Author Topic: Think they can do it?  (Read 371 times)

Offline AquaShrimp

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Think they can do it?
« on: January 02, 2007, 02:32:22 AM »


A team (American Eagle) has converted an F-104 Starfighter into a car in an attempt to break 800mph for a land speed record.

I hope these guys can do it.  But I think its extremely dangerous.

Offline Golfer

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« Reply #1 on: January 02, 2007, 02:37:57 AM »
Not important enough for me...hope they don't die.

Offline DiabloTX

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« Reply #2 on: January 02, 2007, 02:42:41 AM »
I hope they make it...but I think that ejection seat is going to be used.
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Offline RAIDER14

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« Reply #3 on: January 02, 2007, 02:49:00 AM »
It will be on one of those shows on Spike Tv

Offline RightF00T

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« Reply #4 on: January 02, 2007, 03:04:24 AM »
I hope that axle is american iron as well.

Offline Holden McGroin

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« Reply #5 on: January 02, 2007, 04:31:25 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by DiabloTX
I hope they make it...but I think that ejection seat is going to be used.


I hope they didn't use the XF-104 development model with the downward firing seat.

Anybody know what happened to Breedlove's car / effort?
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Offline DiabloTX

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« Reply #6 on: January 02, 2007, 04:35:41 AM »
He was close, IIRC, but was short on funds.  Then the SSC went BOOOM! and the Brits were first.  After the Brits went supersonic Craig more or less hung it up.
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Offline Holden McGroin

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« Reply #7 on: January 02, 2007, 04:47:33 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by DiabloTX
He was close, IIRC, but was short on funds.  Then the SSC went BOOOM! and the Brits were first.  After the Brits went supersonic Craig more or less hung it up.


I live about four hours away from Black Rock, and went down a few weeks before the success of Andy Green and the Thrust SSC team.  I witnessed a prelim 500+ run, and hung around a few days to try to see a Breedlove run, but he had some FOD and ruined his engine.  He was back a few weeks later, and ran about 630 before SSC went 760+.

He said he was going to be back the next year, and stayed until December the year the SSC was sucessful, but then the website shut down, and never heard anything further about him.
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Offline DiabloTX

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« Reply #8 on: January 02, 2007, 04:55:25 AM »
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The first run of the vehicle in October 28, 1996 in the Black Rock Desert, Nevada ended in a crash at around 675 mph (1,000 km/h). Returning in 1997 the vehicle badly damaged the engine on an early run and when the British ThrustSSC managed over 700 mph (1100 km/h) the re-engined Spirit could do no better than 676 mph (1088 km/h). Breedlove believes the vehicle is capable of exceeding 800 mph (1,200 km/h), but has yet to demonstrate this.

In late 2006 it has been announced[1] that Breedlove has sold the car to Steve Fossett who will be making an attempt on the land speed record in 2007, marking the end of an era of land speed record breaking.

From the Wiki
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Offline Holden McGroin

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« Reply #9 on: January 02, 2007, 05:14:53 AM »
Looks like he bought in October 2006...

Might be time for another trip to Gerlach this next summer.  Might be 2 WLSR cars working to go fast!
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Offline Scherf

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« Reply #10 on: January 02, 2007, 05:37:13 AM »
There's so many unkind things one could say about Starfighters and the ground.
... missions were to be met by the commitment of alerted swarms of fighters, composed of Me 109's and Fw 190's, that were strategically based to protect industrial installations. The inferior capabilities of these fighters against the Mosquitoes made this a hopeless and uneconomical effort. 1.JD KTB

Offline Halo

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« Reply #11 on: January 02, 2007, 08:41:27 PM »
It must be contrary to the DNA and every molecule in that F-104 to go that fast and stay on the ground.
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Offline AquaShrimp

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« Reply #12 on: January 02, 2007, 08:57:31 PM »
Quite contrary, every molecule in that F-104 is attracted to the ground!