Thrust WSH - Richard Noble's new speed record project

[BTB 500]

Following on from the Thrust 2 and Thrust SSC land speed record cars Richard Noble has a new project running to go for the water speed record - Thrust WSH (Water Speed Hydroplane). They're using spare Rolls-Royce Spey jet engines that were put into storage after Thrust SSC was wound up, and one of these has just been recommissioned and successfully run up to full reheat (afterburner):

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

They have the first of two turbine powered radio-controlled research models up & running ... this has reached around 90 mph so far. The target for the full-size version is over 400 mph (the current record of 317 mph has stood since 1978).



Project website:

Home Page - ThrustWSH

Thrust is back! The adventure starts here for our outright water speed record attempt. Find out how we're getting on.

thrustwsh.com

 

[ChrisEdu]

Dangerous enough on land, but water!

 

[BTB 500]

Dangerous enough on land, but water!

Yep, apparently 50% of people attempting the record have died in the process. Not good odds, but I'm sure safety will be a high priority (as it was for the LSR cars).

 

[Chrishazle]

Hope they've partnered with Martin Baker!!

 

[flying haggis]

Hope they've partnered with Martin Baker!!

as long as the boat stays upright.... Not much use if the boat has flipped!

 

[Darrell]

Does he now hold the LSR??

 

[BTB 500]

as long as the boat stays upright.... Not much use if the boat has flipped!

I know the F-35 fighter is set up to auto eject the pilot when it's flying in the hover as it can detect and react to an unrecoverable situation faster than a human! For a boat I suspect with modern composites an airtight safety cell for the driver could be made strong (and buoyant) enough for survival. Will be interesting to see what they do though.

 

[BTB 500]

Does he now hold the LSR??

Richard Noble himself held the LSR in Thrust 2. He then ran the Thrust SSC project (which broke the sound barrier, and his record) - that car was driven by Andy Green though.

 

[Chrishazle]

as long as the boat stays upright.... Not much use if the boat has flipped!

If Donald Campbell's boat had had an ejector seat he'd have had a couple of seconds as Bluebird nosed up and lifted in which he could have ejected, unfortunately he did not have that chance.

 

[BTB 500]

If Donald Campbell's boat had had an ejector seat he'd have had a couple of seconds as Bluebird nosed up and lifted in which he could have ejected, unfortunately he did not have that chance.

John Cobb's boat went nose-down in a fraction of a second though ... no way he'd have been able to eject from that:

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies