A full-size model of the car a British engineering team aims to break the 1000mph barrier with has been revealed at the Farnborough International Airshow.
The Bloodhound SSC replica is 42ft long long and follows three years of aerodynamic design studies and 10 evolutions to its design. The hand-finished model is made from polystyrene blocks and fiberglass and is finished in six coats of aerospace paint. It weighs 2,094lbs and can split into three sections.
The Bloodhound team has also confirmed two key developments in the project. Hampson Industries has been named as the latest sponsor to the project; the engineering firm will be responsible for building Bloodhound's rear fuselage.
“With Hampson Industries on board we have secured the build of half the car's fuselage; this marks a huge step in the life of the project,” said Richard Noble, project director. “Hampson Industries is representative of the wealth of skills we have here in the UK and underlines the importance of maintaining this expertise.”
Bloodhound is powered by an EJ200 Eurofighter Typhoon jet engine and a 882lb rocket (claimed to be the largest ever designed and built in Europe) sitting below it. Tests of the engine have now been successfully carried out, with the engine driven to full power on reheat in a series of controlled bench-test, producing its maximum 90kN of thrust without any problems. In total, Bloodhound SSC produces the equivalent of 133,150hp – the equivalent of around 180 Formula 1 cars.
The first 0-300mph test runs of Bloodhound SSC are scheduled to take place in 2012.
Source: Autocar