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I remember seeing ads in magazines for this all the time when I was a kid (late 70s). Did anyone actually order the plans and try to build it?
Anyone actually ever try to build this?
- Thread starter aquariuscsm
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Never heard of anyone trying to build one, but those ads continued up through the late 80s.
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I remember showing it to my mom and telling her I would need to borrow the motor off the vacuum cleaner, you can only imagine the look on her face and the tone in her voice when she said “NO!!” haha!!
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I love how the ad says, “Float on air around your house or school” haha!
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Haha, love seeing this again. My dad's an astrophysicist (now retired). When he told me it couldn't possibly generate enough lift, I believed him and didn't give it a second thought. Interesting though, the design is very similar to the ubiquitous quadcopter drone. Maybe Dad was wrong??!
@aquariuscsm - I built a hovercraft for my 8th grade science project. I used a sheet of plywood, an old shopvac, some wood (2"x4"), fasteners, and a sheet of industrial plastic. It was the "star of the show" in our small school, and I gave many test rides. It even lifted our heaviest teacher (300+). I ended up not even placing, as our small school was EXTREMELY political, and the I was not "in". My parents might still have pics...that was wow...1992 or 1993 I guess.
Nothing in that advertisement states how high it floats off the floor. It probably rides about as high off the floor as a puck does on an air hockey table.
Yeah, that is kind of how hovercrafts work...
Oh man those were the days. I remember ads for kits to assemble various lasers, hovercrafts, all sorts of fun stuff. I seem to remember a lot of these types of ads in the back of Popular Science/Mechanics and some sporting mags, etc.I remember seeing ads in magazines for this all the time when I was a kid (late 70s). Did anyone actually order the plans and try to build it?
View attachment 130652
Didn't Mythbusters do something like this?
Yes, the 2004 Season, Episode 17
Yes, the 2004 Season, Episode 17
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I think my best friend and I from back then saw this ad in Mad magazine.
Bad idea.
Not only is the craft's performance wholy dependant on the floor's surface, you gotta steal your Mom's/wife's cake pans to make the feet.
Looks to me like the vacuum motor would make the thing just stick to the floor....like assisted suction cups. (kidding)
The "star of the show" levitates the 300 pound teacher and doesn't even place?
I'd love to hear more about this small town....sounds real friendly.
Not only is the craft's performance wholy dependant on the floor's surface, you gotta steal your Mom's/wife's cake pans to make the feet.
Looks to me like the vacuum motor would make the thing just stick to the floor....like assisted suction cups. (kidding)
The "star of the show" levitates the 300 pound teacher and doesn't even place?
I'd love to hear more about this small town....sounds real friendly.
"Lifts 200 lbs."
Wearing my birthday suit and holding a few dozen helium-filled party balloons I may be able to hover around the house during the warm season. I can imagine that but I don't want to. My cats may enjoy using this conveyance.
Wearing my birthday suit and holding a few dozen helium-filled party balloons I may be able to hover around the house during the warm season. I can imagine that but I don't want to. My cats may enjoy using this conveyance.
I had only moved to town from Tennessee the year before. I was not wealthy, and my family was not known in the community. If I remember correctly it was a group of parents or PTA members that were the judges. It is an EXTREMELY "clicky" town.
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The reason why I hate small towns.
No but as a kid I sure wanted toI remember seeing ads in magazines for this all the time when I was a kid (late 70s). Did anyone actually order the plans and try to build it?
View attachment 130652
GON
$100 Site Donor 2024
The "Float on Air" advertisment was often near this advertisement:
