Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
I recall that Hammer's had armoured skirts; don't recall if that's an option for Traveller.
Hovercrafts and mines
- Thread starter McPerth
- Start date
Enoki
SOC-14 1K
The skirts would have to be flexible to some extent to allow for uneven ground, but ones made of something like Kevlar or another relatively tough fabric or flexible material should be possible. The bad thing with that is if you make the skirts hard to penetrate, the blast from that mine has to go somewhere and the likely route is into the fan ducts and fans instead. If these are heavily damaged, then it doesn't matter what the skirts are made of, there's no air pressure to inflate them.
IIRC also the 2300AD hovertanks have them armored
Well, I have clear mines able to damage (if not outright de stroy( hovercrafts are possible, but do they use to be deployed?
I meam ,while many countries (according wikipedia) have hovercrafts, they see little real use. Are they usually included in military defense plans?
kilemall
SOC-14 5K
They are an option for amphib landings, but nowadays a lot of insertion is going to happen by para or helicopter and having hovercraft specific weapons/mines aren’t needed when AT guns, missiles or artillery will do the job.
IYTU, hovercraft may be the defacto vehicle type in which case it might be worth specialty weapons.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
If the skirt is flexible, they could a have a second set that drops down if the first set is damaged.
Regarding modern usage, probably heavy equipment as a ship to shore connector, being fast and possibly large enough to have point defence.
Regarding modern usage, probably heavy equipment as a ship to shore connector, being fast and possibly large enough to have point defence.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
What Happened To Giant Hovercraft?
When the first hovercraft debuted in the summer 1959, it stunned the world as it appeared to almost magically float over any surface. It was a new kind of machine that could travel almost anywhere, on land, water, or just about any other surface.
The first prototype hovercraft, designed by British engineer Christopher Cockerell, was a mere demonstrator for the technology, but in just a few short years hovercraft would go from being a curiosity to promising to herald in a new transport revolution. Britain, the United States, and France poured millions into hovercraft development, both for civilian and military purposes.
The British would quickly emerge as leaders in hovercraft development and adoption. Small scale hovercraft transport services began popping up throughout the country only two years after the hovercraft first made its debut.
The pinnacle of British hovercraft design was the enormous SR.N4. The largest version was capable of transporting sixty cars and as many passengers as a Boeing 747 jumbo jet at speeds of up to 130 km/hr. By the end of the 1970s, these iconic hovercraft carried nearly a third of all passenger traffic on the English Channel, playing an important role in connecting Britain to Continental Europe.
But 50 years after they were introduced, giant hovercraft have all but disappeared. The transport revolution that was once promised, never arrived.
When the first hovercraft debuted in the summer 1959, it stunned the world as it appeared to almost magically float over any surface. It was a new kind of machine that could travel almost anywhere, on land, water, or just about any other surface.
The first prototype hovercraft, designed by British engineer Christopher Cockerell, was a mere demonstrator for the technology, but in just a few short years hovercraft would go from being a curiosity to promising to herald in a new transport revolution. Britain, the United States, and France poured millions into hovercraft development, both for civilian and military purposes.
The British would quickly emerge as leaders in hovercraft development and adoption. Small scale hovercraft transport services began popping up throughout the country only two years after the hovercraft first made its debut.
The pinnacle of British hovercraft design was the enormous SR.N4. The largest version was capable of transporting sixty cars and as many passengers as a Boeing 747 jumbo jet at speeds of up to 130 km/hr. By the end of the 1970s, these iconic hovercraft carried nearly a third of all passenger traffic on the English Channel, playing an important role in connecting Britain to Continental Europe.
But 50 years after they were introduced, giant hovercraft have all but disappeared. The transport revolution that was once promised, never arrived.
Spinward Flow
SOC-14 5K
John Pertwee driving a hovercraft on camera in Planet of the Spiders Part 2.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
Still practical for unopposed amphibious landings.
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
The Soviet Union was developing the concept.
en.wikipedia.org
I just wonder if you used modern materials and engines just how far you could push this concept.
The most obvious use is amphibious operation - and rather than a 'tank' an IFV would likely be of more use.
Hovercraft tank - Wikipedia
I just wonder if you used modern materials and engines just how far you could push this concept.
The most obvious use is amphibious operation - and rather than a 'tank' an IFV would likely be of more use.
Rigel Stardin
SOC-13
The cost of the larger versions of the hovercrafts, would have to drop dramatically before they became practical at our tech level. As far as gun platforms go? I'd need to do some googling to find out about the effectiveness of them during the Vietnam War. Grav vehicles would be the wave of the future. With ability to negate any amount of weight you could up armor and weaponry to make it a viable option.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
I think it depends on how rough the terrain the hovercraft can handle.
Hammer's has fusion reactors, so range and operating cost less concerned with that aspect.
Hammer's has fusion reactors, so range and operating cost less concerned with that aspect.
Ekranoplanes have better fuel efficiency, similar or superior speed, and can handle rougher terrain with less noise.The Soviet Union was developing the concept.
Hovercraft tank - Wikipedia
I just wonder if you used modern materials and engines just how far you could push this concept.
The most obvious use is amphibious operation - and rather than a 'tank' an IFV would likely be of more use.
The USN and JSDF both have LCACs still in service... and carry the troops external.
Simply put: the niche for the hovercraft is pretty much limited to ocean low speed operations. Why low speed? Because Ekranoplanes do high speed better, especially at sea.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
The Soviets gave those up, besides office politics, I think it's because they can't handle rough weather.
The reason that the Americans persisted with the tiltrotor is because they want a fast way to deliver troops from some distance away, the end goal being the staging area would be in the continental United States.
Which is why delivering Marines by rocket was once considered.
The reason that the Americans persisted with the tiltrotor is because they want a fast way to deliver troops from some distance away, the end goal being the staging area would be in the continental United States.
Which is why delivering Marines by rocket was once considered.
Rigel Stardin
SOC-13
or the bird that flew by at the wrong time.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
Instant lucky rabbit foots.
Rigel Stardin
SOC-13
I think @Grav_Moped said it in another post. Paraphrasing here: "How did we determine that a Rabbit's Foot was lucky? It sure as heck wasn't lucky for the rabbit."
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
Chinese tradition has a phobia of transferring bad luck, which is one reason for the reluctance of using second hand goods, and immediately remodelling a newly bought home (since you can't really level it and construct a new one).
However, it also can be viewed that all bad karma has been neutralized.
However, it also can be viewed that all bad karma has been neutralized.
With all the comments about ultra sensitive mines to take out Hovercraft, I pity the rabbit that hops in the wrong place.
In fact, this was one of the things I was thinking about. If the mines are made so sensitive triggered as to explode by the pre sure of a hovercraft (that is said to be quite low) , how long until some other thing set them up?
And so, how long wil lthe minefield last?