50th plus 1 anniversary of The Blue Flame's LSR

[MAYOMAN]

In the early 1960s, Art Arfons, Craig Breedlove, and Walt Arfons bought surplus aircraft turbojet engines ? and found out how fast they COULD go. In 1965, three guys from Milwaukee, Ray Dausman, Pete Farnsworth, and Dick Keller decided how fast they WANTED to go.
The they decided to build their own rocket engine to go THAT fast.
Gary Gabelich drove THE BLUE FLAME to the first world land speed record over 1,000 kilometers per hour [1,016.656 km/h in the flying start kilometer] on October 23, 1970. That record lasted 27 years and is the last world land speed record by an American car and driver, and the last on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.
SPEEDQUEST ? Inside The Blue Flame ? is how The Blue Flame came to be, from start to finish in 27 months. It is available at Amazon Books.

[WOODY@DDLLC]

And a fine read it is! 

[TrickyDicky]

Anything happening at the Sinsheim this year?

[MAYOMAN]

I understand that the Sinsheim Technik Museum is open to a very limited number of visitors. Also, travel to Germany seems to be limited by Covid restrictions. I haven't heard of any plans regarding The Blue Flame other than video presentations we prepared together for the 1970 anniversary, that didn't happen.

[N72727]

Avoid traveling to Europe. It's a real mess. You have to show a pass, a negative test, proof of vaXX in most places, etc. And wear muzzles on your nose... No fun.

[TrickyDicky]

Avoid traveling to Europe. It's a real mess. You have to show a pass, a negative test, proof of vaXX in most places, etc. And wear muzzles on your nose... No fun.

Interesting perspective. It looks kinda different from this side of the pond.

Are you saying none of the above applies in the US?

[N72727]

Avoid traveling to Europe. It's a real mess. You have to show a pass, a negative test, proof of vaXX in most places, etc. And wear muzzles on your nose... No fun.

Interesting perspective. It looks kinda different from this side of the pond.

Are you saying none of the above applies in the US?

I'm in France, about two hours driving from Sinsheim. Look at the restrictions. Is it a museum or a fortress ?
https://sinsheim.technik-museum.de/en/corona

[MAYOMAN]

My original plan in 2020 was to fly into an out through Strasbourg, staying with a friend there for a few days. There appear to be quarantine restrictions crossing the France/German border as well as entering France in the first place. The museum protocol looks very restrictive as well. We have few restrictions in lower Alabama. Some stores and medical facilities have staff wearing masks. Probably a lawyer thing. I have both vaccine shots and not too worried personally.

[J79]

Does the Blue Flame have a dedicated YouTube Channel?

[MAYOMAN]

I don't know what that is. I have 3 Youtube videos under Dick Keller. Sam Hawley did 3 under Land Speed Legends, mostly accurate.

[MAYOMAN]

Here are YouTube links that I have. Also, Sam Hawley has a few on The Blue Flame.

[MAYOMAN]

Sunday, October 23, 2022 will be the 52nd anniversary of The Blue Flame setting the last American absolute world land speed record - and the last absolute world land speed record on the Bonneville Salt Flats. SPEEDQUEST, my book is still available at Amazon, also on Kindle. Check out the Youtube videos as well.

[WOODY@DDLLC]

If you don't have this book - treat yourself or a friend to a great read! 

[desotoman]

I just saw this so thought I would post it.

Tom G.

[MAYOMAN]

Speaking of FACTS - The Blue Flame's world land speed record was 630.388 mph, set in the flying start kilometer. The flying start mile record was 622.407 mph, NOT the WORLD speed record.
FIA allows us to time both the mile and kilometer record speeds simultaneously. The fastest flying start records certified by the FIA are the mile and kilometer records. The "World Land Speed Record" is THE fastest FIA-certified record, in this case the kilometer flying start record. Also, at 1,014.656 km/h, it was the first World Land Speed Record above 1,000 km/h!
Unfortunately, the AGA sponsors' PR firm was fixated on the "mile" and erroneously publicized the slower speed as the World Land Speed Record on October 23, 1970. It wasn't. That error continues to be cited. Also, The Blue Flame's kilometer land speed record stood for 27 years until it was soundly smashed by Andy Green in his jet car. The next World Land Speed Record was set in the flying start mile in 1983 at 633 mph by Richard Noble. But, the flying start kilometer record remained intact, no longer the World Land Speed Record.