1.11 Don’t Judge A Failure By It’s Cover: The Insane Story Of The Vulcan Shuttle

[@thomaspoole2577]

Ronney Poole is my father thank you for your time and research.

[@DM-wp9vq]

God rest his soul, and tons of respect to your father!

[@earltuggle4917]

My father was the FBO manager at Vandenberg at the time of the crash. I was 5 years old and have a very clear memory of watching this crash. My father alone with a line man and mechanic were the first responders. I was standing with them near the taxiway directly across from where the accident happened. I use to have a poster of the Vulcan Shuttle that Ronney autographed personally to me. I wish I still had it. I am sorry for your loss. He was very kind to me and he lives with me as not a tragic event, but as a rockstar that I had the privilege to meet.

[@mrt2this607]

@@earltuggle4917 That's a cool story. That autographed poster makes it even better. My father and I both were into mechanical and car stuff. Have had since lost a few posters or hats that were autographed by racer at events we went to, sucks. Good stories for the kids in the family to see if they take to the same type of car/racing/mechanical stuff we liked as kids. Would've made the story even more authentic for them, I can still see the faces and smells from races but they don't have as much experience with. Wanting to take a couple boys to the drag races where rocket or turbine powered vehicles complete, and even the big blown v8 ones where ya feel the pressure from the car's exhausts beating on your chest as they fly past at max throttle.

[@ellencabrera8978]

Hi. I am the widow of Raul Cabrera. Most of your info is correct. I would like to share some important info with you about the Vulcan Shuttle. I was there every step of the way. It started in the early 70s. I lived this rocket car business. Raul retired as a pyrotechnic engineer where he earned several U S patents prior to his untimely death related to heart health. God bless his sole.

[@Xsiondu]

Your story needs to be heard! Let's get Mr. Lohnes to see this and interviewing Mrs Cabrera.

[@chelseyparada1298]

My grandfather helped create this! Incredible!

[@tommypoole3228]

I think you did great explaining my grandpas legacy I learned more then what I knew before this video thank you

[@DM-wp9vq]

Much respect to the massive testies and intelligence that your Grandfather possessed! Would've been an awesome man to meet!

[@patryan8065]

You are a very good narrator and keep the complicated subject interesting and flowing. Great job!

[@MiscRocketVideos]

Thanks a ton for this, Brian. I'm 3 years late, but cool history happens that way sometimes. I've mentioned this video on a rocketry forum I frequent, so hopefully you'll get some good views for a cool story. Also, thank you for being clear that it was a mechanical failure that caused the crash and was not related to the rocket motor. Sensationalism is easy, integrity takes effort. I appreciate your integrity!

[@robbnutter4665]

Saw a few of the liquid fueled rocket cars at Orange County Raceway when I was a kid. They were completely silent until they were "turned on". Then they would have times and speeds of modern day day Top Fuel dragsters IN THE 1970's...after only a 2 second burn! Scary fast!

[@joshjones3408]

A plastic binder .... "A really long word " "Ammonia percolate " "An Aluminum" Is what the solds on the shuttle used.. once let Be some where eals.. 👍👍👍Great video 👌👌👌👌

[@mikeew3029]

I saw the vulcan shuttle wreck at Capital raceway that night. What a mess. Rolled half way down the track.

[@Cletrac305]

Another awesome presentation! I like the perfectly crafted level of detail in the format that is interesting to everyone regardless of their experience with this stuff.

[@waldoanddenisestakes639]

The Vulcan shuttle was a funny car with a kit car fiberglass body draped over a a steel space frame. Vandenburg AFB is in Southern California. The shuttle was about the tenth solid motor rocket car. There were 7 built by Fritz Von Opel and Max Valier and Herman Oberth as well as two built by Sig Haughdahl in the 1920s- 1930s. The Walt Arfons and Bobby Tatro Wingfoot Express 2 was Also powered by solid rocket motors in 1965.

[@blakedismuke3656]

Brother I just stumbled across your channel and I can’t stop watching it. I didn’t know you had videos this old I’m glad you haven’t given up. You’re about to rocket off yourself with views.

[@all4runner316]

I've watched pretty much all your videos now, extremely informative, amazing history for motorsport and engineering...needless to say, I have subscribed 👌

[@jamboostable]

Would be nice to see you do a feature about the VW beetle place in import drag racing history, they were some of the first import drag cars in southern California. Cheers

[@MoxieMike66]

I've been around drag racing since I was a kid, literally grew up at New England Dragway, 2nd Gen Stockholder. Don't think I ever heard of this car/team. I can appreciate their attempts, I built a couple of 1/24th scale slot cars back in the 90's to race at local slot car tracks, had to figure out the burn time vs. the weight of the car so it didn't destroy anything in the building. Not sure I'd go full sized though.

[@chrisredjackfl94]

I remember the rocket 🚀 in the front yard and seeing the car while riding the bus as a kid . Cool to finally hear the real story.

[@pat8988]

That speed in a Beetle is insane. As the previous owner of a Porsche powered ’57 VW, I know how light the steering becomes at speeds above 90. That car would go faster, but I was too frightened to do it.

[@paulmanson253]

At about 100 mph the VW body with the flat body pan becomes a sort of lifting body. Genuine aerodynamic lift. Early 60s,there were Bugs at dragstrips. AA fuel dragsters of the period were about 150 mph,10 seconds quarter mile. Bugs were about 105 mph,11 seconds. And yes,you were correct to be concerned. Flying Bugs crashed shortly after becoming airborne,the results were not pretty.

[@NBSV1]

Well, it did end with a fatal crash. Maybe the rocket being mounted above the wheels helped push it down and increase stability. Although once the rocket shuts off the dynamic change would be dramatic.

[@formerfarmer1718]

@@paulmanson253 my friend (Bob Stahl) has a mid 60s beetle land speed car. For years he’s been chasing a record in the 160s and never caught it. He runs nitro and does have nitros onboard but has never felt safe enough to hit the switch even with almost no ground clearance and a wicker bill across the front of the car.

[@K-Effect]

It seems like it’s always the $.25 to $25 part that always gets you in the end

[@joshjones3408]

Holy crap ....I about feel out my chair....my grandfather was a jet air mechanic for 21 years....am I no every body grandpa has a story...but he said at the Base he was at a guy had stolen a jato rockit .. am pretty sure you know what that is ...but the put it in a Packerd but it he said it dent end well...am not saying he lied to me ...but if it was a real thing that happened... what a ride.

[@csj9619]

They put a jato rocket on a car on a tv show. I'm not positive, but think it was on "Mythbusters".

[@rayleehylton8427]

Another great video, thanks Brian

[@TravisMcKnight-lk7gg]

These types of rockets assists were used in WW2 to help aircraft take off with heavy bomb loads and rocket assisted gliders carrying airborne troops this is where the rocket technology came from concerning rockets using hydrogen peroxide chemical reactions for example like the ME-163 rocket fighter plane .

[@markb1764]

The ending is very sad but you have to love the creativity of the Florida men

[@iowa_don]

I remember another VW drag car in the 60's that had a gas turbine engine in it. At one event the car reached a mere 150 ish MPH and became airborne and a terrible crash ensued. I am quite surprised that the Vulcan Shuttle went significantly past 150 and did not crash.

[@ypaulbrown]

the cr you are thinking of was the Black Widow VW, with a Turbonique motor...built in Orlando Florida, on Kent Street.....my Jr High buddy lived cross the street from the shop, so we saw it all the time...I was a reaction fuel motor developed by a guy who was a rocket scientist with Martin Marietta ......not really a gas turbine, there is a lot of information on Turbonique on the internet....hope this helps, a witness of some wild stuff coming out of that very small shop here in Orlando in the 1960's...Paul

[@joshjones3408]

They should have named that car ....pepcon....😮

[@dannork1240]

I see what you did there

[@cornholio.2110]

Old Junior high CO2 dragster......3rd there.. so, those Estes C size rocket engines fit. Fishing line melts neighbors picture window. Miss being a kid

[@orsoncart9441]

I wonder why there is no film of this car performing when it did so many runs!

[@joedobbins870]

Saw a rocket be at Spartanburg dragway in 60’s looks like it was doing 50 mph!

[@thedevilinthecircuit1414]

Capitol Raceway is located in Crofton, Maryland. Been there since 1964 and is still going strong. Races every Saturday and Sunday!

[@jamesengland7461]

Given your estimated numbers of runs (~200!), this means they made in the order of 800 solid ticket motors which functioned properly!

[@BSKustomz]

2:57 that makes sense

[@fredbates7693]

Nice job conveying a great, though sad, story. This video also shows me a video can stand alone using only audio. Is the audio better because the data being shared can, save for the still picture, is all being dedicated to audio? 'Just wondering. Again, nice job.

[@dwaynesullivan-qo2iz]

Thanks as allway

[@danielroth8738]

Holy horsefeathers! I thought the thumbnail was photoshopped.

[@davelowman3574]

Star trek fans? It's close to the same color as the Vulcan shuttle from the first star trek movie.

[@peteharder6325]

Sugar and potassium Nitrate = solid rocket fuel.

[@1935Ron1]

Let see did I miss something about another famous pollution packer race car or rocket car how about Slamming Sammy Miller from Wayne New Jersey…. Was pretty much a record setter went to see him run all the time at E-Town (R.I.P.)

[@brianlohnes3079]

You didn’t miss anything. This was the only SOLID FUEL Rocket car ever. Those were hydrogen peroxide liquid/steam rockets. Totally different and no comparison.

[@1935Ron1]

⁠@@brianlohnes3079 thanks for the clarification,,,, never saw the VW run but did see Sammy and many other jet cars ,,,,,2 very smart guys that like many didn’t get enough ink,,,,,and always put on good runs and shows,,,always packed up my kids , nieces,nephews and a few neighborhood stray to support the local track when thyroid put on special events Or Night of thrills and match races. Great channel lean something new in every episode Thanks for your hard work

[@nickthompson9697]

Any idiot could dream it up, it takes real talent to survive it more than once.

[@nicholasagnew2792]

You'd think these people would be smart enough to lower the front of the car, like the Turbonique VW, making a lifted VW do 180mph+...wtf?

[@brassmonkey7566]

Of course there from Florida.......😅

[@rodmacd8357]

As a fellow Florida man I approve this message.

[@redneckhippiefreak]

lol First I want to say- Thank You for posting this Vid..Truly a stroll down memory lane. I saw this car as a kid .. Secondly.. This car infected me...I was about 8 when I first saw it, I already had a few C and D rockets for my model rockets so the connection was made instantly, but, a few years passed by, gears turning with the idea from time to time and then.. I found a plastic Don Garrets scale Dragster at Roses department store..Naturally, I saved up my lunch money for it and upon purchase, I immediately wrapped a rocket engine in tin foil and crammed it between the axle and the chassis.. The first time I pushed the button, it took off into the air..like a spirling rocket car. XP Well, As kids do, I tinkered with-it for days......I took a lighter to the front and rear wings, bent them both down for aerodynamic effects, It still wanted to take off "at half track" so, I added a 1/4 lb of Dads fishing weights under the nose cone and another 1/4 lb to the rear.. Poof.. Rocket Dragster.. I never built another airborne Rocket again..I instead modified a R/C 10 chassis for remote control and a one way slipper clutch....By the end of the summer, I had an aluminum chassis, rubber wheeled, plastic dragster that I could roll start, fire the rocket, run and steer under rocket power for about 200 yards and even drive back to the "pits"... The bonus part for me.. ..The motors had a charge on them that would eject the rockets parachute for recovery on the way down...So, I tied the parachute to the engine and when it ejected from the aluminium foil engine casing,, it pulled the shoots out of the bag too. XP It was delayed by about 2 seconds but, with that 1/2 lb of lead fishing weights in it and the ability to drive it nearly 20 mph under battery power, it was still rolling pretty good when the shoots popped.. I have to admit, Every time I saw those 2 full Chutes at the end of a run, it was a realised dream for a 10 year old. As time flew by, I lost track of the creation. For over 20 years now, I have been looking through yard sales and thrift stores for another one of those old school plastic scale dragsters, Just to cram a rocket in its rear and push the button again. XP Thanks again for the reminders of how a Childs' imagination can foster discovery and wonder.

[@Cletrac305]

Just like Garlits did it. Out of the box thinking and trial and error, It's guys like you that make the best engineers, college degree or not.

[@watahyahknow]

solid propellant . that guy had a deathwish or nuts bigger that wreckingballs with a liquid fuel rocket at least you can shut it off the solid one is not stopping untill the fuel has depleted ever seen the mythbusters second try at the rocket car ? kzbin.info/www/bejne/fqPYYa1vjK-qgdE

[@bobroberts2371]

THE CAR HAS BEEN FOUND Famous Vulcan Shuttle Rocket Car found since 40 years Ky Michaelson

[@Nitromessiah]

let me give you some advice.... if viewers are here, don't insult their intelligence. Either they know all about the basics or they will research it later. Just stick to the focus material and drop all the fluff and minutiae.

[@BubblePuppy.]

Or just check your ego.

[@charlieromeo7663]

Sheesh. You must be really smart.

[@Cletrac305]

If this presenter is here, don't insult his intelligence. He understands the basics of making a good production that includes the minute fluff that we who do know about this enjoy and allows those who do not to discover it here.

[@Cletrac305]

P.S. I AM God's appointed gift to the 440, that's why I NEVER read anything or watch any videos about mopar big blocks!😂