Editing SR.N4 (section)

{{Short description|Hovercraft built for cross-channel services}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2016}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image            = SRN4 Hovercraft Mountbatten Class.jpg
|Ship caption          = Mark III SR.N4 arriving in [[Port Dover|Dover]] on its last commercial flight October 2000
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name                  = SR.N4 ''Mountbatten'' class
|Builders              = [[British Hovercraft Corporation]]
|Operators             = {{unbulleted list
  | [[Hoverlloyd]]
  | [[Seaspeed]]
  | [[Hoverspeed]]
  }}
|Class before          =
|Class after           =
|Built range           =
|In service range      = 1968–2000
|Total ships completed = 6
|Total ships active    =
|Total ships scrapped  = 5
|Total ships preserved = 1
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header           =
|Header caption        = (Mark III)
|Ship class            =
|Ship type             = [[Hovercraft]]
|Ship tonnage          =  320 t 
|Ship displacement     = 
|Ship length           = {{convert|56.38|m|ftin|abbr=on}} 
|Ship beam             = {{convert|23.77|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship height           = {{convert|11.48|m|ftin|abbr=on}} on landing pads
|Ship draught          =  
|Ship draft            =
|Ship depth            =
|Ship hold depth       =
|Ship decks            =
|Ship deck clearance   =
|Ship power            = 4 x {{convert|3,800|shp|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion       = 4 x [[Bristol Proteus|Rolls-Royce Marine Proteus]] gas turbines for lift and propulsion, each driving a single four-bladed variable-pitch propeller
|Ship speed            = {{convert|70 |kn|km/h}}
|Ship range            = 
|Ship endurance        =
|Ship boats            =
|Ship capacity         = up to 60 cars and 418 passengers 
|Ship crew             =
|Ship sensors          =
|Ship notes            =
}}
|}
[[File:Hovercraft.ogg|thumb|Hovercraft landing in Calais]]
[[File:Boarding.ogv|thumb|Boarding a Hovercraft with a vehicle]]

The '''SR.N4''' (Saunders-Roe Nautical 4)<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.jameshovercraft.co.uk/hover/html/srn4.htm|title= James' Hovercraft Site: SRN4|accessdate=2008-03-22}}</ref> hovercraft (also known as the '''''Mountbatten'' class hovercraft''') was a combined  passenger and vehicle-carrying class of [[hovercraft]].<ref>{{cite book |title=A Dictionary of Aviation |first=David W. |last=Wragg |isbn=9780850451634 |edition=first |publisher=Osprey |year=1973 |page=250}}</ref> The type has the distinction of being the largest civil hovercraft to have ever been put into service.

Work on the SR.N4 was initiated in 1965 by [[Saunders-Roe]]. By the time that the vehicle's first trials took place in early 1968, Saunders-Roe had merged with [[Vickers]]' hovercraft division to form the [[British Hovercraft Corporation]], who continued development. Power was provided by four [[Bristol Proteus|Rolls-Royce Proteus]] marine turboshaft engines each driving its own lift fan and pylon-mounted steerable propulsion propeller. The SR.N4 was the largest hovercraft then built, designed to carry 254 passengers in two cabins besides a four-lane automobile bay which held up to 30 cars. Cars were driven from a bow ramp just forward of the wheelhouse. The first design was {{convert|40|m|ft|0}} long, weighed {{convert|190|LT|t|0|lk=on}}, was capable of {{convert|83|kn|km/h|0|lk=in}} and could cruise at over {{convert|60|kn|km/h|0}}.

The SR.N4s operated regular services across the [[English Channel]] between 1968 and 2000. In response to operator demands, stretched versions of the SR.N4 were developed, culminating in the Mk.III variant, which had almost double the capacity for carrying both cars and passengers as the Mk.I. While interest was expressed in military applications for the type, no vehicles were ultimately used for such purposes. Following the fleet's withdrawal from cross-channel services, a single remaining Mk.III example, GH-2007 ''Princess Anne'', remains on static display at the [[Hovercraft Museum]] at [[Lee-on-Solent]] as of August 2021.