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Into the future: Quicksilver |
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The world water speed record has stood at
317.60 mph since Australia's Ken Warby broke the 300 mph barrier
in his Spirit of Australia in October 1978. Ken has plans to raise
the record still higher but there is also a British contender in
the shape of the Quicksilver project, led by Nigel Macknight. The
chief designer is Ken Norris, co-designer of the K7 Bluebird. The
powerplant is a single Rolls-Royce Spey 101 turbofan engine - two
of which have been obtained by purchasing an ex-RAF Buccaneer strike
aircraft. Quicksilver has been designed as a four-pointer, a unique
configuration in world water speed record history. Its structure
is based on a combination of high-tensile steel tubing and honeycomb
sandwich panels. Water tank tests of models have been completed
and construction is reported (early 2001) as being under way. |
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