On Wednesday 26 June Griffon Hoverwork joined with other key hovercraft organisations, past and present, at The Hovercraft Museum in an event to celebrate the 50th anniversary of SRN4 "The Princess Anne" currently held there. Accompanied by our sister company Hovertravel, operate a fleet of 12000TDs between Southsea and the Isle of Wight, HRH Princess Anne attended in person to visit the iconic hovercraft named after her and show her support to the industry's enduring legacy and future. HoverAid, the humanitarian charity supplying lifesaving aid by hovercraft, who are currently operating in Madagascar, were also in attendance.
The SRN4 is currently the largest commercial hovercraft to have been manufactured at 56 metres in length whilst carrying up to 400 people and 55 cars across the English Channel from Dover to Calais. Although no longer in service the museum has done a tremendous job of maintaining the craft with a view to restoring it in the future.
![Princess Anne 995ED](/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=30&height=13500&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 30w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=60&height=27000&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 60w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=90&height=40500&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 90w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=120&height=54000&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 120w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=150&height=67500&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 150w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=180&height=81000&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 180w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=210&height=94500&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 210w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=240&height=108000&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 240w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=270&height=121500&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 270w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=300&height=135000&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 300w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=330&height=148500&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 330w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=360&height=162000&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 360w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=390&height=175500&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 390w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=420&height=189000&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 420w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=450&height=202500&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 450w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=480&height=216000&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 480w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=510&height=229500&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 510w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=540&height=243000&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 540w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=570&height=256500&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 570w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=600&height=270000&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 600w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=630&height=283500&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 630w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=660&height=297000&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 660w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=690&height=310500&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 690w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=720&height=324000&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 720w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=750&height=337500&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 750w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=780&height=351000&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 780w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=810&height=364500&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 810w,/media/1409/princess-anne-995ed.jpg?width=840&height=378000&quality=100&rnd=133306864564300000 840w)
Demonstrations of the 995ED alongside Hovertravel's 1200TD the Solent Flyer took place during the day to show how far the industry have come since the days of SRN4. A focal point of comparison and discussion for those viewing was the change in noise levels for modern hovercraft. With ducted propellers allowing for slower tip speeds from the rotor blades both Griffon craft on display quietly exhibited their manoeuvrability in front of the Princess Royal whilst Spitfires flew overhead.
The day was concluded inside the SRN4 with the unveiling of a plaque to commemorate Princess Anne and the vehicle etched into hovercraft history.
Photos of HRH kindly supplied by Blitz Photography
![John G Hovercraft Museum](/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=30&height=13500&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 30w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=60&height=27000&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 60w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=90&height=40500&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 90w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=120&height=54000&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 120w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=150&height=67500&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 150w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=180&height=81000&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 180w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=210&height=94500&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 210w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=240&height=108000&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 240w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=270&height=121500&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 270w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=300&height=135000&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 300w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=330&height=148500&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 330w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=360&height=162000&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 360w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=390&height=175500&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 390w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=420&height=189000&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 420w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=450&height=202500&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 450w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=480&height=216000&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 480w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=510&height=229500&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 510w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=540&height=243000&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 540w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=570&height=256500&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 570w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=600&height=270000&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 600w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=630&height=283500&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 630w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=660&height=297000&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 660w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=690&height=310500&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 690w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=720&height=324000&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 720w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=750&height=337500&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 750w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=780&height=351000&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 780w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=810&height=364500&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 810w,/media/1406/john-g-hovercraft-museum.jpg?width=840&height=378000&quality=100&rnd=133306864482700000 840w)