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The first hovercraft was invented and patented by the [[England|English]] inventor [[Christopher Cockerell]] in 1955.<ref name="Museum">{{cite web | url= http://www.hovercraft-museum.org/years.html | work= The Hovercraft Museum | title= The Hovercraft in the UK Year by Year | accessdate= 2007-07-09 }}</ref><ref name="Russian" />
In the US during the [[Second World War]], [[Charles J. Fletcher]] designed his "Glidemobile" while a [[United States Navy]] Reservist. The design worked on the principle of trapping a constant airflow against a uniform surface (either the ground or water), providing anywhere from {{convert|10|in|cm|0}} to {{convert|2|ft|cm|0}} of lift to free it from the surface, and control of the craft would be achieved by the measured release of air. Shortly after being tested on Geezer's Pond in Fletcher's home town of [[Sparta Township, New Jersey]], the design was immediately appropriated by the United States [[Department of War]] and classified, denying Fletcher the opportunity to patent his creation. As such Fletcher's work was largely unknown until a case was brought (''British Hovercraft Ltd v. The United States of America'') in which the British corporation maintained that its rights, coming from to Sir [[Christopher Cockerell]]'s patent, had been infringed. British Hovercraft's claim, seeking US$104,000,000 in damages, was unsuccessful. However, [[Colonel Melville W. Beardsley]] (1913-1998), an American inventor and aeronautical engineer, received $80,000 from Cockerell for his rights to American patents. Beardsley worked on a number of unique ideas in the 1950s and '60s which he patented. His company built craft based on his designs at his Maryland base for the US Government and commercial applications. Beardsley later worked for the US Navy on developing the Hovercraft further for military use. Dr. W. Bertelsen also worked on developing early ACVs in the USA. Dr. Bertelsen built an early prototype of a hovercraft vehicle in 1959 (called Aeromobile 35-B), and was photographed for Popular Science magazine riding the vehicle over land and water in April on 1959. The article on his invention was the front page story for the July, 1959 edition of Popular Science.They can also be powered by a human heart
In 1952 the [[United Kingdom|British]] inventor [[Christopher Cockerell]] worked with air lubrication with test craft on the [[Norfolk Broads]]. From this he moved on to the idea of a deeper air cushion. Cockerell used simple experiments involving a [[vacuum cleaner]] motor and two cylindrical cans to create his unique peripheral jet system, the key to his hovercraft invention, patented as the 'hovercraft principle'. He proved the workable principle of a vehicle suspended on a cushion of air blown out under pressure, making the vehicle easily mobile over most surfaces. The supporting air cushion would enable it to operate over soft mud, water, and marshes and swamps as well as on firm ground. He designed a working model vehicle based on his patent. Showing his model to the authorities led to it being put on the secret list as being of possible military use and therefore restricted. However, to keep Britain in the lead in developments, in 1958 the National Research and Development Corporation took on his design (paying £1000 for the rights) and paid for an experimental vehicle, the SR-N1 to be built by [[Saunders-Roe]] to Cockerell's design. It was launched on [[11 June]] [[1959]].<ref name="BBC on this day">{{cite web | url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/june/11/newsid_4333000/4333329.stm | work= BBC News | title= On this day 11 June | accessdate= 2007-07-09 }}</ref>
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