OT.Engine fitted to Bloodhound

[harryagain]

[John Rumm]

The bit they don't mention which I think is quite enlightening - the car does also have a formula 1 style racing car engine in it... its used as a fuel pump!

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article , harryagain wrote:

See the Express is just as accurate about this as so much else. Not knowing what a rocket engine is.

I lost interest in the land speed record when it ceased to be anything about actual land vehicles. What is more akin to a plane taxying before take off is a total irrelevance.

[Adrian]

You may be showing your age there, given that the last time the Land Speed Record was set by a wheel-driven vehicle was 1947...

[Brian Gaff]

Yes, I think it all became academic when it was obvious that wheel drive was not going to get you going any faster, at least not without a bloody great run in bigger than the size of most areas that were flat enough, you just cannot get the traction as the aerodynamic issues take over. Brian

[Huge]

There's still a wheel driven record. Currently 462mph.

[Huge]

1963.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

That long ago? But it still stands here. ;-)

Same with so called production car racing. When that car bears little resemblance to the model it's supposed to be.

[Adrian]

Bluebird's 403mph was 1964, the year after Spirit of America's 407mph.

[Nightjar]

Nevertheless, Bluebird held the record for a car from July 1964 until October 1964. Spirit of America only had three wheels, which meant that, under FIA rules, it was a motorcycle, not a car.

[newshound]

There was some truth in that in the Craig Breedlove era.

Now, however, I think that is a little harsh. It still has wheels, check out the stresses from centrifugal force on them at 1000 mph. And the aerodynamic and stability challenges are a great deal more interesting than for a plane. And, unlike a plane, "take off" isn't an option if it starts to go pear shaped.

[newshound]

It not only has this jet engine, it will also have an F1 engine as a fuel pump for a liquid fueled rocket when it goes for real. Pretty astonishing engineering really.

[Nightjar]

It might be an unintended consequence though :-)

[harryagain]

It has both rocket and jet enegines fitted as you would have seen if you'd read it.

At 1000mph?

>

[Tim Streater]

What liquid-fuelled rocket?

[Dave Liquorice]

Aye, solid fuel rocket, the F1 is for the oxidiser pump.

[newshound]

Sorry you are quite right, I was trying to distinguish it from more conventional rocket boosters where both "fuel" and "oxidiser" are combined as a solid. So you can "switch off" this rocket by cutting the oxidiser flow. Still bloody hairy technology!

[newshound]

And infinite respect to Andy Green, without the comfort (?) of an ejector seat.

[Caecilius]

That's a hybrid rocket engine then: solid fuel and liquid oxidiser.

On a related note, one of the most interesting rocketry books I've read is "ignition: an informal history of liquid rocket propellants" by John D. Clark. Fairly easy to find online.

[Nightjar]

There are some things you need to be slightly mad to do - like my cousin's son, who walked to the South Pole.