“It's all here!” 1961 For Sale By: Private : Hovercraft This is the Yellow Jacket, a hovercraft that.



Item specifics Condition: Seller Notes:
Model Year: 1961 For Sale By: Private Seller
Model: Hovercraft
This is the Yellow Jacket, a hovercraft that was featured in a Popular Mechanics article from March, 1971. I bought it a couple years back, from Kirk Sweney, who got it from Eugene Gluehareff. This thing is history, a piece from a futuristic movie, and an awesome toy all in one. All I"ve done with it really is removed the carburetor and cleaned it out. It just needs someone to put it back together and you"ll have an actual, honest to goodness, hovercraft! Here are a few excerpts from gluhareffhelicopters.com and kevinthewise.com with articles on the craft.
It’s been 40 years since the Yellow Jacket Hovercraft made its debut, and since hover-crafting is all about fun the Yellow Jacket is that and more. While doing his own research and development on air cushion vehicles in 1961, Eugene originally called it a “Ground Effect Machine”. Eugene later collaborated with Robert Q. Riley to promote this unique design and they called it the Yellow Jacket which was featured on the cover of Popular Mechanics Magazine in March 1971.
Yellow Jacket Description
The MEG-1H Yellow Jacket is a single-seat triangular planform ACV prototype designed by Eugene Gluhareff in November 1960. In an effort to make more efficient use of air, Eugene designed two compression fans around the powerful Chrysler 820 go-kart engine and to create more lift he cambered the fan blades like airplane wings. Operating at a speed of 3600-rpm, the blades now act as miniature wings moving at over 300 mph. Eugene decided to design the fuselage in the shape of a flying Delta-wing which results in increased altitude as the Yellow Jacket gains speed.
Lift and Propulsion
Creating an integrated system, motive power is supplied by two 10 hp Chrysler 820 go-kart engines located side-by-side aft of the open cockpit. Each engine drives a 2 ft by 10 in diameter, six-bladed, solid spruce fan at 3600 rpm. Fuel is carried on board in a cylindrical 3/4 gallon go-kart tank mounted above the hull between the two engines. Propulsion air is expelled through twin thrust ports aft.
Controls
At low speeds, craft heading is governed by the differential movement of two pedal-operated thrust ports aft or kinesthetic control. By leaning in the required direction, the craft can be made to spin, move backwards, forwards or sideways. Stick-operated aerodynamic rudders become effective at about 20-25 mph.
Hull
The triangular planform, designed to generate aerodynamic lift at speed.
SPECIFICATIONS
DIMENSIONSLength overall…………………………….10 ft 7 in (3.22 m)Maximum beam……………………………7 ft (2.13 m)Skirt depth…………………………………..6 in. (152 m)
WEIGHTSNormal empty weight…………………165 lb. (74.83 kg)Normal gross weight…………………..331 lb. (150.13 kg)
PERFORMANCEMax speed, calm water 15-20 mph (24.1-32.8 km/h)Max speed over land 60 mph (96.56 km/h)Vertical obstacle clearance 6 in (152 mm)
SKIRT: Fabricated in canvas with 4130 steel reinforcing tubes at hem
Keywords: Autogyro, hang glider, hangglider, paragliding, para sail, paraglide, dune buggy, ultra light, self propelled, light weight aircraft, one man aircraft, gyroplane, gyrocopter, submarine, hiperlight
 Current date: 2019-05-17