A full-size model of the car a British engineering team aims to break the 1000mph barrier with has been revealed at the Farnborough International Airshow.
The Bloodhound SSC replica is 12.8 metres long and follows three years of aerodynamic design studies and 10 evolutions to its design.
See the official pics of the Bloodhound SSC at Farnborough
The hand-finished model is made from polystyrene blocks and fibreglass and is finished in six coats of aerospace paint. It weighs 950kg and can split into three sections.
The Bloodhound team has also confirmed two key developments in the project. Hampson Industries has been named as the latest sponsor to the project; the engineering firm will be responsible for building Bloodhound’s rear fuselage.
“With Hampson Industries on board we have secured the build of half the car’s fuselage: this marks a huge step in the life of the project,” said Richard Noble, project director. “Hampson Industries is representative of the wealth of skills we have here in the UK and underlines the importance of maintaining this expertise.”
Bloodhound is powered by an EJ200 Eurofighter Typhoon jet engine and a 400kg rocket (claimed to be the largest ever designed and built in Europe) sitting below it.
Read Autocar's full interview with Richard Noble
Tests of the engine have now been successfully carried out, with the engine driven to full power on reheat in a series of controlled bench-test, producing its maximum 90kN of thrust without any problems.
In total, Bloodhound SSC produces the equivalent of 133,150bhp, the power of around 180 Formula One cars.
The first 0-300mph test runs of Bloodhound SSC will take place in 2012.
