Design A Landspeed Record Challenger Gb

[Mossie]

Going retro!  Not sure if I'll join this GB, but here's an idea I had for a twenties/early thirties record machine based on an S.E.5a fuselage.

[Daryl J.]

Hee-hee....a landspeed perambulator!      Grandpa had one of these prior to imigrating from Switzerland and often spoke of it.

Or, one could make a approx 1/200 scale Mag-Lev train out of a 1/72 F-104 adding some cars in the middle to transport rich, desparate, insty-grat American Gamblers from L.A. to Vegas in.      


Or flip a U-boat VII upside down, remove everything above the deck, and put some lakespeed tires underneath and Mad Maxx goes to Bonneville eh?  


Ideas that are free for all......I'll likely not have time for this one as much as I'd love to join.



Daryl J.

[retro_seventies]

Like that a LOT mossie - looks thoroughly convincing! (a pinch of fin wouldn't do it any harm though!).

Mine is going to be based on a De Havilland Vampire.  I'll use the time in Blighty over xmas to track down some union jack decals for the old girl.  It'll be fun to look at some period LSR cars for inspiration too!  I'll try and get a prelim sketch knocked up or the next day or so, looks like everybody else is doing it!  

Couple of other idea knocking around too...this is going to be an very cool GB!    

[Mossie]

Here you go, another retro for Retro!  Later version of the same car for further record attempts, with aerodynamic aids including fin & faired radiator cowl, & modifications to the engine.



I'd been thinking about a fin, although I was happy how it was because until the later twenties, LSR cars didn't have too much in the way of aerodynamic aids.   These two incarnations of the car are pretty representitive of how individual machines evolved to eek another five or ten mph to jump ahead of the competition. Up to the early thirties, cars would be improved slightly for further attempts as there was a lot of hopefuls jockying for the record at this time.  Then Malcolm Campbell came along with his Railton Bluebird & blew the competition away.  LSR machines never looked like modified racing cars again.

EDIT:  Couple of good size Union Jacks on this Modeldecal sheet:
http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=MD099&PIC_NO=3

[jcf]

Segrave's '1,000hp Sunbeam' and 'Golden Arrow' predate Campbell's 1931 Napier-Railton version of the Bluebird.
In comparison to Segrave's cars, even Campbell's 1935 car looks more like a GP car.




The Sunbeam was the first successful envelope body LSR car.


Why is it so hard to find decent pics of the Golden Arrow?


Bluebird 1924 - the first 'purpose' designed LSR car.


Bluebird 1928


Bluebird 1933


Bluebird 1935

Eyston's Thunderbolt and  Cobb's Railton, both of 1938, are among the first extreme designs that had few, if any,  automobile design cues.


Thunderbolt


Cobb Railton

One note on your S.E.5a design... two engines.

Jon

[Mossie]

Segrave's '1,000hp Sunbeam' and 'Golden Arrow' predate Campbell's 1931 Napier-Railton version of the Bluebird.
In comparison to Segrave's cars, even Campbell's 1935 car looks more like a GP car.

Thanks for that John, I'd got my dates mixed up & I thought that the 1,000hp Sunbeam & Golden Arrow came after.

One note on your S.E.5a design... two engines.

Not sure what you mean, is it something I've accidently incorporated in the profile or do you mean you'd need two Hispano Suiza engines to get near the required power?  I only really used the S.E.5a because the fuselage had the look of a racer/LSR car, in the real world it'd probably be much easier to start from scratch!

Lovely pictures by the way.  Know what you mean about Golden Arrow, my feeling is it's to do with the shape of the car & the way those skirts hide the rest of it, you never really get a shot that shows the whole machine.

Here's a painting of J.G. Parry-Thomas's Highland-Thomas Special 'Babs':

[jcf]

Two engines for looks and vitesse.  

Cheers, Jon

[Mossie]

Ah, I get you now!  Getting into proper Batmobile territory, SE5a with extra 'oomph':

[jcf]

Some more 'Retro' reference for those inclined towards a Golden Age LSR creation wheel driven machine, as opposed to the converted jet notions. I like both themes.

Note: Large images.

1920s LSR machines compared. Miller set a class record of 171mph in the Miller 91 racer. The car was powered by a 91-cubic inch, supercharged straight-8(I-8)... Harry Miller's classic engine design.


Frank Lockhart Stutz Black Hawk, 570hp Miller V-16 powered - two 91cu.in. I-8 engines on a common crankcase. Designed to best Segrave's Sunbeam.
Lockhart was killed when this machine crashed.
Yes Brian, cars can have spats.


Unbuilt Miller-Oldfield monster.

Cheers, Jon

[kitnut617]

And they look even better in real life, I've seen a lot of these at Beaulieu Museum

[Brian da Basher]

Mmmm cars with spats!

This is one of my favorites:



In my fondest dreams, I drive a Cord!

Brian da Basher

[Hobbes]

Why is it so hard to find decent pics of the Golden Arrow?

I made a few at Beaulieu this summer. Mail me if you want them.  

[Tuck]

I call this one as mine....

MUHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAH!!!!    

[Mossie]

You've posted it, you've gotta build it now!      

[Daryl J.]

Somehow, an X-15 on wheels (or would that even be skids on the back) should get past the sound barrier too.   Not quite Colombia/Atlantis/Endeavor status but nonetheless.......................  

A Starship Enterprise drive on a F-4 Phantom fuel tank might be a little overkill, however.      


Daryl J.