(1) Powerplant: About the only viable choice is a turbo/supercharged HP gas engine with the aerial option.
(2) Thrust fans: From a space perspective, these might be better placed in pods on the rear of the body. However, this is not economical in terms of weight and makes it easier to lose a fan to enemy fire.
(3) Armor: Given the weight of TL6 armor and frame materials, a hovercraft simply can't be armored very well for WWII.
WWII cargo hovercraft
These are four hovercraft built with mostly WWII technology (construction rules). While wheeled cargo vehicles are cheaper and have a higher percentage of space devoted to cargo, hovercraft are much faster over level ground and can also cross deep water.
While these hovercraft are designed for cargo transport, they can also be used for troop transport (APC variants of the two largest hovercraft are listed).
The LMG is located in the superstructure in a similar fashion to a tank's bow MG. Many would probably also mount some sort of AA/MG in a simple pintle mount on the
Light Cargo Hovercraft
Subassemblies: Small Hovercraft chassis +3, Medium AFV
superstructure +2, skirts +2.
Powertrain: 860-kW aerial turbo HP gasoline engine with
4x168.75-kW lift fans and 185-kW thrust fan and 60-gallon standard fuel
tank [Body], 16,000-kW batteries. Fuel Consumption: 43 gph
Occupancy: 1 CS Body, 1 CS Superstructure Cargo:
14.5 Superstructure
Armor
Body/Superstructure: 4/20
Skirts: 4/35
Weaponry
Ground LMG [Sup:F] (500)
Equipment
Body: Small radio receiver and transmitter.
Statistics
| Size: 12'x7'x4' | Payload: 1.12 tons | Lwt: 6.7 tons |
| Volume: 68 | Maint.: 38 hours | Price: $28,100 |
HT: 9
HP: 250 [body], 200 [superstructure], 200 [skirts]
| hSpeed: 115 | hAccel: 1.1 | hDecel: 6 | hMR: 1.5 | hSR: 2 |
Medium Cargo Hovercraft
Subassemblies: Medium Hovercraft chassis +3, Small TD
superstructure +3, skirts +3.
Powertrain: 1625-kW aerial turbo HP gasoline engine with
4x281.25-kW lift fans and 500-kW thrust fan and 240-gallon standard fuel
tank [Body], 16,000-kW batteries. Fuel Consumption: 81.3 gph
Occupancy: 1 CS Body, 1 CS Superstructure Cargo:
30 Superstructure
Armor
Body/Superstructure: 4/20
Skirts: 4/40
Weaponry
Ground LMG [Sup:F] (500)
Equipment
Body: Small radio receiver and transmitter.
Statistics
| Size: 18'x8'x6' | Payload: 2.48 tons | Lwt: 11.22 tons |
| Volume: 68 | Maint.: 28 hours | Price: $50,700 |
HT: 8
HP: 375 [body], 285 [superstructure], 270 [skirts]
| hSpeed: 156 | hAccel: 1.8 | hDecel: 6 | hMR: 1.5 | hSR: 2 |
Large Cargo Hovercraft
Subassemblies: Very Large Hovercraft chassis +4, Medium
TD superstructure +3, skirts +3.
Powertrain: 2150-kW aerial HP turbo gasoline engine with
4*400-kW lift fans and 550-kW thrust fan and 300-gallon standard fuel tank
[Body], 20,000-kW batteries. Fuel Consumption: 107.5 gph
Occupancy: 1 CS Body, 1 CS Superstructure Cargo:
44.5 Superstructure
Armor
Body/Superstructure: 4/20
Skirts: 4/50
Weaponry
Ground LMG [Sup:F] (500)
Equipment
Body: Small radio receiver and transmitter.
Statistics
| Size: 21'x9'x8' | Payload: 3.4 tons | Lwt: 15.71 tons |
| Volume: 162 | Maint.: 24 hours | Price: $66,900 |
HT: 9
HP: 575 [body], 360 [superstructure], 400 [skirts]
| hSpeed: 138 | hAccel: 1.4 | hDecel: 4 | hMR: 1 | hSR: 2 |
Variant
APC: Change Cargo to 4.5 and add 8 PS [Super]. Increase body and superstructure
armor to F 4/40 and RLB 4/30. Payload becomes 2.2 tons and LWeight is 15.96
tons. Cost is $68,600.
Gigantic Cargo Hovercraft
Subassemblies: Gigantic Hovercraft chassis +4, Medium
TD superstructure +3, skirts +4.
Powertrain: 3840-kW aerial turbo HP gasoline engine with
4x710-kW lift fans and 1000-kW thrust fan and 540-gallon standard fuel
tank [Body], 20,000-kW batteries. Fuel Consumption: 192 gph
Occupancy: 1 CS Body, 1 CS Superstructure Cargo:
80 Body, 44.5 Superstructure
Armor
Body/Superstructure: 4/20
Sjirts: 4/65
Weaponry
Ground LMG [Sup:F] (500)
Equipment
Body: Small radio receiver and transmitter.
Statistics
| Size: 26'x12'x8' | Payload: 8.18 tons | Lwt: 27.99 tons |
| Volume: 370 | Maint.: 19 hours | Price: $117,000 |
HT: 8
HP: 900 [body], 360 [superstructure], 650 [skirts]
| hSpeed: 154 | hAccel: 1.4 | hDecel: 4 | hMR: 1 | hSR: 3 |
Variant
APC: Change Cargo to 4.5 and add 16 PS [Body] and 8 PS [Super]. Increase
body and superstructure armor to F 4/60 and RLB 4/40. Payload becomes 4.58
tons and LWeight is 28.33 tons. Cost is $121,000.