Welcome once again to Mach 1 News, the newsletter produced exclusively for the Mach 1 Club, the official Thrust SSC supporter's organisation. This time around we'd like to say thank you to Ricardo Hitec for their generosity in sponsoring the production of this issue. At the time when Sorts of Belfast decided to sponsor the carbon fibre manufacture, they gave us a list of design houses whom they would want to design the composites. Ricardo Hitec was top of the list and they immediately agreed to go ahead with the crucial design of the carbon intake ducts, forward engine nacelles and the nose. These are all key items which have to carry heavy aerodynamic loads and like most all of car the car have to be right first time.
Since the last issue of the Newsletter, we've issued a couple of shorter Project Bulletins and invited you all along to Brooklands for the Roadshow at which Andy Green was announced as the driver for Thrust SSC. We were delighted that so many of you could make it and judging from the comments we've received since, you obviously enjoyed yourselves. Now that that critical piece of the jigsaw is in place, all efforts are being focused on the completion of the build programme, so for the next couple of issues we are concentrating on that activity.
Following the project launch last year, the work quickly began building in intensity and within a few weeks soon reached a level that was close to the maximum. In the period leading up to Christmas the team were putting in about 2,000 man/hours per month, a figure that has escalated since then.
Alongside the build work, and unseen to most, is the huge effort that goes into project management, general organisation, administration, sponsor and press meetings, sorting out problems, answering letters and a whole host of other activities. Although the team is relatively small compared to say, an F1 team, it is very focused on a common goal - getting that car completed and ready to run this year. This is where dedication and teamwork counts, and once again we'd like to thank you for the tremendous support that you continue to provide.
IN THIS ISSUE
PROJECT UPDATE FROM RICHARD NOBLE
We all knew this project was going to be tough; none of us were quite sure how tough! The build of this huge car is a government scale project with the resources of a cottage industry. The difference is the very high level of motivation, skill and absolute commitment from the team - and the tremendous support we have found within the British manufacturing industry.
Think of this project at almost any time of night or day and someone will be working. Glynne Bowsher can be found at his CAD computer late most evenings and early mornings, at one stage Ron Ayers spent a whole month of 20 hour days in front of his screen and the G Force team are putting in very long and productive hours on the build. Andy Green is in the Falklands shooting off faxes in our direction. Jeremy Bliss is writing the operational software after hours, Andy Day is battling with systems problems. I operate out of my home - and the flow of communications is now prodigious - after all this is all about communication and, with 100 very vigorous companies on the programme, this is the sign of real commitment and response.
The Mach 1 Club has reached some sort of critical mass - the effect of the television and press promotion has resulted in huge volumes of mail. Did you know that it takes 15 man hours just to open 1 sack of mail?
What I find fascinating is the effect this project is beginning to have on the advertising industry. For years we have all known that the sponsorship of an exciting project is a far more powerful and long-lived way of communicating a message than mere advertising - which, of course, is traditional and acceptable. But you will have heard that advertising is having difficulties - that the Generation X people are not responding to conventional advertising stimuli and you may have seen the increased use of violence in advertising in a desperate attempt to get noticed. By contrast you can pick up a raft of local papers each month and read huge editorial features on the Thrust SSC project featuring the local companies and their input.
An interesting example of the global power of sponsorship is the Thrust 2 project which was never used for advertising. The BBC documentary has been shown on over 30 networks worldwide (China just after Christmas) and still the promotion goes on. The fascinating thing is that the promotion has actually outlasted many of the sponsors - their companies are no longer around to benefit!
We learned a very important lesson at the NEC Motor Show: I was asked "Where is the begging bowl then Richard?". I replied that we don't have a begging bowl and we never will have; we trade our services just like everyone else in this very difficult market place. From that moment on, the sales simply took off and we sold over £32,000 worth of merchandise in 12 days. We are not a charity, never will be, and the reason we exist is because we are able to supply very effective promotional services for our sponsors.
We must be doing something right as I am now getting more and more companies chasing me - wanting to join the project. I wonder how many advertising agencies are being chased by new clients? A cynic would say that it's time we put the price up!
In the US, Craig Breedlove is beginning to build a very considerable coverage, in the UK McLaren has gone quiet - and I hope they are spending all that money wisely - building hard! The supersonic Mach of the century is on!
PROGRESS REPORT - RESEARCH
In the previous issue of Mach 1 News, details were given of the computer modelling of airflow around the car using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), and of an experimental programme that involved blasting an instrumented model at supersonic speeds along a test track. Aerodynamicist Ron Ayers continues the story with details of further research into this critical area
The test track programme is now complete, but we will continue to use the computer method as required. The shape of the car is now finalised, and the 'skin' (carbon fibre composites, aluminium and titanium are all used in its construction) is being designed in detail by Ricardo Hitec Ltd and G Force Engineering. Current and future aerodynamic research is more concerned with determining how the car will behave at different Mach numbers.
Although the focus of attention has been on transonic aerodynamics, that is where the problems are most complex, we cannot ignore the subsonic region, as serious accidents could obviously occur even at relatively low speeds of 200 to 400 miles per hour. For this reason, a brief test programme was conducted in the low speed wind tunnel at The Motor Industry Research Association at Nuneaton. Of particular interest was the car's yaw stability. As a result of these tests, the tailfin was made slightly bigger.
The flow around the rear of the car will be strongly influenced by the efflux from the two Spey jet engines. Research on this problem is being conducted by Andrew Clarke at Kingston University. His test rig, using compressed air to simulate the jet efflux, has already given useful insights into the interaction between jet, the ground, and the afterbody, fin and tailplane of the car. This research is also a project for the final year of his B.Sc. degree. Many Universities are contributing to Thrust SSC, but Andrew is the only undergraduate to make an individual contribution in this way.
PROGRESS REPORT - BUILD PROGRAMME
Chassis
In his last report, James Morton from G Force, told the
story of the chassis build to the point where it was signed off
by the chief structural and mechanical engineer, Glynne Bowsher.
This report brings you up to date with progress since then.
Firstly, the engine outriggers required their reinforcing beams. These were built up by Gordon Parry, Martin Hemming, Steve Gosden and Mike Lowman with drawing office assistance from Gareth Robinson. Altogether, there are eight separate beam members spanning the width of the car, terminating at the 'sill member' which is made up as a folded box section with a number of reinforcing diaphragms. In addition, forward of the outriggers, four more larger beams were assembled. These will pick up all the loads from the front wheels and suspension units. The beams took G Force through to late October and involved an enormous amount of welding which could almost be measured in miles rather than feet!
The engine mounts were also assembled at this point. The main
thrust load from the engine is taken at the mount adjacent to
the main upper chassis rail just forward of the driver's safety
cell. For this we designed a platform onto which we installed
the hinged socket mountings from the Phantom. The rear pick-ups
take the form of braced struts assembled to the chassis side via
monoball joints to take up any growth in the engines as they warm
up. A Spey can gain over one inch in length due to thermal expansion!
The outboard mount is in the form of a huge vertically pivoted
'wishbone' , retained in housings bolted to the top face of the
outer sill member which is locally reinforced to suit. These parts
were built up by Steve, Mike and Mark Harris with machinings made
by Mark Lee and Dave Carl.
Meanwhile, Gordon and Martin built up a purpose designed engine lifting hoist which would allow us to position the engines onto their mounts with the minimum of fuss. Therefore, in mid-November, we bolted the first engine into position above the left hand side outrigger and allowed the chassis to carry the two ton weight unaided. We were extremely gratified to discover that the rigging of the engine was within 0.05" of its theoretical position , which is a credit to Glynne the designer and the workforce at G Force. By Christmas the engine had been removed and repositioned in the right hand side with similar accuracy.
Simultaneously, we were now building in all the rear suspension anchor points, which called for considerable jigging and machine shop time, which was overseen by Simon Kingdom-Butcher. In all, there are 36 different points which will allow the team great scope for ride height changes out on the desert. This work took us into the new year. The parachute cans were also made and fitted in the rear bulkheads.
The cockpit now became the main point of focus. John Ackroyd has
returned from the USA and was underway with the overall design
of the driver's compartment. Dave Cooper and Mike took on the
work of cutting and fitting the inner (aluminium) and outer (stainless)
skins and fashioning of the Rockwell acoustic and thermal insulation
that form an interlay between these skins.
Dave also made up the seat pan and seat belt mounting points and in late February the seat fitting for Andy Green took place. This involved a very high-tech process developed by pro-Seat and was featured on BBC Breakfast Television. Meanwhile, Mike fitted the stainless skins around the fuel tank bays, which are situated behind the cockpit area.
Phil Goss, who had been part of the Thrust 2 team, had by now joined us and was immediately tasked with fitting the aluminium skins to the underside. Mike and Phil have also started the manufacture of the cowling hoops which will form the framework for the engine bodywork, which has been designed by Mike Horne.
The build site of the Thrust SSC at G Force has been a busy place over the last eight months or so. The programme cannot allow this pace to slacken or suppliers' deadlines to slip if targets are going to be met.
PROGRESS REPORT - ENGINEERING
The extraordinary shape of Thrust SSC is now familiar to millions of people around the world, but beneath the sleek, black skin is an equally impressive chassis that forms the basis of the car. This enormously strong and rigid structure is the work of Glynne Bowsher, who was also responsible for the design of the suspension, brakes and solid aluminium wheels. James Morton from G-Force reports that the chassis, including engine mounting outriggers and modified Phantom jet engine mounts is now virtually complete. While John Ackroyd continues with his detailed work on the cockpit and its associated controls, and Andy Day installs the mass of cabling, piping, pumps and other other systems equipment that will bring the car to life, work will soon begin on skinning the structure in aluminium and titanium in preparation for fitting of the engines in their specially developed nacelles. In this report, Glynne Bowsher explains some what lies beneath the surface of Thrust SSC
It is inevitable that any vehicle designed to travel a mere ten inches above the desert surface at supersonic speeds will resemble an aeroplane, but it is still officially a car, and must therefore conform to specific vehicle requirements. Let's look at the background to the mechanical design and consider some of the problems that had to be solved in order to build the vehicle.
Whilst the LSR rules are of necessity not specific about the types and quantities of power plants, or the disposition of these within the shape of the vehicle, they are very specific with a requirement of running on at least four wheels and to be steered by at least two of them. The twin engined layout of Thrust SSC allows the freedom to place the engines and driver at the ideal positions for weight distribution, stability and control but this has presented mechanical problems which had to be solved before serious design work, or even the project itself, could proceed. Chief among these early problems was the design of a set of wheels which would carry the weight of the vehicle, interact properly with the desert running surface, and yet survive without bursting, through rotational stresses, at speeds of up to 8500 rpm. At this wheel speed, the radial acceleration at the wheel surface is a staggering 35000g!
Your author has had some experience in this and other aspects of record breaking, having been involved in the Thrust 2 project with Richard Noble a dozen or so years ago. Then I designed the high speed brakes and brake system, and carried out the finite element stress analysis of John Ackroyd's solid aluminium wheels. On the Black Rock Desert, Thrust 2 ran with two front wheel widths, but only the wider of these succeeded in planing the surface at speed rather than ploughing it, and gave good control to the driver. For wheel/desert interaction, the wider Thrust 2 wheels have been used as a model for the larger SSC wheels, both front and back, with the same material specific; tread shapes have also been based on John Ackroyd's successful design.
Thrust SSC will weigh in at a little over 7 ton, 75% heavier than Thrust 2, with no less than 5 tons of this accounted for by the two engines, control systems and fuel load. Inevitably, both front and rear wheels are wider to support the additional load, larger in diameter, and with redesigned webs aimed at reducing the rotational stresses. With so much extra mass at the wheel rim, and running at much higher wheel speeds, the initial finite element stress analysis indicated stress problems at high speed. A design change of the front wheels in one critical area resulted in a considerable reduction in rotational stresses and these were now within the capacity of the material specified. The rear wheels, by coincidence of the same width as the Thrust 2 front wheels, were again changed in design to reduce the rotational stresses to an acceptable level. Thus, the wheel design, the first mechanical hurdle, had been overcome more than 12 months ago, and the mechanical design, alongside Roy Ayers' evolution of shape, could proceed. We are grateful for Dunlop Aviation of Coventry, who are producing the high speed wheels, together with the rubber tyred low speed wheels.
In an ideal vehicle, the four wheels would be at the four corners for optimum stability, but the SSC design will not permit this as the rear wheels cannot be in the path of the hot engine exhausts. Only the front wheels are available for roll resistance, and to maximise this are placed outside, but very close to, the air intake ducts, with the body shape hugging the outside faces of the wheels to satisfy Ron Ayers' requirements of a small frontal area. All this gave no space for the provision of suspension and steering at the front wheels, and they could not be attached to the air intakes; your author rang Richard Noble and suggested that the only way out of the problem was to steer by the rear wheels instead! Richard's initial response cannot be repeated here, but this was the path subsequently taken, and has in fact proved to be of enormous benefit to the overall design by solving a number of other problems associated with the front wheels. Following a theoretical study on rear wheel steering for the SSC carried out a Leeds University, the first manifestation of this was the Mini rebuilt for rear wheel steering and featured on the BBC's Tomorrow's World programme. The wheelplan of the Mini was a scale version of that of the SSC, and proved to have excellent stability and control.
The immense special problems involved in steering the front wheels have already been mentioned, but there was one severe mechanical problem as well. All steered wheels on a vehicle are effectively gyroscopes, and although the effect on the family car is small, the effect on the SSC front wheels would be large. A wheel rotates on its axis to move, and rotates about a vertical axis to steer; this combination produced a force couple on the vehicle's longitudinal axis which will try to roll the vehicle. The high forward speed of the SSC wheels, together with their high inertia, would result in uncomfortably high gyroscopic force couples for even moderate steering inputs. It was obviously better to steer the rear wheels with their lower inertia and lower forces.
Returning to the wheels and associated parts, the wheel bearings and brakes can be considered. A traditional 'wheel on stub axle' arrangement proved to be unacceptable for the front wheels, with a combination of load and speed that the bearings would not stand. As the need for steering the front wheels had gone, an alternate method of wheel support became possible, and each front wheel is now supported between two half shafts, each with its own bearing set, distributing the bearing loads much more favourably. The more lightly loaded rear wheels are able to be supported on traditional stub axles, but an important feature of all the wheel/axle designs is that only one size of bearing is used throughout. As with the Thrust 2 project, wheel bearings have been specified and supplied by the Timken company.
Wheel brakes for the SSC, quite apart from slowing it to a stop as the parachutes fade in effectiveness, have an additional and difficult requirement in that one of the worst duty levels for the brake discs is to survive the high speed bursting stresses when they are just 'going along for the ride' at top speed. This problem was faced and solved with the Thrust 2 brake discs by designing specially shaped drive slots between them and the drive faces of the disc carrier. This shape, compared with traditional shapes, markedly reduced the rotational stresses in the disc, and had an additional side benefit; we found that the failure mode for the disc was no longer radial and across the disc face, but circumferential and between the drive slots, a much safer proposition. The (then) compacted graphite iron brake discs survived 8600rpm on test, and repeated runs to 7300rpm on the Thrust 2 jet car. With the benefit of this past work and experience, these drive slots were designed into the SSC brake discs from the outset, even before decisions were taken on the material to be used. This time, the brake discs would revolve in service at the test speed of the Thrust 2 discs, so an alternative material was sought: there were two choices, carbon or ceramic faced steel, and it was felt that the former would be lower stressed because of its lower mass density. Subsequently, Dunlop have agreed to make the brake discs in the carbon/carbon composite material intended for aircraft brakes, together with the brake pads in the same material, and their engineers have decided to increase the quantity of these drive slots from the original eight to sixteen.
The real business of wheel brakes is to stop the vehicle, albeit after the parachutes have provided the initial deceleration from high speed. In this they have to satisfy two requirements: operation on the desert with low wheel/running surface adhesion, and operation on rubber tyres/tarmac with more conventional adhesion. Generally, wheel brakes will be required to stop the SSC from 100/150mph but, should the parachutes fail, this speed can be much higher.
Operation on the desert should produce few problems in braking, with only modest rates of energy dissipation from the relatively low wheel adhesion. In the event of either parachute failing there is sufficient space for runout before the brakes need to be used. Indeed, with Thrust 2 Richard often only used one parachute and then brakes, deliberately to prevent the jet car from stopping too far short of the intended turn-around position.
For operation on rubber tyres and tarmac, brake use can be quite different. Speed will be limited by the tyres to about 250mph and runways are at best 2 miles in length; parachute failure here can mean that the brakes will absorb almost all of the vehicle's kinetic energy, and in a relatively short time. This happened on the Thrust 2 project, and on one occasion the 4 ton vehicle was stopped on brakes alone from 260mph in a little over half a mile; it proved to be near the limits of brake performance in terms of thermal energy transfer. Thrust SSC is 75% heavier than Thrust 2, and a brake thermal energy problem was immediately apparent. However, the decision not to steer the front wheels again came to our aid, in that each front wheel could now house two brakes, one on each side, and brake provision was no longer a problem. Each rear wheel carries just one brake, and all brakes are the same size and configuration, with two brake callipers to each disc. Dunlop engineers have assessed the effect on the carbon brake discs of such am emergency situation, and are quite satisfied with the thermal capacity of the material.
Unusually, each brake caliper has a fixed 'fist' for the brake pad which reacts to the hydraulic load from the actuating pistons on the other side of the disc. As the brake is applied the pistons move their own friction pad into contact with the brake disc, and then move the brake disc axially into contact with the fixed pad in order to provide a brake torque which slows the vehicle. Each caliper has two pistons, and the diagonally opposite pistons of each caliper pair are hydraulically linked, ensuring that the loading on the brake disc will remain symmetrical should a part of the brake hydraulic system fail. Dunlop have agreed to manufacture the brake calipers, and the hydraulic piston arrangement has been changed from it's original automotive form in order to accept the screw in piston/cylinder liners from the aviation brakes. This is an advantage, especially as these units incorporate a piston retraction unit which will provide positive clearance between all pads and discs at speed.
There were three critical design problems to overcome before the project could be launched in May 1994: high speed wheels, wheel support bearings and brakes. Answers to all of the problems had been found, and the project launched as planned and on time.
An early decision was to provide a tubular steel spaceframe within the body shape; this allowed the attachment of all of the mechanical components, engines, wheels, etc, without their static and dynamic loads being transferred to the external body. The body panels are attached to this spaceframe through an understructure which will properly distribute the aerodynamic loads to it. Two transverse beams, ahead of the engines, are used to mount the front wheels; these provide sufficiently stiff wheel mounts and pass underneath the air intake ducts to link with the main body structure. The rear wheels are mounted within the rear body structure in the positions shown.
Each engine has three attachment points: a main trunnion mount ahead of the cockpit and which absorbs the full engine thrust, a flexible mount behind the cockpit which allows for engine heat expansion and reacts the engine thrust moment and weight, and an outboard mount which supports half of the engine weight. This latter load is transmitted via an 'A' frame to a pressed steel sill which runs outside and the full length of each engine, and which is itself connected to the main body by a series of pressed steel beams which pass underneath the engines. The flexible rear engine mounts, together with the body mounts for the rear suspension were designed and installed by James Morton of G Force.
The cockpit position changed during the build to accommodate an increase in the fuel capacity, moving slightly forward. John Ackroyd, now on the team and designing the cockpit itself, made other structural changes in the cockpit area.
In future newsletters we plan to describe in more detail the mechanics of the jet car, with more explicit drawings and details to show how and why things have been designed in the way that they have.
LATEST NEWS ABOUT THRUST SSC'S CHALLENGERS
Leading the American challenge is Craig Breedlove, who displayed his almost completed, and highly impressive car at a show in Las Vegas recently. It turned out to have a number of surprises, not least of which concerned the layout of the wheels. The two wheels outrigged on either side at the rear were clearly visible on early promotional models, but not so obvious then was Craig's decision to mount three wheels on a common axle at the front of the car. He explains that this layout is to support the engine weight leveraged forward by the highly swept back rear wheels. He also predicts that this will reduce the directional stability problems often encountered when running solid aluminium wheels are a hard salt surface. Craig is vastly experienced and has a history of proving the sceptics wrong, so expect him to be a real threat when he makes his first runs at the spiritual home of record-breaking, the Bonneville Salt Flats, later this year.
The problem of controlling a car with solid aluminium wheels on a salt surface is not something that needs explaining to Australian Rosco McGlashan, whose Aussie Invader 2 jet-car got away from him when he lit the afterburner on one of his recent record attempts at Lake Gairdner. On it's way towards the softer salt at the edges of the course, the car took out a set of timing lights mounted on a one inch diameter steel pole and ingested a plastic traffic cone into the engine. Bodywork and chassis damage are being rectified right now, while a spare engine is also fitted. The determined Rosco promises to be ready by June or July, so 1995 could be hugely exciting, with four cars from around the world aiming to beat Richard Noble's record.
Of the other American challengers, Rick Kikes & Gary Swenson continue to develop their J-79 powered American Eagle 1, while Sammy Miller is also back in the US pursuing his plans for a mixed rocket/jet car. The UK based dragster used to test the engines and raise public awareness for his project is , we understand, up for sale. Last, but by no means least of the American challengers, comes LSR legend Art Arfons. On a recent trip to Europe, Art visited Richard Noble to check out the Thrust SSC project for himself and went home highly impressed. He also revealed that his own lightweight Green Monster has been further developed over the winter and is 'loaded up on the trailer and ready to go.' If he runs at Bonneville at the same time as Craig Breedlove, it would revive their epic battles of the mid-sixties.
That leaves the McLaren Maverick and while Ron Dennis promised a go/no-go decision in July last year it's now 15 months since they launched their project. Hard and fast information is scarce, but rumours abound with most falling into two distinct camps. At one extreme are those who think McLaren have given up, while at the other are those who contend that they are still working away in secret in order to spring a major surprise on everybody. We believe it's the latter, rather than the former. McLaren are a well funded, highly professional organisation with a reputation for success and we still consider them to be a major threat.
PROGRESS REPORT - MEDIA & PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES
Media
During the very tough build programme period, particularly when the project was starting from a very limited base, it is extremely important to be able to demonstrate to sponsors and would-be sponsors that the project not only generates good publicity but also consistently good publicity. Sponsors need to know that people are interested in this project, otherwise there is little point in sponsoring. Frankly, this is not so easy when the resources are very limited and there is no complete car!
However, with a few original ideas and a very hard grind from Gordon Bruce Associates who have been processing all the enquiries, we have managed to achieve an initial level of coverage of which we can be very proud.
Television
The BBC Tomorrow's World team have had the courage to follow the project right from the start and the coverage in June, December and February has acted as a strong base for the promotinal effort. Each Tomorrow's World feature is screened up to five times on the BBC Worldwide satellite and that means a cumulative global audience of 500 million in 96 countries. The Tomorrow's World new programme format has been well received and the programme is also selling well for terrestial markets.
ITN decided to run a special news feature which was also carried worldwide by CNN and seen extensively in the US. Negotiations are underway for the rest of 1995 non news rights and there is considerable interest and competition.
Press
The press coverage has been nothing short of spectacular for a team without a car! To date we have achieved over 40,000 column centimetres (nearly half a column kilometre) of UK press coverage with huge half-page or one-page features in the national press. Almost all of the UK nationals are following the project on a regular basis.
Interestingly, the coverage is very steady, consistent and breaks down as follows:
UK nationals 18%
UK regionals 55%
UK motoring 27%
The incredibly valuable regional coverage results from the very wide spread of industrial spnsorship which we are lucky to have - which extends from Belfast to Lancashire and Essex to Devon. Overseas, the coverage has also been large, particularly in Australia - but not having a resource to collect this coverage, we have no fix on the scale or the consistency.
Mach 1 Club Prizedraw - 'Be a Team Member For a Week'
The widespread press coverage for Thrust SSC means that membership enquiries continue to arrive at an increasing rate from far and wide, many no doubt spurred on by the chance to win the fabulous prize of being chosen as a team member for week and actually seeing the car run.
The draw of membership numbers will take place in August and just to add to the occasion, we hope to make the draw at one of Thrust SSC's public appearances.
Don't despair if you don't win this time. Richard Noble has always said that whatever happens this year, the team has a duty to develop the car to its full potential, so going back to Black Rock in 1996 is already part of the plan. You'll be pleased to know that we will be continuing the competition for next year, enabling another lucky member to share the experience.
Visit Black Rock to see Thrust SSC run
Everybody's dream must be to see the car as it makes its attempts on the Sound Barrier and, given that there are a number of TV companies planning to broadcast live, then you won't be disappointed. But for a small number of determined UK based enthusiasts, there is no substitute for actually being there.
Apart from the price of the airfare, the major problem will be accommodation, or rather lack of it. The team's base is Gerlach and not without reason does a sign on the edge of town declare that this is 'Where the pavement ends and the West begins'. The one Motel in town will be booked with team members and the attending press and TV crews, as well as the usual clientele. There is of course, no guarantee that the weather will cooperate, so the number of people willing to risk a chunk of their hard earned money on such a trip will probably be small. However, if you are determined to see things for yourselves, then help is at hand. The Mach 1 Club has asked club member Charles Hilsdon to co-ordinate the arrangements, so please write to him directly, including a stamped addressed envelope. Charles can be reached at:
PO BOX 77, HAMPTON, MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, TW12 2XN
The Thrust SSC Roadshow
As promised, Mike Hearn has put together an excellent evening of entertainment that has been booked by a variety of sponsors and interested groups. Based upon the format used for the Mach 1 Club's own driver announcement evening at Brooklands attended by many of you reading this, the 3 hour show features films, videos, presentations by team members and formal and informal question & answer sessions. Those attending are encouraged to join the Mach 1 Club while we also make strenuous efforts to relieve those attending of their hard cash in return for club merchandise!
Sally Noble, Ninetta Hearn, and a number of club members have provided much needed help staging the shows which so far have been back to Brooklands and the Gaydon Motor Museum for the MG Owners Club, Coventry University (twice) and Dunlop Aviation. Further shows are booked throughout the summer.
Thrust SSC could make an appearance at the Lledo Models day at the superb Imperial War Museum at Duxford on June 17, so put that one in your diaries. At the very least, the full-size mock-up will be there, as will the team, and the organisers promise a special display of record breakers and flying. We would like to see as many club members as possible there.
Just a reminder here, all GOLD CARD members will be invited to a special day of shakedown runs not open to the general public, so if you want to give yourself the best possible chance of seeing the car run and meet the team before they set off for Nevada, then upgrading your membership would be a good idea.
Thrust SSC on the Information Superhighway
Thanks to one of the world's major computer and information technology companies, Digital Equipment, information about the Thrust SSC project is now available electronically to millions of people throughout the world.
Digital is providing a dedicated Thrust SSC Webserver running on one of their AlphaServer computers. The Digital Alpha chip is the fastest in the world, so the connection is obvious. As an Internet user you have access to general information about the project and it's development, while electronic membership of the Mach 1 Club will also be available. You can take part in electronic discussions using the Mach 1 Club's closed Newsgroup facility and ask the team questions.
Trading facilities are also being developed, so you'll be able to shop in the Thrust SSC Cybermarket for your T-shirts, posters and prints. And all from the comfort of your home or office! We have many more exciting ideas for the development of this service and along with Digital's partners and Thrust SSC's other sponsors, we will make sure that these ideas get implemented. Watch this space!!
If you've got any friends on the Internet, let them know that the the address is:
thrustssc.digital.co.uk
IN DEPTH -
THE STORY OF THE DRIVER SELECTION PROCESS
When it comes right down to it, all of the dedication, skill, hard work and money provided by the Thrust SSC team and its many sponsors will need to be placed in one man's very capable hands when Thrust SSC is rolled out onto the dried-up lake bed of the Black Rock Desert later this year. Clearly somebody very special would be needed to drive it and, equally clearly, somebody very special would be needed to help Richard Noble make that choice. The DRA at Farnborough offered the services of the head of Human Sciences, Roger Green. Here in his own words is the full story behind that fascinating programme.
It was September 1994 when Richard Noble first came to the Centre for Human Sciences at Farnborough (part of the Defence Research Agency) to ask us to pick a driver for Thrust SSC. Our main job at the Centre is to provide a medical, physiological and psychological service to the Ministry of Defence, and Richard had heard that part of that meant developing personnel selection techniques and tests for all three armed services. Many of the jobs in the services - such as being a fast jet pilot - are very specialist, so we are used to developing equally specialised tests.
Choosing a Thrust driver is a bit different from selecting RAF pilots, however. When selecting pilots, it would be very desirable to pick only those applicants who could be guaranteed to pass flying training, but everybody realises that this is impossible, and that getting most right most of the time is the best that can be done. But Richard was looking for just one driver, so we had only one chance to get it right.
My first idea was that we could select a driver very simply by giving all of the applicants a sanity test and taking the one who failed most badly! This approach gained plausibility when I was discussing the problem with a work colleague called Mike Stroud (who had recently walked across Antarctica with Ranulph Fiennes) and found that he was keen to have a go. In fact he was disqualified by the first rule that was established - that the driver would have some form of high speed experience. This rule, and some other basic considerations, managed to reduce the 30 (all male) applicants who had responded to Richard's initial publicity to 16 candidates, and these were all pilots with the exception of two drag racers.
Thinning these down meant giving some close consideration to what attributes were required of the driver. He would have to be good at controlling the car, but he would have to be just as much a development driver as a potential record breaker, and would therefore need to be good at identifying its control characteristics and helping to sort them out technically. It was thus felt that somebody fairly bright would be an advantage. More importantly, though, the driver would have to appreciate the importance of being a team member, so prima donnas were definitely out. Since the real driving would take place in the desert over a relatively intense period when it would be hot and sleep might be at a premium, somebody was required who would also be stable in both mood and performance under these conditions. Lastly, we needed to pick somebody who would stick with it. Since the selected driver would have to be free to walk away from the project at any time, it was important to choose somebody who would appreciate the risks at the outset, and not change his mind as the attempt progressed.
The first formal stage in the selection process was to ask the 16 hopefuls to come to the Centre for Human Sciences to meet Richard and Ron Ayers, who explained some basic technical matters, and to undertake intelligence tests and personality assessments. The intelligence tests were fairly variable, with the best candidate scoring about twice as well as the least able. We were actually very surprised at how good the best intelligence results were: three or four of the candidates really did very, very well here. There was a fair amount of variability in the personality data as well, so it wasn't too difficult to pick the eight candidates who appeared to have the most desirable combinations of attributes. This was not even slightly to criticise the guys who didn't make it. All were both likeable and keen, and it was a real shame to see them go.
The eight that got through were all pilots, and they came back to the Centre a few weeks later to be kept awake all night in a heat chamber and to undertake a series of mental ability and control performance tests. We were particularly interested in one of these tests which required the candidate to 'track' (keep a ball in the middle of a computer screen using a joystick) for 20 minutes. We had designed the task to change its control law (the relationship between stick input and the behaviour of the ball) quite abruptly after each five minute period. The reason for doing this was to identify those people who were good at modifying their own behaviour to cope with sudden changes in circumstances. The behaviour of the car will probably change as speed increases, and if any such change occurs suddenly, the ability to cope may prove an invaluable asset. The best people were spectacularly good at doing this task - again far better than we had expected.
Although we had intended to get the numbers down to four at this point, the results were close and five actually went through to the next stage. This involved some real driving in a Formula 2 rally car that Volkswagen had agreed to provide. The guys were given four laps of the Saltburn rally course to get used to it then told to do three laps as fast as they could. They were also told that it would be the fastest three drivers who would go through and that anybody who lost it and went off the course during the timed laps would have blown the whole thing. The be honest, I wasn't too keen on this rather hard line approach that Richard was set on, as it seemed to me that it might be too easy for somebody with really good potential to have a bit of bad luck (although I appreciate that it might be viewed as a good idea in an enterprise like this to pick a driver with good luck) and get himself disqualified, thus potentially depriving us of the best candidate. To be equally honest, I wasn't sure that doing the rally driving at all was the greatest idea in the world: I felt that driving Thrust would be so different from going over a bendy slithery rally course with lots of gear changing, that the usefulness of doing it might be very limited indeed.
In the event, I rather changed my mind. Russell Brookes, champion rally driver, accompanied all of the candidates and made some very shrewd assessments of them. Even though the type of driving was obviously different from Thrust, it did require the guys to interact with a real life bit of machinery, and it was a relief to find that the driving times and Russell's remarks very much bore out the earlier laboratory results. Only one of the drivers, Dick Downes, went off, but since he'd had the good sense to do it on one of his practice laps he was able to go on to do the timed laps and, in fact, put up the fastest time - possibly because he had already found out how fast not to go. Andrew Green's time was just behind Dick's, and Dave Ramsden and Steve Warren-Smith came in behind them, but within an ace of one another. Because, of this, we decided to let all four through to the next stage, eliminating only Bernie Smith who had erred just a little too much on the safe side during his drive.
The last stage involved getting the candidates to do a little project with the other team members. As I mentioned at the beginning, Richard had been keen from the outset to ensure that the driver would be a team player rather than a prima donna, and we decided to address this by getting each of them to do a project on cockpit design that required them to visit Fontwell and to get involved with the other team members. What we hadn't told the candidates was that all of the team members were given a short questionnaire in which they were asked to rate the candidates on a number of factors and to indicate their overall choice.
These questionnaires were returned straight to me (so that each team member could give his own views totally candidly without being influenced by what he might have thought Richard felt) and they made interesting reading. It wouldn't be fair for me to pass on any of these remarks, but a number of team members had reservations about the driver being married, which Dave and Steve are. We had considered this before (and Richard had entertained all of the final candidates and partners to dinner so they would all know the score) and we had decided that it was very much up to the candidate and his wife to decide for themselves. I am sure that if there had been an outstanding candidate who was married he would have been chosen regardless. The point made by some of the team members, though, was that (notwithstanding their confidence in the car) there had to be a large element of risk in the project and they had no desire to be part of rendering a family fatherless. I must admit that I was also happier to see a bachelor picked because, although I realised that the support of a wife could be a benefit to the driver, I felt that the stress and potential conflict that could result from trying to balance family duty against commitment to the project and its inherent danger could well turn out to be the more important consideration. Sally Noble had certainly felt the strain when Richard was establishing the present record, and many wives would surely feel the same. The two drivers who had done best in the rally, Dick and Andrew, were both fortuitously single and, after reviewing all of the data that we had on these two, Andrew got it. He is extremely bright, very stable, and had performed quite phenomenally well on the important tracking task.
The choice of driver had been made exclusively on the basis of the selection process that I have just described, and I knew very little else about Andrew other than that he was an F3 Tornado pilot - but then all of the other finalists were fast jet or ex-fast jet as well. What I had not appreciated about him was that he had a first in maths from Oxford, and that he had a history of excellence in everything that he had touched, especially in flying. For fun, he goes Cresta run tobogganing and bungy jumping. The one thing that can be said with great confidence about him is that he is not remotely ordinary. When I first met him and asked him why he wanted to drive Thrust he said "Well anybody would, wouldn't they?". Well, actually Andrew, no.
Although this answer must represent some degree of affected naiveté in someone as bright as Andrew, I also think it does show a lack of experience of the normal tensions and anxieties in life that most of us feel at least from time to time. He has a confidence in himself that is nothing to do with arrogance, it is simply born out of his knowledge that he is extremely good at doing things. If things go wrong, I'm sure that he won't get upset, he'll think his way out of the situation. I would very much doubt that he will wind up the other team members, because he just won't behave in a way that will do so, and he simply won't let them irritate him either.
As I've already suggested, Andrew is a remarkable individual. I think, and certainly hope, that we've made the right choice, and I wish him all the luck in the world.
JUNIOR MACH 1 CLUB MEMBERS
Blue Peter
The BBC's weekly Blue Peter programme has been a firm favourite with younger viewers for many years and recently featured the Thrust SSC project. The full-size mock-up built for the Motor Show by Geoff Luff was transported to the studios to form the centrepiece for the feature which also included an interview with Richard Noble and two of the driver candidates, Dave Ramsden and Dick Downs. This isn't the first time that Blue Peter have covered a Thrust project, and just to prove it, they also showed some footage from over ten years ago, showing Richard Noble driving the Jaguar fire car used as part of the Thrust 2 attempts. With much squealing of tyres, Richard was shown hurling the fire car around the private roads outside the studio in order to attend an imaginary fire. Just as well he didn't drive Thrust 2 like that! The BBC Education Department very kindly offered a free poster of Thrust SSC to the first 1,000 Blue Peter viewers to write in. In fact, over 4,000 letters were received in one week, so to make up for the disappointment of not being one of the first 1,000, everybody was sent a copy of Mach 1 News and a letter from Richard Noble.
School's Activities
We've heard from teachers and pupils at a number of schools who have decided to use the Thrust SSC project as part of their own project work at schools. Some of the ideas range from producing drawings and models of land speed record cars, through to giant wall charts tracing the history of the record and writing short essays on what it would be like to drive Thrust SSC at supersonic speeds. We've also heard from schools who have visited the LSR display at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu and the Thrust 2 exhibit at Coventry. Why don't you ask your teacher to consider something featuring land speed record breaking?
Design an LSR Car Competition Result
In our last issue we asked you to design your own LSR car and we have certainly discovered some imaginative and talented designers. Selecting the winners has been very difficult. In the Under 7 group, the best entry was called RED EAGLE. It was designed by Benjamin Roberts, aged 6. It is a beautifully slender and streamlined car that can clearly go very fast indeed. The nose droops downwards (similar to Thrust SSC) to make sure that the wind forces do not lift it off the ground, and a large tailfin ensures that it is stable. The driver has good all-round visibility, which is most important. The forces on the car will obviously be very big, but Benjamin successfully copes with this problem by specifying that there should be 8 wheels. Well done, Benjamin.
In the 8 - 12 age group, all of the designers have spent considerable time and effort on their entries. Carl Gilkeson, aged 12, had clearly thought hard about the requirements for driving at supersonic speed. In his winning entry, called SLIPSTREAM , he had incorporated directional control, navigation (very important on a flat and featureless desert), stabilisers controlled by an active suspension, a survival cell for the driver, and communications with the rest of the team. The overall shape is simple and well streamlined. Carl also shows a basic knowledge of draughting conventions. He even went as far as producing a fine model of his plans. Very impressive!
Are there any suggested improvements? Yes, there is one. Most of the entrants omitted to show any means of stopping the car. Thrust SSC has two parachutes and very powerful disc brakes on all wheels. One entrant did specify no less than five brake parachutes, but most people forgot.
This issues's competition
Lledo are producing a model of Thrust SSC to complement their existing model of Thrust 2, which was originally issued as part of a special LSR promotion for Kellogg's Corn Flakes. The Corn Flakes set was made up of four models:
1935 Bluebird
Railton Mobil Special
Spirit of America - Sonic 1
Thrust 2
The question for you is:
Who was the driver for each of these cars?
The first three correct answers drawn out of the hat will each receive a signed photograph of Andy Green and a Lledo model of Thrust SSC. I have a feeling that museums are libraries will be busy with this one!
A New look shop can be seen here!
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