Jul 092011
A photo taken at the Ira G. Ross aerospace museum archive in Niagara Falls, NY, of a painting of the Bell SKMR-1. That was an experimental air cushion vehicle from the early 1960’s; the first hovercraft with ducted props for forward thrust.
Note that there is, sadly, damage to the print in the upper right.
9 Responses to “SKMR-1 art”
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The question is; what’s it supposed to do? There’s no obvious place for troops or cargo on it, or anti-ship or shore bombardment armament visible. It’s just engines, lift fans, and and ducted props, like some sort of giant sport vehicle.
I’d never seen this particular hovercraft before; it might well have been the inspiration for some Russian hovercraft designs, including the giant Zubr class: http://www.hovercraft-museum.org/russpormornik.html
> what’s it supposed to do?
Proof-of-concept. Remember, this was the early 1960’s, when technologies would be tested on dedicated platforms.
(I know, 7 years late, gravedigging). This was Bell’s first ACV research project for the US Navy. Later they would produce the Voyageur, which would become the US Navy’s LCAV-30 and LCAC landing craft; and the BH-110 which would become the SES-200 and WSES Seabirds-class ships for the USCG;
Want to see something bizarre?
Do a Google image search for SKMR-1 hovercraft, because your cats show up on pages 13 and 14 of the results. 🙂
Just did that search. The painting shows up as the fourth result; Fingers shows up on page 8, along with the Japan earthquake/tsunami maps and the Boeing Model 215. The bulk of the cat photos are on page 9.
Seems GIS sometimes grabs a bit too broadly. Shrug.
Cargo well shows in this image:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/55771642@N02/5265536352/
Not sure if this is accurate, but I *think* I recall seeing an image of the SKMR with a tank in the well.
SKMR-1 was a 6′ gound clearence flying 25 ton Air cushion craft, built in 1967. Its particulars were 45000 lb, plus 2000 lbs payload, 8000 lbs fuel, 4320 hp total, 70 knots.
I love how you stylistically matched your watermark to the vintage and look of the painting.
I forgot to mention I scored a contractor’s model of the SKMR a few years back on Ebay. Fifteen or so inches long, nice wooden base…no plaque…both motors detached, though readily reattachable with Elmers or something similar. Didn’t cost much, which puzzled me…I’d think a model of so obscure a beast would be quite rare.
The Niagara Aerospace Museum has the color negative(s) of this painting in the archives without the damage shown above.
Volunteer; Niagara Aerospace Museum, Wheatfield, NY
The original home of Bell Aircraft and Bell Aerospace