List
The owner of Thunderbolt claims that the motor is an unsupercharged 27
litre Merlin and is using (although I have yet to read them) Ministry of
Defence papers on this engine to substansiate the claim. The later tank
engines (Meteors etc) have been used in cars over here and in the Woomera 1
streamliner in Australia. To me the Merlin of choice would be the rare R
series with its centrifugal blower..... as used in LSR cars (Bluebird),
boats (BLuebird) and sea planes. The Napier engine is the alternative
chosen in the 30's and 40's.
'Thunderbolt' (the original car of that name) was George Eystons six
wheeled machine (four front, two driven at the rear) that set outright
wheeldriven records at Bonneville in 1937 and 1938 fastest record was
357.50 uaing 4700 horse power.
And there was I thinking that it was the USA that spoke something that
approximated to English....... and we spoke what the Queen of England gives
her title to. Hmm..... might be wrong there then.....
Good luck to Keith Tanya and all the racers and spectators at Maxton - I
look forward to seeing pics of JB's Honda CC and continue to remember the
bar b que restaurant antics of 'those' 16 people.
I am fortunate that the sports governing body does suggest my name to those
planning UK LSR attempts for the first time and the Bentley should leave
the ears ringing after 1 hour at 135 mph on a 2 mile circle - I let Mayf do
the sums on how many times it will come past.
Of course the 'Bentley' at Le Mans owed a great deal to the Audi part of
the VW Group of Companies but they looked good in British Racing Green
paint. If had not been for a mistake (the driver tried to pass a slower
car at the peel off point into the pit lane and overshot then ran out of
fuel further down the race course) by an Audi team they could have been
chased all the way to the finish by the parent organisations last years
car.
After the Milk Floats and Bentley it should be a very fast class 1 electric
streamliner on a salt flat located just across the Meditteranean sea.
Factor 30 for that event I guess.
The Gabriel Uttley UK based V8 streamliner bike team have now tested in
South Africa and found the desert as smooth as Black Rock and suitable for
solid wheels. Unfortunately the pictures posted by them to landracing.com
had not reproduced last time I looked (any chance Jonathon of recovering
them?). The trainer bike, built in SA, gave the rider the chance to cross
the desert in the wheel tracks of Malcolm Campbell in Bluebird.
Malcolm Pittwood, Derby, England
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