Slow Burn – Decoder Ring: The Quest for a Homemade Hovercraft

Intro

In this episode of the “Slow Burn” podcast, senior producer Evan Chang embarks on a quest to build a homemade hovercraft after being captivated by a Boy Scout magazine advertisement. Join him as he explores the history of the hovercraft and attempts to bring his childhood fantasy to life.

Main Takeaways

Hovercraft Fascination and Attempted DIY

• The idea of personal hovercraft has been a fascination for many, with science fiction promising exciting technology for decades.
• Despite promises, personal hovercraft are still not available to the average citizen, but some have attempted to make them for years.
• A Boy Scout magazine advertisement sparked senior producer Evan Chang’s fascination with hovercraft, leading to a quest three decades in the making.

The Mysterious Hovercraft Ad

• Boy Scouts could get a subscription to Boy’s Life magazine, which has been around since 1911.
• Each issue had comics, jokes, and true-life accounts of Boy Scouts performing daring rescues.
• The hovercraft advertisement in the magazine was captivating and mysterious.
• The hovercraft ad left a lot to the imagination and sparked a desire to hover to school.

The Inventor and the Air Car

• The hovercraft advertised in the Boys’ Life magazine was not a real hovercraft but just a pamphlet of instructions to build one.
• The same ad had been featured in the magazine for over 30 years, with the same picture of a kid on a triangular air car.
• The inventor of the hovercraft was David Ross, a professional photographer who was also a test flight motion picture photographer at Edwards Air Force Base.
• David Ross was a total airplane and space geek who launched his own Scout-like organization for boys called Space Clubs of America.

Building the Hovercraft

• A father and son team up to build a hovercraft from plans found in a Boys’ Life magazine ad.
• The plans for the air car are not a step-by-step guide, requiring creativity and problem-solving skills.
• Supplies needed for the hovercraft include glue, nylon cord, casters, basic hardware, and thin plywood.
• The hovercraft’s maiden voyage is approaching, and the narrator is filled with apprehension about potential disappointment.

Achievement and Reflection

• The hovercraft built is different from what was expected, as it is a floating saucer model that can handle an adult’s weight.
• The narrator and his father both feel a sense of accomplishment, despite the hovercraft not meeting their childhood fantasy.
• David Ross invented the air car and chose to sell instructions for it in Boys Life magazine, making it a perfect father-son project.
• The narrator reflects on how the air car brought him and his father together and wishes he had more opportunities to spend time with his dad.

Summary

The Quest for a Homemade Hovercraft

In this episode of “Slow Burn,” Evan Chang takes listeners on a journey into the world of homemade hovercraft. Inspired by a Boy Scout magazine advertisement from his childhood, Evan delves into the history of hovercraft and attempts to build his own. The advertisement, featuring a captivating image of a hovercraft, sparked Evan’s fascination and desire to hover to school. However, he soon discovers that the hovercraft advertised in the magazine is not a real product but a set of instructions to build one.

Evan explores the life of David Ross, the inventor of the hovercraft, who was a professional photographer and a test flight motion picture photographer at Edwards Air Force Base. Ross’s love for airplanes and space led him to create the air car, a hovercraft-like device modeled after NASA’s astronaut training equipment. Ross sold instructions for the air car in Boys Life magazine, allowing fathers and sons to bond over building their own hovercraft.

Evan and his father embark on their own hovercraft-building adventure, using the plans from the Boys Life advertisement. They face challenges and setbacks along the way, but ultimately succeed in constructing a floating saucer model that can support an adult’s weight. Despite the hovercraft not meeting their childhood fantasies, both Evan and his father feel a sense of accomplishment and reflection on the time they spent together.

This episode highlights the enduring fascination with hovercraft and the power of shared experiences between parents and children. It explores the ingenuity and creativity required to build a homemade hovercraft and the lasting memories that can be created through such projects.

Conclusion

Join Evan Chang on his quest for a homemade hovercraft in this episode of “Slow Burn.” Discover the history of hovercraft, the captivating advertisement that sparked Evan’s fascination, and the journey of building a hovercraft with his father. This episode showcases the power of shared experiences and the ingenuity of individuals who strive to bring their childhood dreams to life.