Interesting top fuel Dragster factoids

[TripperJoe]

I thought (high-performance) helicopters used turbofans?

And how would you see it at the end of the track without the afterburner going? 😉

 

[silverpig]

Gas turbine engines = cool.

 

[CFster]

Once heard about a guy in a rocket powered dragster. There's two types - jet engine and rocket engine. Well, I guess this thing rocket blew up half-way down the track. From what I understand, they never found the guy. Happened somewhere in Mexico or something.

The problem with those things is that they usually don't break down, they just blow UP.

 

[MadRat]

I meant turboshaft. Turboprop is actually a direct drive whereas turboshaft is not. The turboprop, being direct drive, is harder to control the RPMs. The turboshaft is able to vary the turbine speeds in order to keep the RPMs of the driveshaft under control. Both are extremely light engines that have output both thrust from their exhaust and kinetic energy to a driveshaft. A slip of the tongue. 🙂

Originally posted by: CFster

The problem with those things is that they usually don't break down, they just blow UP.

They shouldn't if you overhaul them on a scheduled basis. Blowing apart a turbine would not be a crowd pleaser, more like a crowd shredder.

 

[vegetation]

Probably just a twist on the same urban legend over the Impala that had rockets attached to its side. The legend goes, the driver took his Impala up to 100 or so on its own engine, then lit the rockets, and all hell broke loose. Highway patrol then found his twisted wreckage as proof.

Originally posted by: CFster
Once heard about a guy in a rocket powered dragster. There's two types - jet engine and rocket engine. Well, I guess this thing rocket blew up half-way down the track. From what I understand, they never found the guy. Happened somewhere in Mexico or something.

The problem with those things is that they usually don't break down, they just blow UP.

 

[CaptnKirk]

We used to joke in the Tech department speculating when someone would ask us to do the Chassis Certification and a Front Engine Jet Dragster,
and what Fire Suit and Helment we thought it woud need for the run. (Think about it)

And for the Impala with the rockets - and there was a hook on the door handle.

There was a time when some Rocket Dragsters were making exhibition runs, they used the Peroxide Reaction Motors that had been developed for
the Lunar Landing Module. Disassociation of Hydrogen Peroxide on a Platinum catylist screen = water vapor and pressure. I watched USA-1 make
a pass at 330 MPH with an E.T. of 4.00 after turning it off at 1/2 track. When they were baned, there were reports that the drivers were coming out
with broken collar bones, either from the shock of the launch or the parachute deployment. I don't think it's the Chute, as they are hitting that speed\now and the Chutes aren't breaking bones, but are detatching retinas if both Chutes are dumped together.