Saunders - Roe Ekranoplan/WIG Project

[Jemiba]

Found in RAF Flying Review November 1958, not actually a flying boat but a
kind of WIG craft. The principles were tested by Saunders Roe using a 6 ft
long model. Nothing more is said about this vehicle, so the drawing may be
just notional. Perhaps the name on the artist impression ring a bell ?

 

[gabrielorosco]

Hi to all!

I know this project was barely discussed in another saunders roe topic, but I decided to create this one with the intent of make a deeper research about this project. So, all we have is this image. Can you help, my friends?

 

[Jemiba]

Still searching for that issue of the RAF Flying Review ... :-[ (just a matter of time!),
but looking at the wing, the inlets may be on the Center wing ?

 

[gabrielorosco]

Very nice, will be waiting for news. Do you know if any drawing or more visual material exists? The position of the engines is a bit strange for me, but I think you are right about the inlets. Hope we can find more info!
Cheers

 

[Grey Havoc]

Is that the Cliffs of Dover off in the distance? Was this Wing In Ground craft perhaps intended to be a high speed Channel hopper?

 

[Wka23]

Worth asking Raymond Wheeler who wrote the book on the company

 

[zebedee]

Sadly he passed away in July 2019...

https://www.countypress.co.uk/news/17758889.former-saunders-roe-technical-director-raymond-leslie-wheeler-died-91/

Zeb

 

[Wka23]

Apologies I have his books the following might help Hovercraft museum or BAE systems archive or GKN any company that inherited the assets of Saunders Roe might.... but whether they know is another question

 

[lark]

article in Flying Review was:

'Cushion-of-air-Ships ,Transport of the future'

by Stanley Clark. (page 26)

As Jemiba mentioned : Flying Review -nov '58 ( UK edtn. oct.58 )

 

[Wka23]

Do you have a scanned copy

 

[Jemiba]

By courtesy of lark, here's the full article, he recovered from the issue of the RAF Flying Revue.
Many thanks indeed !

 

[Schneiderman]

So, just the initial experiments with Cockerell's hovercraft idea and the artwork is not even close to anything being considered.