Speed of the Wind
Encyclopedia
Speed of the Wind was a record-breaking car of the 1930s, built for and driven by Captain George Eyston
.
The car was designed by Eyston and E A D Eldridge, then built by the father of Tom Delaney
It was powered by an unsupercharged version of the V-12 Rolls-Royce Kestrel
aero engine. The car was too large and heavy for circuit racing and was already underpowered by the standards of the absolute speed record breakers. This car was designed for endurance, more than peak power. Running a supercharged engine with the fuel and materials technology of the day would never have lasted the duration. This particular engine was obtained second-hand from Roll-Royce, where it had previously powered an airflow fan in an engine test cell. Having always been intended for long-term use at ground level, it had been built without the Kestrel's usual supercharger.
For streamlining, a distinctive feature of the car are the two small "nostrils", headlights and air inlets in the nose. These produced less drag than a typical inlet and flat honeycomb radiator
. The engine was cooled instead by a surface radiator wrapped around the top of the bodywork, just in front of the driver.
During testing, the car appears to have run, although not competitively, at either Brooklands or Montlhery.
and the Bonneville
salt flats of Utah. Jenkins was fond of competition and was instrumental in encouraging British teams to travel to Bonneville.
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In September 1935, shortly after Campbell's 300 mph record with Blue Bird, Eyston broke Jenkins' 24-hour record and raised it to 140.52 mi/h
chassis. Eyston returned, with E A D Eldridge as team manager, and his colleague from Brooklands
, John Cobb
in the Napier-Railton as another competitor.
Eyston set the first records, averaging 149.096 mi/h for 24 hours and 136.34 mi/h over 48 hours.
The Mormon Meteor made its first attempt, beating the average speed to 12 hours at 152.84 mi/h, but retiring with a driveshaft failure. John Cobb
then took Eyston’s 24 hour record at 150.163 mi/h, but didn't attempt 48.
The Meteor made a second attempt, and this time remained reliable. Its two co-drivers set times of 153.823 mi/h for 24 hours and 148.641 mi/h for 48.
Dinky Toys produced a model of the car, both pre- and post-war.
In both photographs, George Eyston is standing at the far left. A third photograph is likely to be the same location.
George Eyston
- References :*...
.
The car was designed by Eyston and E A D Eldridge, then built by the father of Tom Delaney
Tom Delaney
Cyril Terence "Tom" Delaney was a British sportsman and industrialist, perhaps best known in his later years for being the oldest licensed racing driver in the world, having competed in the same Lea-Francis car for more than three-quarters of a century from 1930 until just a few months before his...
It was powered by an unsupercharged version of the V-12 Rolls-Royce Kestrel
Rolls-Royce Kestrel
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Erfurth, Helmut. Junkers Ju 87 . Bonn, Germany: Bernard & Graefe Verlag, 2004. ISBN 1-85780-186-5....
aero engine. The car was too large and heavy for circuit racing and was already underpowered by the standards of the absolute speed record breakers. This car was designed for endurance, more than peak power. Running a supercharged engine with the fuel and materials technology of the day would never have lasted the duration. This particular engine was obtained second-hand from Roll-Royce, where it had previously powered an airflow fan in an engine test cell. Having always been intended for long-term use at ground level, it had been built without the Kestrel's usual supercharger.
For streamlining, a distinctive feature of the car are the two small "nostrils", headlights and air inlets in the nose. These produced less drag than a typical inlet and flat honeycomb radiator
Radiator
Radiators are heat exchangers used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in automobiles, buildings, and electronics...
. The engine was cooled instead by a surface radiator wrapped around the top of the bodywork, just in front of the driver.
During testing, the car appears to have run, although not competitively, at either Brooklands or Montlhery.
Records
Speed of the Wind was built for long-duration speed records, which were the domain of Ab JenkinsAb Jenkins
David Abbott "Ab" Jenkins was the 24th mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah from 1940 to 1944 and was a professional race car driver. Jenkins' interest in motorsports began with racing motorcycles on dirt tracks and cross country. He then became interested in land speed records at the Bonneville Salt...
and the Bonneville
Bonneville Speedway
Bonneville Speedway is an area of the Bonneville Salt Flats near Wendover, Utah, that is marked out for motor sports. It is particularly noted as the venue for numerous land speed records....
salt flats of Utah. Jenkins was fond of competition and was instrumental in encouraging British teams to travel to Bonneville.
1935
1936
For the 1936 season, Jenkins created the Mormon Meteor by fitting a Curtiss Conqueror V12 into his previous DuesenbergDuesenberg
Duesenberg was an Auburn, Indiana based American luxury automobile company active in various forms from 1913 to 1937, most famous for its high-quality passenger cars and record-breaking racing cars.-History:...
chassis. Eyston returned, with E A D Eldridge as team manager, and his colleague from Brooklands
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, and was the world's first purpose-built motorsport venue, as well as one of Britain's first airfields...
, John Cobb
John Cobb (motorist)
John Rhodes Cobb was a British racing motorist. He made money as a director of fur brokers Anning, Chadwick and Kiver and could afford to specialise in large capacity motor-racing...
in the Napier-Railton as another competitor.
Eyston set the first records, averaging 149.096 mi/h for 24 hours and 136.34 mi/h over 48 hours.
The Mormon Meteor made its first attempt, beating the average speed to 12 hours at 152.84 mi/h, but retiring with a driveshaft failure. John Cobb
John Cobb
John Cobb may refer to:People* John Cobb , Australian politician* John Cobb , English cabinetmaker* John Cobb , Canadian politician)...
then took Eyston’s 24 hour record at 150.163 mi/h, but didn't attempt 48.
The Meteor made a second attempt, and this time remained reliable. Its two co-drivers set times of 153.823 mi/h for 24 hours and 148.641 mi/h for 48.
Models
External links
Two photographs in the Brooklands photo archive show it outside Delaney & Sons. garage, a popular location for racing in this eraIn both photographs, George Eyston is standing at the far left. A third photograph is likely to be the same location.