Saunders-Roe SR.N6

The Saunders-Roe SR.N6, later built by the British Hovercraft Corporation and also known as the Winchester class, was essentially a larger version of the earlier SR.N5 and became one of the most produced and commercially successful hovercraft designs in the world. It has the distinction of being the first production hovercraft to enter commercial service, and the experience gained with it contributed to the design of the much larger SR.N4. The first prototype was launched on 9 March 1965 and delivered in June 1965 to Scandinavian Hovercraft Promotions of Oslo as the Scanhover, followed by a second craft the same month. Like the SR.N5 it used a single marinised Bristol Gnome turboshaft engine, with more powerful Gnome engines in the stretched Mk 1S of late 1971. During the late 1960s Hoverlloyd launched a cross-Channel service with a pair of SR.N6 craft, and a twin-propeller Super 6 conversion launched in 1973.