Life on the Road – Trucking News Blog

Back in 1999, Ed Shadle, a retired IBM engineer, purchased an old 60′s era Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. He paid $25,000 for it. With help from his friend Keith Zanghi, they “transformed” the airplane in what they hope will be the fastest land “vehicle.”

On or about July 4th of next year, with Shadle behind the wheel, at Black Rock, NV, they hope to achieve a new land speed record of 800 miles per hour. That 45 miles an hour faster than the speed of sound. It is also 735 miles an hour faster than the typical over the road 18 wheeler moves on the interstate. Over across the pond in merry ‘ole England, two chaps – Dick Noble and Andy Green back in 1997 set the current record of 763 miles per hour. They are working on a new vehicle, the Bloodhound, they say will be capable of going 1,000 miles an hour.

Shadle’s vehicle, named “Eagle” is maintained by 44 volunteers. Shadle and Zaghi claim to have spent $250,000 of their own money to transform, manage and keep Eagle rolling. The vehicle is 56 feet long, weighs 13,000 lbs., and is powered by a GE LM1500 gas turbine. The engine in its present configuration generates 42,500 horsepower, but will be turned up to 50,000 horsepower when the vehicle attempts the record.

Eagle will need 11 miles for the run -  a mile to warm up to 250 miles per hour; four miles to light off the afterburner and get up to record speed; a mile in the speed trap; and five miles to stop. And according to The New York Times: ” Rubber tires turn to molten licorice at anything above 350 miles per hour, so the Eagle uses custom-built, single-billet aluminum alloy wheels, grooved for traction on soft surfaces. They will not work on asphalt or concrete. The brakes are special alloy magnets that generate 4,700 brake horsepower as the magnetized drum approaches the moving aluminum wheel, slowing it gradually without ever locking up.”

Shadle says: “Revenue is one of the greatest obstacles we continue to struggle with. Although we have been able to develop this project though services and products donated or loaned to us, we have to be creative in coming up with money to support this project.”

For more information go to: http://www.landspeed.com/projctovw.html and for The New York Times profile on this project please go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/21/science/21speed.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&emc=eta1 The photo credit is Landspeed. The photo of Shadle in the cockpit, in front of the vehicle and Eagle “logo”are from their website.