Cowes, Isle Of Wight: Yesterday Britain made aviation history when the Saunders Roe Hovercraft SR-N 1 already known as a flying saucer, made its first flight off the Solent. Here is the inventor of the flying saucer, with his wife, and the designer. Left to Right Richard Stanton-Jones, aged 32, The designer: The inventor Christopher Cockerell, 49 years old boatbuilder, and Mrs Cockerell. Test pilot of the Hovercraft was Peter Lamb, who said "It handles beautifully," after the first flight. 12 June 1959