Radio Controlled Hovercraft is a fun little toy. Hovercrafts work by
using forced air to inflate a rubber skirt underneath the vehicle, This cushion
of air lifts up the vehicle and allows it to ride over pavement, dirt, mud,
swamps, and even water - it works best over smooth surfaces - heck, you could
probably run it across your kitchen tile. Rear facing propellers provide power
and steering. Note that these are different than air boats, which actually float
on a water ... and often have slick surfaces for possible land travel.
For those interested in history, hovercrafts were invented after WWII and
among other uses, carried people and cars across the English Channel for 30
years until the opening of the Channel tunnel. The largest ones weighed over 250
tons and almost 200 feet long, carried 400+ people and 60 cars and had a top
speed of almost 100 MPH. These Radio Controlled Hovercrafts are a bit
smaller/slower than that as can be seen in the pictures below ... but it's
perhaps a bit more fun! ;-)
