OT.Engine fitted to Bloodhound

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!

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.

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...

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

It might be an unintended consequence though :-)

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

At 1000mph?

What liquid-fuelled rocket?

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

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!

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

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.

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