Here are a few images to illustrate some concepts.

It was pretty fast, especially with skirts and jet engine. Not all that large, though.

Wikipedia image:


The size might eliminate the missile boat thing, unless you scaleorama it.

Watching the Marines ride it down the runway at Farnborough was interesting. With such a low ride height in those days it 'bumped' quite a bit going over the edge onto the grass, and they all bounced up and down somewhat!

It really wasn't much good for anything aside from developmental testing until it was in the Mk.V
configuration with the 4' skirt. The Mk.V retained the pointed bow and stern of the Mk.IV version,
which was fitted to test the hull design of the SRN2, and the Viper engine of the Mk.III.

The deeper skirt improved the on water ride and vastly improved performance on land enabling it
to deal with rough shores and even rocks over 3' tall. However speed was reduced by 20mph from
to the Mk.IV configuration. It went from 64mph to 44mph, 45mph under ideal circumstances.

All of the SRN1 versions were modifications of the single SRN1, Mk.V was the final configuration. 

You cannot view this attachment.
SRN1 Mk. V.
Note that the entire assembly behind the fan is the engine and its elaborate intake arrangement, which
was designed to prevent water ingestion. Realistically, there's no way to redesign the SRN1 to have a
cabin suitable for cargo or personnel and definitely not gun turrets and missile boxes. It is a very small
machine, which is why the SRN2 is so much larger, it's over 10 meters longer than the original SRN1. 

A couple of thoughts to go with my vote:

If configured as SAR, it could be a sort of 'first responder' type affair, getting qualified personnel and kit to the site to stabilise any casualties, pending the arrival of something larger with more kit/personnel and the ability to transport said casualties.

Sort of a MICA paramedic vehicle.

https://www.ambulance.vic.gov.au/paramedics/types-of-paramedics/

Quote from: Rick Lowe on January 06, 2024, 01:55:12 PMA couple of thoughts to go with my vote:

If configured as SAR, it could be a sort of 'first responder' type affair, getting qualified personnel and kit to the site to stabilise any casualties, pending the arrival of something larger with more kit/personnel and the ability to transport said casualties.

Sort of a MICA paramedic vehicle.

https://www.ambulance.vic.gov.au/paramedics/types-of-paramedics/

That's a job that's done for real by small hovercraft only able to carry a handful of people. For instance, the RNLI hovercraft used at Morecombe Bay and a few other locations around the UK are 10-seater Griffon types: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H-class_lifeboat

That's why I voted for SAR as a whiff. As others have pointed out, the most military load you could get on it would be a handful of people and/or maybe some small anti-tank sized missiles such as SS.11, and that begs the question, what's the point?

CJHM on Twitter (X) did a military SR-N1 back in November. He put a couple of 7-round aircraft rocket pods on it, which gives you an idea of the scale of what's possible:



Link to tweet: https://x.com/cjhm_models/status/1733553872474341802?s=20

Quote from: Weaver on January 06, 2024, 02:45:15 PMThat's a job that's done for real by small hovercraft only able to carry a handful of people. For instance, the RNLI hovercraft used at Morecombe Bay and a few other locations around the UK are 10-seater Griffon types: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H-class_lifeboat

I didn't know that - thanks for the confirmation of a valid idea! 

I think you could fit two Penguin launchers. After all, they're less than 300kg a piece and don't need any direct targeting. Nifty small things to run in the archipelagos of Sweden and Finland, especially at this time of the year when there's ice a some places and water at others.

Oh. And you get to do a brownish splinter camo.. 

Quote from: Rick Lowe on January 06, 2024, 03:14:29 PM

Quote from: Weaver on January 06, 2024, 02:45:15 PMThat's a job that's done for real by small hovercraft only able to carry a handful of people. For instance, the RNLI hovercraft used at Morecombe Bay and a few other locations around the UK are 10-seater Griffon types: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H-class_lifeboat

I didn't know that - thanks for the confirmation of a valid idea! 

Note that it's only considered better than a normal displacement hull in certain very specific locations. Morecambe Bay, has a very broad, very shallow-slope beach with a very large tidal range. This means that at low tide, you can walk literally miles off-shore in search of the cockles (shellfish) which the sands are full of, and then find that the incoming tide had got behind you and yo're now on a rapidly shrinking island. Quicksand is also a major problem. The place is notorious for killing people, notably in 2004 when 21 Chinese illegal immigrants drowned whilst working the cockle beds. There couldn't be a more perfect "pocket environment" for a hovercraft rescue vessel: there's a real risk to life, yet a compelling economic reason to take that risk, in an area that's inaccessible to normal boats or land vehicles when the risk is highest, and which consists of an effectively flat surface.

One thing to consider is to replace the propulsion and control ducts with a propeller and rudder,
that'd free up a lot of space.

I got an eye on this kit ... and now you came with this question    . 
Hold my beer .

I have to admit, I thought it was one of the moulds that had disappeared, and was pretty surprised to see it make a comeback.

Maybe there's hope for the SAM-2 and Vauxhall, Zodiac, and Capri (even in modified form), too...

Quote from: Weaver on January 06, 2024, 03:40:19 PM

Quote from: Rick Lowe on January 06, 2024, 03:14:29 PM

Quote from: Weaver on January 06, 2024, 02:45:15 PMThat's a job that's done for real by small hovercraft only able to carry a handful of people. For instance, the RNLI hovercraft used at Morecombe Bay and a few other locations around the UK are 10-seater Griffon types: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H-class_lifeboat

I didn't know that - thanks for the confirmation of a valid idea! 

Note that it's only considered better than a normal displacement hull in certain very specific locations. Morecambe Bay, has a very broad, very shallow-slope beach with a very large tidal range. This means that at low tide, you can walk literally miles off-shore in search of the cockles (shellfish) which the sands are full of, and then find that the incoming tide had got behind you and yo're now on a rapidly shrinking island. Quicksand is also a major problem. The place is notorious for killing people, notably in 2004 when 21 Chinese illegal immigrants drowned whilst working the cockle beds. There couldn't be a more perfect "pocket environment" for a hovercraft rescue vessel: there's a real risk to life, yet a compelling economic reason to take that risk, in an area that's inaccessible to normal boats or land vehicles when the risk is highest, and which consists of an effectively flat surface.

Granted it's a specific set of abilities for specific areas, but it's obviously the best thing for the job, and has been recognised as such. 

Quote from: Pellson on January 06, 2024, 03:29:02 PMI think you could fit two Penguin launchers. After all, they're less than 300kg a piece and don't need any direct targeting. Nifty small things to run in the archipelagos of Sweden and Finland, especially at this time of the year when there's ice a some places and water at others.

Oh. And you get to do a brownish splinter camo.. 

That was the general gist of what I was thinking. Modify the cab to fit extra crew members. Add some stuff on the back for extra fuel etc, pop some radar arrays on top, penguins on the side and of course, a really cool cammo 😄