Thousands of new toys appear on the Christmas market each and every year. Companies manufacture and distribute them, of course, but where do the ideas come from? Wilmington, DE teacher and inventor Harold E. Follett and his “ThunderStreak” model hydrofoil offer one answer.
The Ideal Toy Corporation marketed Follett’s patented “Hydroski-Foil Air Boat” under a catchier name. This 1960s toy featured an ingenius hull designed to glide more easily over water, simulating the mechanics of a real hydrofoil.
Follett was born in Ithaca, New York in 1933. His childhood was marked by several moves due to his father’s career with DuPont. The family ultimately settled in Wilmington during World War II.
Follett displayed a keen interest in engineering and design from an early age. He came up with a snowplow attachment for his sled and a toy car powered by a windmill at just six years old. These early creations foreshadowed a lifelong passion for innovation and problem-solving.
Follett’s inventiveness continued to flourish during his high school years at Henry C. Conrad High School. In his senior year, he undertook an ambitious project, building a 14-foot outboard boat. He put together some parts in Conrad’s shop and completed most of the assembly in his home workshop. Not content with just the boat, Follett also crafted his own wooden water skis, enabling his family to enjoy summers on Chesapeake Bay.
Upon graduating from high school, Follett enrolled at Millersville State Teachers College (now Millersville University of Pennsylvania), majoring in Industrial Arts. His college years planted the seeds of his most famous invention.
In 1955, while a college junior, Follett designed and began experimenting with an amphibious model air boat on the campus lake. Follett’s time at Millersville wasn’t all work and no play, however. He served as president of the college’s Rod & Gun Club during his senior year, balancing his academic pursuits with his love for outdoor activities.
After college, Follett served for six years in the Delaware Air National Guard, working as an airplane mechanic. This experience undoubtedly furthered his understanding of aerodynamics and mechanical systems, a collection of knowledge that would prove invaluable in his future inventions.
Follett continued exploring his amphibious air boat ideas. He developed an 18-inch prototype on a combination of hydroski and hydrofoil principles, enabling the model to skim over water, land, or ice at high speeds. The design was not dissimilar to experimental U.S. Navy submarine chasers, showcasing Follett’s ability to apply cutting-edge concepts to his own inventions.
The scaled-down version included hydrofoils acting like airplane wings, hydroskis for additional lift, and a power source that allowed the craft to reach speeds of more than 70 knots (80 mph). Construction materials included mahogany, plywood, plastic, stainless steel, and aluminum. Special runners and retractable wheels made the model truly amphibious.
This vessel project culminated in Follett’s 1962 U.S. patent number 2,972,974 relating “to lifting and supporting watercraft through or on the surface of water or on other surfaces and adjustment mechanisms therefor.” His invention caught the attention of the Ideal Toy Corporation. They saw potential in the design for an educational toy. The company subsequently marketed Follett’s “Hydroski-Foil Air Boat” under the catchier name “ThunderStreak.”
The transition from prototype to toy involved some modifications. Ideal Toy worked to make the design suitable for mass production (all plastic, no mahogany!) and supposedly safe for children to use. However, they maintained the core principles of Follett’s design.
The “ThunderStreak” was featured in Ideal’s 1967 catalog and advertised through Christmas 1968. The craft represented a unique offering in the toy market, combining educational value with the excitement of a high-speed water toy.
Despite a clever design and the backing of a major toy company, the “ThunderStreak” clearly had a short market life. The potential danger posed by the exposed propeller blade whirling at high speed undoubtedly deterred some potential buyers. Additionally, the need for a body of water to use the boat properly might have limited the appeal to a niche market.
Nonetheless, the “ThunderStreak” underscores Follett’s inventive talents and his ability to translate complex scientific principles into accessible, entertaining forms.
The “ThunderStreak” was far from his only contribution to the fields of hydrodynamics and aerodynamics. While teaching industrial arts at Oak Grove School in Wilmington, Follett developed another water-based invention: pontoon shoes for walking on water. These six-foot-long, eight-inch-thick shoes were made of lightweight materials and could support up to 350 pounds per pair. Follett involved his students in the project, using the shoes for various activities from fishing to wind sailing.
This hands-on approach not only showcased Follett’s ongoing interest in hydrodynamics but also his commitment to inspiring young inventors through practical education. Follett continued this creative teaching style throughout his career in the Red Clay Consolidated School District until his retirement from A.I. du Pont High School in 1988.
Even after his retirement from teaching, Follett’s creative mind didn’t slow down. He worked full-time on building a 39-foot wooden sailboat in his backyard, continuing his lifelong love for watercraft.
Follett’s inventive focus shifted late in his career to aerodynamics. In the early 1990s, he secured a patent containing 150 unique elements for a new wing structure. This “flying wing” design combined aspects of a lifting fuselage with forward-swept wings, resembling the body and wings of a butterfly.
Follett’s flying wing concept incorporated elements from three U.S. military aircraft: the SR-71 “Blackbird” reconnaissance plane, the X-29 fighter-plane prototype, and the B-2 stealth bomber. He envisioned applications ranging from large passenger planes carrying up to 800 people to one-person, human-powered ultra-light flying wings.
While this invention didn’t reach the production stage like the “ThunderStreak,” the flying wing demonstrated Follett’s continued engagement with cutting-edge aerodynamics and his ability to think beyond conventional designs.
Harold E. Follett, who passed away on October 15, 2023, held 10 patents throughout his lifetime, spotlighting his pioneering spirit in hydrodynamics and aerodynamics. Follett’s career—from the “ThunderStreak” toy that once graced Christmas wish lists to his flying wing concept—demonstrates that invention can flourish outside traditional settings. His life’s work reminds us that the ideas behind the exciting toys under our Yuletide trees often emerge from unexpected sources – be it a classroom, a backyard workshop, or the curious mind of a lifelong Delaware inventor.
