History of Speed. The complete history of the land speed record PDF
Preview History of Speed. The complete history of the land speed record
CONTENTS HISTORY OF SPEED AUTHOR: THEFEARLESSFEW JackHarrison FourJacksMedia [email protected] 006 Gastonde 050 RenéThomas Chasseloup-Laubat 052 ErnestEldridge PAGEDESIGN: 008 CamilleJenatzy 058 SirMalcolmCampbell CraigLamb KrieleLtd 010 LéonSerpollet 060 SirHenrySegrave [email protected] 016 WilliamKVanderbilt 062 JohnParry-Thomas 018 HenriFournier 064 CharlesRaymondKeech COVERDESIGN: 020 MauriceAugières 082 GeorgeEyston HollyFurness 022 ArthurDuray 084 JohnCobb PRODUCTIONEDITOR: 028 LouisRigolly 092 CraigBreedlove PaulineHawkins 030 PierredeCaters 094 DonaldCampbell REPROGRAPHICS: 032 PaulBaras 102 TomGreen PaulFincham 038 VictorHémery 104 ArthurEugene‘Art’Arfons JonathanSchofield 040 FredMarriott 106 GaryGabelich ADVERTISING: 042 LydstonHornsted 114 RichardNoble BillyManning 048 KenelmLeeGuinness 122 AndyGreen [email protected] THEFULLSTORY MARKETINGMANAGER: CharlottePark 004 INTRODUCTION 080 CHAPTER8 COMMERCIALDIRECTOR: Theevolutionofspeed BrilliantBlueBird NigelHole 012 CHAPTER1 086 CHAPTER9 PUBLISHINGDIRECTOR: Landspeedpioneers ThebattlemovestoBonneville DanSavage 024 CHAPTER2 096 CHAPTER10 PUBLISHER: Petrolcomestothefore AnewCampbell, SteveO’Hara anewrivalry 034 CHAPTER3 vImagesmarked✪areinthe Controversy,chaos 108 CHAPTER11 publicdomain andthemagicalton SpiritofAmerica vImagesmarked✱arepublished underaCreativeCommonsLicence, 044 CHAPTER4 116 CHAPTER12 creativecommons.org Steam’sfinalflourish RichardNobleandThrust2 vImagescreditedPressAssociation arecourtesyofPAImages 054 CHAPTER5 vImagescreditedMPLarecourtesy 124 CHAPTER13 Settingtherecordstraight oftheMotoringPictureLibrary Thespeedofsound vImagescreditedSSCarecourtesy 066 CHAPTER6 ofSSCProgrammeLtd 130 REACHINGTHELIMIT AmannamedCampbell BloodhoundSSC PRINTEDBY: 072 CHAPTER7 (andthefutureofthe WilliamGibbonsandSons, 200mphatDaytona landspeedrecord) Wolverhampton ISBN: 978-1-911276-42-5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PUBLISHEDBY: MortonsMediaGroupLtd Theone-linementionsonthispagedonotdojusticetotheskillandwork MediaCentre thatgoesintoproducingavolumesuchasthis,frominitialideathroughto MortonWay thefinishedproductyouseeinfrontofyou. Horncastle I’vecollaboratedwithdesignerCraigLambandproductioneditorPauline Lincolnshire LN96JR Hawkinsonanumberofprojects,andonceagainthey’vebeenapleasureto workwith.Asever,Iamindebtedtothemfortheireffortsandpatience. COPYRIGHT: Mortons’widerpublishingteammustalsobeaffordedgreatcredit– MortonsMediaGroupLtd HollyFurnessforthesuperbcoveradorningthiseditionandpicturedesk 2017allrightsreserved. operatorsPaulFinchamandJonathanSchofieldforensuringtheimagery featuredisofthehighqualityrequired. Speakingofimagery,JonDayattheMotoringPictureLibraryhasbeen mosthelpfulinmakingthenecessarysearchesofthericharchivehe manages.Withoutthewonderfulphotographyandhisefforts,itwouldhave beendifficulttogetthisbookazineofftheground. Nopartofthispublicationmaybeproducedor AndaseverIhaveenjoyedfantasticpersonalsupportthroughout,makingit transmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronic ormechanical,includingphotocopying,recording,or possibletospendthetimeresearchingandwritingaboutthiswonderfulsubject. anyinformationstorageretrievalsystemwithoutprior permissioninwritingfromthepublisher. 003contents.indd 3 22/08/2017 18:13 INTRODUCTION THE EVOLUTION 1898 39.24 1898 41.42 1899 43.69 1899 49.92 OF SPEED 1899 57.60 1899 65.79 1902 75.06 1902 76.08 1902 76.60 1902 77.13 Thisstorybeginswitharatherserenerunof39.24mphinthe 1903 83.47 Frenchcountryside,andculminateswithasupersonicroarof 1903 84.73 763.07mphacrossadesertinNevada.Attheverybasiclevel, 1904 94.78 botheventsweremanandmachinepushingpastwhatpeople 1904 97.25 believedtobepossibleandfindingalevelbeyond.Butthe 1904 103.56 incredibledifferenceinthespeedsachieveddemonstratesjust 1904 104.52 howfarthelandspeedrecordhasprogressedinthe120years 1905 109.65 sinceitsinception. 1906 121.57 Withoutanydoubt,advancementsintechnologyand 1909 125.95 engineeringhavebeenpivotal.Thedevelopmentofthepetrol 1914 124.12 engine,agreaterunderstandingofaerodynamics,theembracing 1922 133.75 ofjetpower,thedeploymentofrocketpropulsion…allhave 1924 143.31 hadacrucialimpact.Whateverthetoolsavailablethough,the 1924 146.01 keydriverbehindthemind-bogglingincreasesissheerhuman 1925 146.16 ingenuityanddesire. 1925 150.76 From1898throughto1997andbeyond,thispotent 1926 152.33 combinationhasfuelledarelentlesspursuitofspeed–andit’s 1926 169.30 spawnedatrulyremarkablecompetitionthathasproduced 1926 171.02 somefascinatingcharactersandtheirweirdandwonderful 1927 174.88 machines. 1927 203.79 Ithasbeenmyabsolutepleasuretotelltheirtalesinthe132 1928 206.96 pagesbeforeyou;IsincerelyhopeI’vedoneitthejusticeitso 1928 207.55 clearlydeserves. 1929 231.45 JackHarrison 1931 246.09 Author 1932 253.97 1933 272.46 1935 276.82 1935 301.13 RECORDSHOLDERSBYNATION 1937 312.00 1938 345.50 10 1938 350.20 GREATBRITAIN 1938 357.50 8 1939 369.70 FRANCE 1947 394.20 7 1963 407.45 USA 1964 403.10 3 1964 413.20 1964 434.02 BELGIUM 1964 468.72 1 1964 526.28 IRELAND 1964 536.71 1965 555.48 1965 576.55 1965 600.60 1970 630.39 1983 633.47 1997 714.14 1997 763.07 ???? 1000MPH? 004introduction.indd 4 23/08/2017 10:47 004introduction.indd 5 22/08/2017 16:15 The FEARLESS FEW Gaston de Chasseloup- Laubat The first fastest man F rencharistocratCountGastonde Chasseloup-Laubatcementedhis nameasapioneerofmotorracing whenhewontheprestigiousMarseille-LaTurbie roadracein1897. Victoryinthe140-mileeventmighthaveproved tobeadefiningcareermoment,butthefollowing yearLaFranceAutomobilemagazinelaunched anewcampaigntofindtheworld’sfastestcar- and-drivercombination;Chasseloup-Laubatduly entered. Aboardanelectric-poweredvehicleprovidedby FrenchcarmanufacturerJeantaud,hecompleted theone-kilometrecourseatAchères,some15miles northofParis,in57secondsandwrotehisname intothehistorybooksbysettingthefirsteverland speedrecordof39.24mph. Duringthecourseofthenextthreemonths, Chasseloup-Laubatandhisarch-rivalCamille Jenatzywentbackandforth–eachendingupwith threerecordstotheirnames.ItwasJenatzywho hadthefinalsay. Asthenewcenturydawned,theoriginalrecord holderwouldhavetocontendwithaverydifferent kindoffight,thistimeagainstanillnessthatwould, sadly,goontoclaimhislifein1903. RECORDS Date Speed Place Car. December18,1898 39.24mph Achères,France JeantaudDuc January17,1899 43.69mph Achères,France JeantaudDuc March4,1899 57.60mph Achères,France JeantaudDuc 6 HistoryofSpeed 006gastondechasselouplaubat.indd 6 22/08/2017 19:44 BELOW: Chasseloup-Laubat,driving,witha companionin1885–13yearsbeforehis record-breakingexploits.MPL HistoryofSpeed 7 006gastondechasselouplaubat.indd 7 22/08/2017 12:16 The FEARLESS FEW The Red Devil 8 HistoryofSpeed 008camillejenatzy.indd 8 22/08/2017 12:18 Camille Jenatzy W henBelgianracerCamilleJenatzyheard ofChasseloup-Laubat’srecord-setting feat,herespondedwithalettertoLa FranceAutomobileinwhichheexpresseddisappointmentatnotbeing partoftheoriginalcompetitionatAchères.Hewentontochallengethe Frenchmantoaduel,anddeclaredthatunderthesameconditionshe woulddefeattheJeantaud. Thelandspeedrecordholderdulyaccepted,andthepairwenthead- LEFT: to-headonJanuary17,1899.Jenatzy,nicknamedLeDiableRouge(The Jenatzyatthe RedDevil)onaccountofhisflowinggingerbeard,becamethefirstman wheel.MPL tobreakthecovetedmarkbysettingaspeedof41.42mph.However, hisjoywasshort-livedasamere10minuteslaterChasseloup-Laubat claimedbackthecrown. Afiercerivalryensued,andconventionalwisdommighthaveseen Jenatzygiveupthefightwhenhisnemesisclockednearly60mphin Marchofthesameyear,buttheBelgianwasundeterred.Hereturned withamodifiedelectricmachineandbecamethefirstmantodriveat morethanamileperminute–arecordthatwouldremainunbrokenfor threeyears. JenatzycontinuedtoraceontracksandroadsacrossEurope,and pilotedaMercedestovictoryinthehighlysought-afterGordonBennett CupinIrelandin1903–subsequentlyofferingastrangepredictionthat hewouldlosehislifeinthesamemakeofcar. Inacrueltwistoffate,hisprophecywasrealisedinbizarre circumstances10yearslater.HuntingwithfriendsinLuxemburg,hehid behindatreeandpretendedtobeananimal,aprankthatworkedfar toowellandledtoanothermemberofthepartyfiringathim.Jenatzy wasrushedtohospital,inaMercedes,butbledtodeathbeforereaching ahospital. RECORDS Date Speed Place Car. January17,1899 41.42mph Achères,France CGADogcart January27,1899 49.92mph Achères,France CGADogcart April29,1899 65.79mph Achères,France LaJamaisContente HistoryofSpeed 9 008camillejenatzy.indd 9 22/08/2017 12:18 The FEARLESS FEW RECORDS Date Speed Place Car. April13,1902 75.06mph Nice,France Gardner-Serpollet 10 HistoryofSpeed 010leonserpollet.indd 10 22/08/2017 19:46
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