Landracing Forum
Bonneville Salt Flats Discussion => Bonneville General Chat => Topic started by: kustombrad on November 23, 2014, 08:03:33 PM
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This is footage from when he stuck it in the drink. Cool footage but the guys on the radio are really stale! http://bangshift.com/general-news/videos/terror-triumph-watch-craig-breedlove-become-fastest-man-history-nearly-killed-process-incredible-video/
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I chuckled at the end of the run and the guy makes the comment "he's out of control", he wasn't out of control he was out of track!
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That car was so beautiful. The construction and the quality were absolutely first class. Look at the quality of the rear wheel covers, what beautiful aluminum fabrication.
Rex
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I chuckled at the end of the run and the guy makes the comment "he's out of control", he wasn't out of control he was out of track!
:cheers: LOL. Realestate... location location location! :-D
Sid.
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The "some engineering input from aerospace eggheads" bangshift comment makes is a glaring oversight with respect to Walt Sheehan who was the engineering backstop to Craig's ideas. In short, Walt took Craig's ideas and made them function in a car that did not kill him.
Walt did this FIVE TIMES. Every world record Breedlove set was orchestrated by Sheehan who was the master of jet propulsion and a leading engineer for Lockheed on the F104 Starfighters. Sheehan is the guy in the red ball cap standing close to the tailpipe at the at the start of the clip. The camera quits when it was taken out by the telegraph/telephone pole. The man in the white, collared shirt who hugs Craig when the crew reaches him is his father, who looks more than relieved afterwards. You don't see Walt, he is busy figuring out how to pull the car from the water.
I cannot stress enough how much Sheehan was crucial to Spirit of America's success. Think George Poteet without Kenny Duttweiler or Andy Green without Ron Ayers or Al Teague without Charlie Hamilton.
In full disclosure, understand that Walt and I were good friends. He had a beach house in Oxnard, CA, close to where I lived and we visited often. I miss the astounding tales he told me at his kitchen table but recall him fondly each time I use his reference materials given to me by his family -- much of it hand-written. I donated a great deal of engineering data, run logs, jet parts (from Walt) and supporting documents to Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry where the 3-wheeler lives on permanent display. Additionally, I have the entire reel of raw footage that was used to create "The Wildest Ride" - now on DVD as the film reel was donated to the USAF Academy reference library. Shell made several dozen copies for news agencies at the time.
You will find a full report on the late Mr. Sheehan here:
http://www.landspeedproductions.biz/wp-content/uploads/FFT_Oct08.pdf