tamar River beyond that, and I'm guessing the location is Swan Point

11/04/2023

Here is ACVA-10 loaded up on a truck about to be craned onto the ship Anshun going to PNG for trials. The craft has it's rudder removed and windows taped for safety.

26/01/2023

Film showing ACVA-6, the 2nd craft built by ACVA Australasia Pty Ltd operating at Kelso on the Northern reaches of the Tamar River in Tasmania. Cica 1969. Film starts in B/W then switches to colour on the windiest day imaginable at Kelso. Helicopter attempted to get film from above but the weather was atrocious. Latter part of film is of FRBH-1 and operational issues with lift. Footage courtesy of Tasmanian State Archives.

26/01/2023

The first trials of FRBH-1 (Oct 1966), in hovercraft mode and then conversion to sidewall mode (August 1967) Footage courtesy of Tasmanian State Archives.

30/12/2022

My son modelled ACVA6 in 3D software and printed it through the 3D printer at his school as my Christmas present. So cool!

25/12/2022

My son modelled ACVA6 in Fusion, printed it in D&T at school using the 3D printer, painted it and gave it to me for Christmas. It’s about 70mm long.

20/11/2022

This article appeared in the Launceston Examiner Newspaper on Sunday 13 November 2022. Many thanks to Julian Burgess from the Launceston Historical Society for the exposure this brings.

02/11/2022