Driver who broke the sound barrier with Thrust SSC visits 'obvious home for vehicle' to celebrate 25th anniversary of land speed record
The man behind the wheel of one of the greatest engineering feats in history was joined by visitors at an automotive institution to celebrate a landmark anniversary – and Coventry’s role in it.
Wing Commander Andy Green OBE joined car and engineering enthusiasts at the Coventry Transport Museum to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Thrust SSC breaking the sound barrier and setting a new world land speed record.
The former Royal Air Force fighter pilot hosted a presentation and Q&A with visitors, detailing Thrust SSC’s technological accomplishments and the biggest challenges of setting a world record that has now stood for a quarter century.
Green achieved a speed of 763 mph in the Black Rock Desert, Nevada on October 15, 1997, making Thrust SSC the first land vehicle to break the sound barrier.
Green hailed the world-leading engineering team that helped break the sound-barrier twice – with two runs required to confirm the record – and highlighted the role that Coventry’s manufacturing industry played in the project’s success, with Thrust SSC’s brakes and wheels made in the city.
Jeremy Davey, who provided satellite communications support throughout the Thrust SSC project, joined Green in person at the Transport Museum to mark the anniversary, with other members of the Thrust SSC team connecting via a live video link from Nevada to reflect on the achievement.
The car is now one of the highlights of Coventry Transport Museum’s collection, and is on display in the Land Speed Gallery alongside Thrust2 and Bloodhound LSR.
Green said: “Thrust SSC excited so many people both in this country and around the world. This car achieved such a remarkable feat 25 years ago that nobody has come close to since then.
“It’s the longest standing land speed record in history and that is absolutely brilliant in terms of the achievement that this represents for British engineering.
“Because it’s the only supersonic car in history, people are still talking about it and an awful lot of people have come to the museum to see this car because it broke the record.
“Of the four fastest cars on earth, three of them are in this room. Coventry was responsible for so much of the technology, and Coventry Transport Museum is the obvious place for these cars and the display here is a fabulous way of showing them off.
“It’s a privilege to be part of such a remarkable team achievement and to be able to tell the story 25 years on like it happened yesterday because the achievement still stands.”
Green also spoke of the aim to one day break Thrust SSC’s land speed record with Bloodhound LSR, which has been in development since 2008.
“Ultimately, we need to move forward to a high technology low carbon energy efficient world of the future.
“We’ve now got the car up to 600+ mph, and we’re now looking to get the car funded to see if we can get toward that magic 1000 mph which Bloodhound is theoretically capable of – in order to not just showcase British engineering and technology, but ultimately to inspire a generation about the magic of science of technology.”
Stephen Spencer, Venue Manager at Coventry Transport Museum, said: “It was fantastic to see so many people visiting our Land Speed Gallery today to reflect and marvel at the momentous achievement that Andy and the Thrust SSC team were responsible for 25 years ago.
“It was a privilege to welcome Andy here today and hear him speak about the project, the role that Coventry played in it, and the main challenges that had to be overcome to achieve such an incredible feat of human endeavour. I’m sure everyone who joined us will have left feeling inspired.”
