Jim,
Strain gages reported 6 tons static weight. Due to the aero, that went
up to a peak of about
16 tons before it reached transonic speed. At 760 mph that was down to
about 6 tons.
The car stayed on the ground through brute force and Ron Ayers
incredible insight.
The perforated skin concept was a brilliant adaptation of a principal
used in supersonic
wind tunnels to adsorb shock waves.
There were two problems that precluded any effort to go faster.
Differential thrust
created directional control problems and as the car went supersonic the
rolling resistance,
which had been tracking predicted values, increased beyond what anyone
had estimated.
I believe the assumption is that the deteriorating track surface
contributed to both of
these conditions.
NOTE: Some of these numbers may be incorrect. My ThrustSSC stuff is
still in storage.
Start Soap Box
What ever some people might say about him Richard Noble, somehow, was
able to
get exactly the right people in all of the key positions. I could go on
for hours about
these people. They combined to make a perfect team.
End Soap Box
Bryan
Jim Dincau wrote:
>Perforated skin, exhaust through the nacelles, wouldn't that imply a high
>pressure area under the car?
>Jim
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