Rosco McGlashan
Encyclopedia
Rosco McGlashan OAM
is an Australia
n drag racing
record-holder, who currently holds the Australian land speed record
at 500 mph (802.6 km/h). This record was set on the 27 March 1994 on the dry salt flats of Lake Gairdner
, South Australia
440 km (273.4 mi) northwest of Adelaide
.
from a Mirage jet fighter aeroplane
. In February 1995 Rosco and his team headed back to Lake Gairdner for an assault at the 633.468 mph (1,013.55 km/h) world land speed record, held by Richard Noble
. This attempt was not a success, due to poor salt conditions, the course being very wet in places. McGlashan ran off course and hit the metal timing equipment at 960 km/h (600 mph). McGlashan walked away but the car was destroyed.
and Craig Breedlove
to be the first to Mach 1
on land. But again the salt conditions were too bad for high speed record
runs. And on 15 October 1997, Andy Green reached 763.035 miles per hour (1,228 km/h), the first supersonic
record (Mach 1.016).
will be his biggest and most powerful yet at 18 metres (58.5 ft) in length and 3 metres (10 ft) high at the tailfin.
McGlashan also drove a rocket-powered Go-Kart
to 253 miles per hour (407.2 km/h) - still the fastest in the world.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
is an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n drag racing
Drag racing
Drag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
record-holder, who currently holds the Australian land speed record
Land speed record
The land speed record is the highest speed achieved by a wheeled vehicle on land. There is no single body for validation and regulation; in practice the Category C flying start regulations are used, officiated by regional or national organizations under the auspices of the Fédération...
at 500 mph (802.6 km/h). This record was set on the 27 March 1994 on the dry salt flats of Lake Gairdner
Lake Gairdner
Lake Gairdner is a large endorheic lake in central South Australia, and is considered the fourth largest salt lake in Australia when it is flooded....
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
440 km (273.4 mi) northwest of Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
.
Aussie Invader II
McGlashan set the record in his jet-powered car, Aussie Invader II. The car was powered by a 36,000 hp Atar jet engineSNECMA Atar
The SNECMA Atar is a French axial-flow turbojet engine built by Snecma. It was derived from the German World War II BMW 003 design, but extensively developed though a progression of more powerful models. The name is derived from its original design group, Atelier Technique Aéronautique Rickenbach...
from a Mirage jet fighter aeroplane
Mirage (aircraft)
Mirage is the name of a series of delta-winged fighters and bombers that have been produced by the French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation, flown by the French Air Force, and widely exported to foreign counties.* Dassault Mirage III...
. In February 1995 Rosco and his team headed back to Lake Gairdner for an assault at the 633.468 mph (1,013.55 km/h) world land speed record, held by Richard Noble
Richard Noble
Richard Noble, OBE was the holder of the land speed record between 1983 and 1997, and was the project director of ThrustSSC, the vehicle which holds the current land speed record, set at Black Rock Desert, Nevada in 1997....
. This attempt was not a success, due to poor salt conditions, the course being very wet in places. McGlashan ran off course and hit the metal timing equipment at 960 km/h (600 mph). McGlashan walked away but the car was destroyed.
Aussie Invader III
McGlashan then built his next car Aussie Invader III. With this car McGlashan hoped to challenge Andy GreenAndy Green
Wing Commander Andy D. Green OBE BA RAF is a British Royal Air Force pilot and World Land Speed Record holder.-RAF career:...
and Craig Breedlove
Craig Breedlove
Craig Breedlove is a five-time world land speed record holder. He was the first to reach , , and , using several turbojet-powered vehicles, all named Spirit of America.-Land vehicle speed records :...
to be the first to Mach 1
Mach number
Mach number is the speed of an object moving through air, or any other fluid substance, divided by the speed of sound as it is in that substance for its particular physical conditions, including those of temperature and pressure...
on land. But again the salt conditions were too bad for high speed record
Speed record
-Vehicle speed records:* Flight airspeed record* Transcontinental air speed record* Land speed record* Land speed record for railed vehicles* Fastest production car* Motorcycle land speed record* Fastest speed on a bicycle* British land speed record...
runs. And on 15 October 1997, Andy Green reached 763.035 miles per hour (1,228 km/h), the first supersonic
Supersonic
Supersonic speed is a rate of travel of an object that exceeds the speed of sound . For objects traveling in dry air of a temperature of 20 °C this speed is approximately 343 m/s, 1,125 ft/s, 768 mph or 1,235 km/h. Speeds greater than five times the speed of sound are often...
record (Mach 1.016).
Aussie Invader 5R
Needing a car with more power, McGlashan has announced that he has designed a new car, Aussie Invader 5R. This car will be rocket-powered and is designed for speed greater than 1000 miles per hour (1,609.3 km/h). The rocket carRocket car
A rocket car is a land rocket vehicle powered by a rocket engine. A rocket dragster is a rocket car used for competing in drag racing, and this type holds the unofficial world record for the 1/4 mile....
will be his biggest and most powerful yet at 18 metres (58.5 ft) in length and 3 metres (10 ft) high at the tailfin.
McGlashan also drove a rocket-powered Go-Kart
Go-kart
thumb|A [[Kart racing|racing kart]] at the [[Commission Internationale de Karting|CIK-FIA]] European Championship 2008A go-kart is a small four-wheeled vehicle...
to 253 miles per hour (407.2 km/h) - still the fastest in the world.