Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
#1
Brings back memories as I made lots of trips,the funny thing about the Jean Bertin or JB as it was known when we used to book it at Dover Priory is you never booked anyone on it,as it was a miracle if it ever ran.It was always being repaired on the Hoverpad in Boulogne!
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#2
I bet a picture of the Jean Bertin would be hard to find John...if it was a poor runner. My huge thanks to top man Paul Scotchie Wells himself for the main picture in the feature.
I managed to have one or two trips on the great beasts. I loved the things but I remember they were very prone to dodgy weather conditions. My last trip back from Calais, with little daughter at the time, was one to remember. She was holding on like she was atop a bucking bronco. After every wave it dropped as if falling down a lift shaft. Was good to see dry land that time.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#3
fascinating piece of recent history on the front page.
Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
#4
They were noisy, dirty and smelly but utterly fantastic! I miss them, great lovely beasts of beauty and technology. Shame they have now become museum pieces as with Concorde
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
#5
Best I can get at work of the N500 type - apparently the design wasn't that good, but if they allowed it to have merged and used the UK props and engines it would have been an amazing craft
http://www.doverferryphotos.co.uk/pastandpresent/bertin.htmBeen nice knowing you :)
Guest 718- Registered: 28 Jun 2011
- Posts: 195
#6
There is a good website dedicated to hovercraft:-
http://www.jameshovercraft.co.uk/
The Sedam N500 Naviplane was a French attempt in the late '70s to enter the hovercraft market and for a very short time they were the largest craft in manufacture. The whole project was a disaster. The first of the N500s, the Côte d'Argent was destroyed by fire during maintenance after only seven hours service, and the Ingenieur Jean Bertin proved to be totally unreliable due to constant systems failures. It was said that she could not mount the pad at Dover in anything more than a waft of a breeze! Consequently any potential customers backed well away and French government subsidies were withrawn.
There are a few pictures - but subject to copyright. I think this one of the Ingenieur Jean Bertin at Dover is OK though.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#7
Gosh some interesting stuff there lads. It has just dawned on me that I saw that great huge craft on the apron at Calais years and years ago. It looked like it was undergoing servicing, a true monster, but based on what's said in the posts above there, it looks like it was always being serviced. It looks fantastic though..a bit like that Howard Hughes plane from all those years ago...well sort of.
Guest 656- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,262
#8
Like many people I loved the Hovercrafts, very exciting and thrilling to watch and travel on over to France and the hostesses were always very glamorous and friendly. It was a sad time when they left for good.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
#9
Rather miss the days of the Hovercraft, a few times in the co-pilots chair :)
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
#10
I had been up to the cockpit and was even talking to one of the pilots the other day,what surprised me is how tiny it was up there. Is it a cockpit or a bridge Paul?
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
#11
I guess technically a cockpit as it is a low flying aircraft.....
It was alway fun going up the ladder when it was moving. I am sure I have a photo of me somewhere, I'll have to have a look
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 722- Registered: 23 Aug 2011
- Posts: 97
#12
Found these in my collection. Must have been one of the rare days that it ran.
Taken from the Prince of wales pier.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#13
Great stuff there Andy. They are terrific pictures to see. Conditions didnt look too smooth out there on that particular day, you can see the spray she is chucking up. Gawd its a beast..but fab!
Ive added a link to this thread on the frontpage so if anyone else has any more of any hovercraft please feel free to put them up.
Hopefully Paul we can see one of you in the cockpit. Looking forward to that one.
Guest 715- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 2,438
#14
The picture on the home page shows the old POW Pier cafe, it was a great place to watch the Hovercraft from.
Audere est facere.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#15
Amazing to see that Martin. This is all before my time here but wow that is a great lookout point..quite a location for a cafe. You cant see anything from the current cafe.
What ever became of it..
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
#16
Destroyed in the 1987 storm
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
#17
When They first came to Dover,the public in the Gateway were up in arms about them being to noisy,but I loved seeing them coming in on that pad and waiting to see them come off it again.I think I am right in saying that they came into the Eastend first then moved later on to the Weston side.
Guest 715- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 2,438
#18
That's right Vic in the days of Seaspeed,
Audere est facere.
Guest 644- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,214
#19
That strange French hovercraft reminds me of Thunderbird 2; shame it wasn't painted green.
An engineer who worked on them told mre they were mechanically unsound and were welded together. They suffered from tremendous vibration problems from the three engines causing huge amount of stress on the hull welds.
Guest 648- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 258
#20
Those were the good old days
