Stock Photo - Jun. 06, 1959 - Britain's flying saucer makes first public flight. Britain's flying saucer the S.R.N.I hovercraft, yesterday made its first public flight at the Saunders Roe works at East Cowes , Isle of Wight/ Later it made flight over the sea. The S.R.N.l can ride over land and sea at a height of up to 15 inches on a cushion of compressed air. It has an ovoid shape , and is virtually a buoyancy tank with a number of inward pointing jets around its perimeter underneath . On top of it flat surface are thecontrol cabin. the funnel containing the engine and the horizontal fan through which air is sucked and then ejected beneath to form the air cushion. The photo shows The inventor of the Hoverplane , Mr.C.S.Cockerell, pictured beside his creation. (Credit Image: © Keystone Press Agency/Keystone USA via ZUMAPRESS.com)