The Rocket Truck

[Aurrin]

Given the relatively short burn duration, and assuming the truck is fully functional.....I would think a running start up to say 40-60mph prior to lightin' the fuse would be in order to optimize the rocket's thrust.

2700Lb thrust give or take for only a few seconds from a dead start won't overcome the static inertia of the truck quickly enough to deliver very much of a top end at the end of the burn.....or does this guy have another, longer burning engine on hand or in the works for the actual run?

Either way....I STILL wish I'd been there with you.....that would have been fun to watch.

Envious eyes on this end dude..

Şaaruuk

The full burn time is 10 seconds, and there isn't a bigger one. (Yet) In the clip, it's cut a bit short. He told us that the camera view started moving, so he hit the shutdown button, only to realize seconds later that it was just the camera, not the truck itself.

And maybe if you're ever over this way it could be arranged sometime.

[Sharuuk]

Given the relatively short burn duration, and assuming the truck is fully functional.....I would think a running start up to say 40-60mph prior to lightin' the fuse would be in order to optimize the rocket's thrust.

2700Lb thrust give or take for only a few seconds from a dead start won't overcome the static inertia of the truck quickly enough to deliver very much of a top end at the end of the burn.....or does this guy have another, longer burning engine on hand or in the works for the actual run?

Either way....I STILL wish I'd been there with you.....that would have been fun to watch.

Envious eyes on this end dude..

Şaaruuk

The full burn time is 10 seconds, and there isn't a bigger one. (Yet) In the clip, it's cut a bit short. He told us that the camera view started moving, so he hit the shutdown button, only to realize seconds later that it was just the camera, not the truck itself.

"Hit the shutdown button..." So it IS liquid fueled, or is it a NOX hybrid? That's the only "controllable" solid fuel rocket I know of. If so, what's he using for fuel? The mythbusters used parafin mixed with powdered carbon for their hybrid.

And maybe if you're ever over this way it could be arranged sometime.

And thank you so very much for the invite.....I'll see what I can arrange from this end with work.

Did you check out the "Shockwave" website? I've seen this thing run and is it EVER IMPRESSIVE!!! In one exhibition, it caught and outran a "Pitts Special" aerobatic biplane from a dead start with the Pitts on a 210mph flying start, in less than a 1/4mi. He passed the Pitts at over 300mph.

At a local track here, I was videoing the run about 100ft from the starting line.....when he nailed all three burners for the launch, the sound was so intense that it squrriled the tracking momentarily on my camcorder.....and this from 100ft away!!! And my whole body was vibrating strongly until he got down the track and the acoustic angle changed.

Like I said...IMPRESSIVE!

Şaaruuk

[BrockthePaine]

Did you check out the "Shockwave" website? I've seen this thing run and is it EVER IMPRESSIVE!!! In one exhibition, it caught and outran a "Pitts Special" aerobatic biplane from a dead start with the Pitts on a 210mph flying start, in less than a 1/4mi. He passed the Pitts at over 300mph.

Well, to be fair, a Pitts usually has a 200hp or maybe a 400hp engine. How many horses did he harness on that rig?

[Sharuuk]

Well, to be fair, a Pitts usually has a 200hp or maybe a 400hp engine. How many horses did he harness on that rig?

Somewhere in the 36,000hp range at 18,000lbs thrust. But remember, that's got to get 7,000+lbs of dead weight moving from a standing start and the Pitts has a 200+mph flying start. Kent drops the hammer as he sees the Pitts pass him and still catches him.

And the power/thrust-to-weight ratio in the Pitts is, what....a 400hp possibly turbocharged engine in a 700lb (maybe) airframe? It may be small and not nearly the same HP as the truck, but in no way is the Pitts a slouch in the speed dept.

It's just soooo cool to see that truck run though.

Amd check out this pix of a really good and really ballsy Pitts jock racing the Shockwave.

[Anthony Lion]

Of course, the Pitts is an acrobatic biplane which has traded in some speed for maneuverability and climb-rate(they use a wing-profile with more lift, and therefore also more drag, than a racer), but on the other hand, that truck has the same aerodynamics as a stack of bricks...

"Given enough thrust pigs fly just fine"...

Another car that has about the same aerodynamics, but looks MUCH better is Il Tempo Gigante
Have a look, read the movie specifications(and have a laugh), then note that the full-size version does 0 - 100Km/H in 6 seconds...

The full-size has a V12 under the hood and a gas turbine in the rear.
Top speed can only be guessed at, but rumour has it that it was at least equivalent to a F1 car at the time...

[Sharuuk]

Of course, the Pitts is an acrobatic biplane which has traded in some speed for maneuverability and climb-rate(they use a wing-profile with more lift, and therefore also more drag, than a racer), but on the other hand, that truck has the same aerodynamics as a stack of bricks...

"Given enough thrust pigs fly just fine"...

Or as a McDonnel/Douglas rep once stated in a press conference....

"Ladies and gentlemen, the F4C Phantom II....Uncle Sam's declaration to the world that given sufficient horsepower, a brick will fly." (M/D was not amused.)

Don't get me wrong, the Phanton's one helluva stout bird. She proved herself many times over in Viet Nam, soaking up obscene amounts of damage and still getting her pilots home safely. But in reality, she has all the aerodynamics of a footlocker and the glide ratio of a well balanced tire iron. If you lose one engine, you'll burn the other one up getting home unless you're really close by....say less than 30min out. You'll have to run the remaining engine at near combat power with burner just to stay airborn.

Şaaruuk

[Calbeck]

Bah, give me a JATO engine any day.

Of course, a JATO doesn't really LOOK like this, but eh...it's old art anyways...

[Anthony Lion]

Of course, a JATO doesn't really LOOK like this, but eh...it's old art anyways...

You're right...

The JATO is a dull, grey cylinder with a flat end and no fins.
Rather boring, in fact.

I think I like this version better...

Think you could draw another one?
But with Chip&Dale and a 2.75 FFAR?

[StrangeWulf13]

JATO Impala... now that's a great pic!

[Aurrin]

Given the relatively short burn duration, and assuming the truck is fully functional.....I would think a running start up to say 40-60mph prior to lightin' the fuse would be in order to optimize the rocket's thrust.

2700Lb thrust give or take for only a few seconds from a dead start won't overcome the static inertia of the truck quickly enough to deliver very much of a top end at the end of the burn.....or does this guy have another, longer burning engine on hand or in the works for the actual run?

Either way....I STILL wish I'd been there with you.....that would have been fun to watch.

Envious eyes on this end dude..

Şaaruuk

The full burn time is 10 seconds, and there isn't a bigger one. (Yet) In the clip, it's cut a bit short. He told us that the camera view started moving, so he hit the shutdown button, only to realize seconds later that it was just the camera, not the truck itself.

"Hit the shutdown button..." So it IS liquid fueled, or is it a NOX hybrid? That's the only "controllable" solid fuel rocket I know of. If so, what's he using for fuel? The mythbusters used parafin mixed with powdered carbon for their hybrid.

And maybe if you're ever over this way it could be arranged sometime.

And thank you so very much for the invite.....I'll see what I can arrange from this end with work.

Did you check out the "Shockwave" website? I've seen this thing run and is it EVER IMPRESSIVE!!! In one exhibition, it caught and outran a "Pitts Special" aerobatic biplane from a dead start with the Pitts on a 210mph flying start, in less than a 1/4mi. He passed the Pitts at over 300mph.

At a local track here, I was videoing the run about 100ft from the starting line.....when he nailed all three burners for the launch, the sound was so intense that it squrriled the tracking momentarily on my camcorder.....and this from 100ft away!!! And my whole body was vibrating strongly until he got down the track and the acoustic angle changed.

Like I said...IMPRESSIVE!

Şaaruuk

Sorry for taking so long to reply. My internet at the house is down.

And no, it's not liquid. Its solid/gas hybrid. (I'm pretty sure they don't have the nitrous oxide to liquid pressures, but I'm not *entirely* sure of that.) And yes, it is controllable. That's the nice thing about hybrids.