Do you recognise any of these great machines? The life of the hovercraft began in 1955 when inventor Sir Christopher Cockerell tested his idea for a floating craft by putting a cat food tin inside a coffee tin.
The plan was to run a summer hover service for tourists for the Isle of Wight and the south of England, but it became a year-round service as it was so popular.
Here are a few of our favourite photos from hovercraft from the past.
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13. Hovercraft from the past
The Saunders Roe SRN-1 hovercraft on display at Cowes, Isle of Wight. (Photo by George Hales/Getty Images) Photo: The News archive
14. Hovercraft from the past
June 1993. A Hovercraft arrives at Southsea on a sea of calm. Photo: The News archive
15. Hovercraft from the past
The Westland/Saunders-Roe SR.N2 hovercraft on the Solent, August 31st 1964. (Photo by Len Trievnor/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Photo: The News archive
16. Hovercraft from the past
A hovercraft SRN2 Westland ploughing its way onto the beach at Eastney, Portsmouth 1952. Photo: The News archive