FRANKLIN DOBSON AIRCAR HOVERCRAFT / GROUND EFFECT VEHICLE 1960s FOOTAGE (SILENT) XD49884

Year Published: 1960s

Description:

This short, silent film (rescued by our friend Jeff Vilencia), shows a hovercraft or ground effect vehicle built by Franklin A. Dobson of Newport Beach, California. It likely dates to the early 1960s, when Dobson's Air Dart caught the attention of Popular Science magazine and became a brief sensation. Dobson went on to found a company called AIRCARS, Inc. and marketed kits and plans for the vehicle which were sold through magazine ads. According to Popular Science July 1963, the complete kit was going to sell for about $700, or one without an engine $500, and plans were going to be a mere $2. It's unclear how many ended up being built, and none appear operational today. The vehicle used chromoly tubing covered with plastic fabric, with a plywood and aluminum cockpit and a two cycle, 10-15 hp engine. It cruised at about 4 inches off the ground and could apparently carry 300 lbs.

Dobson was an inventor with many ideas who also built and/or patented an anti-submarine warfare device known as "SCAT", toys, and at least one airplane.