ThrustSSC run 61 (supersonic) - tail view with subtitles and extra information

My gratitude goes to Andy Green for helping with the 4 or 5 bits of this video which I could not understand. Thanks Andy!
Who: Andy Green
What: Going supersonic on land
When: 13th October 1997 at 11:23 AM
Where: Black Rock Desert, Nevada, USA
Why: Because they dared to do what everyone said could not be done!
Thrust SSC's 61st run was the first properly supersonic run which Thrust SCC did, going beyond the target speed of 715mph indicated (750mph true) to 725mph indicated (760mph true).
This was a warm-up for the main event. Later that same day the Thrust team attempted to create the first supersonic World Land Speed Record. To set a World Land Speed Record you need to complete 2 runs in opposite directions within 60 minutes. On the first run a double parachute failure created a 2 mile overrun requiring a long tow back to the start line, Andy was about 40 seconds too late coming back across the measured mile.
2 days later they tried again and were successful, setting the first ever supersonic World Land Speed record:
763.035 mph
1227.723 km/h
Mach 1.020
For the whole story search for "Supersonic Dreams", a BBC documentary following the last stages of Project Thrust.

[@Dudleymiddleton]

It's hard to believe that was 20 years ago - to hear the sheer 'calmness under enormous pressure' in Andy Green's voice is enthralling. Man, that took some guts, and he's about to do it all again - faster!

[@NickCohn]

Indeed. It was great to be there in Newquay last week. Looking forward to South Africa next year!

[@mreid08]

Isn't he a fighter pilot?

[@NickCohn]

Indeed. Andy is a Wing Commander in the Royal Air Force. His call sign is "Mad Dog". This explains the reference at 1:20 to "Mr Dog" - he's talking to himself.

[@jackmack1061]

Bring it on. I remember this was possibly the first thing i looked up when i got the internet. I still get a sick feeling in my gut at the amount of steering he did at 600 plus mph. 'That was hard work' must be one of the understatements of all time.

[@NickCohn]

Indeed. :-) He's very "cool, calm and collected", which is exactly what you need in a driver of such a car. He needs to do what the engineers tell him to do instead of going off on a whim.

[@malcolmabram2957]

When he slowed to 300mph it seemed almost over, but hey he was still going faster than a Bugatti flat out.

[@beaviccoon470]

Actually bugattis can go 300 mph now 😁😁😁

[@karldunne5595]

bugatti fan 304.....actually.

[@beaviccoon470]

Precisely

[@beaviccoon470]

All though they say it can do 320mph in Nevada due to different air densities or something.

[@thethirdman225]

Listen to the Bugatti flogs. Seriously, with something like this, who cares about Bugatti?

[@laszlosworld]

As the machinist who made a few fuel cell components for SSC in Bend Oregon my heart will sink if the record ever get's broken , long live Thrust!

[@catoleg]

Eventually the record will be broken

[@oberonpanopticon]

⁠@@catolegQuestion is whether or not it’ll happen in laszlosworld’s lifetime We could probably beat it fairly easily, the issue is getting enough money to make that happen. I for one wish we lived in a world where instead of spending trillions on war machines, people spent stupid amounts of money on finding out just how much we can accomplish.

[@KangoV]

The car had a tendency to pull to the left at subsonic speeds. he need to apply 90 degrees of opposite lock, throttle back slightly and close the nozzles a bit until it was back on track. He literally steered the car on the throttle! Then he opened it up and went supersonic. At that speed the car ran perfectly true and stable by design. Fantastic engineering and balls the size of a whale.

[@hongthainguyen5334]

How the fuck he did a 90 degree opposite lock that’s like a brake at that point.

[@OregonCrow]

Quit acting like you know what is going on ya weirdo. All you do is watch videos, nothing more.

[@berniecoles2337]

⁠@@hongthainguyen5334I think he meant the steering input, not the wheels. I doubt they turned more than a degree of two.

[@chunder27]

Still, one of the most amazing achievements in my lifetime, the brilliant calmness, the sheer power of the thing and the almost serenity of what is happening

[@Jonas-yt9bw]

Shut up

[@pantera4521]

@Joe Weber shut the fuck up!!!!

[@pantera4521]

@@Jonas-yt9bw shut the fuck up!!!!

[@Jonas-yt9bw]

@@pantera4521 Shut up

[@realMaverickBuckley]

Yep. Its really telling that there are so many miserable spergs who instead of being congratulatory or just saying nothing, have to throw all the usual 'Its not really a car' comments.

[@johnfrench9608]

"Balls of steel" slightly wriggly at 600 MPH!

[@Giskard1000]

lol! Yes indeed. We would probably piss our pants!

[@thethirdman225]

John French He had to apply full steering lock at that speed to get it back on track.

[@Pithead]

He said 'slightly wriggly' at 200mph.

[@controlledburst]

At 1:58 (just after pushing through the barrier) you can see the air compression suddenly suck back forward as he decelerates back under the sound barrier. An amazing achievment, all the best on the new endeavor

[@poruatokin]

Those sounds with his calm commentary are an absolute joy to behold. Andy Green is the man!! Good luck in 2020 and congratulations on this season's successful Bloodhound tests.

[@MapsCharts]

You know the video is 23 years old right?

[@poruatokin]

@@MapsCharts Yes, of course I do.

[@krazyjey]

that is impressive, i touched the car by hand daily when it was parked outside in the city of london for a while in 1997-98 . i stopped my motorbike and looked at this incredible thing for minutes, still have a picture of it. Awesome to see it on youtube , thx for uploading

[@superswag9861]

1940: We will have flying cars in the future 1997: We have land planes

[@Flo_Resolution]

We have both now just look at the AeroMobil

[@tomstech4390]

The origin of "car" (4 wheeled vehicle) comes from "carriage" (4 wheeled vehicle without its own propulsion)... itself from the verb.... "carry". So if it has 4 wheels (2 steering) an engine and is used to carry people or things.. it is a car first, only if it also flies does that car become a plane. So *technically* no cars are planes but many planes are cars. Yes I am awesome at partys.

[@Bennewman11]

Amazing British Engineering. Excellent Piloting skill Andy Green!

[@exsappermadman25055]

The reason we keep beating the Murican's in LSR is we get world beating engineering done for free, they spend their free time designing these projects, while the American's won't do it for nowt. The point of LSR's is to say that you did it, not how much you got paid for doing so......

[@S-Ltd1000]

@@exsappermadman25055 Some of the comments from yanks on other ssc videos are laughable. They got upstaged big time and don't like it. 😂

[@Foxhound617]

@@exsappermadman25055 also they use bloodhound as teaching material for kids, so educating as well as hopefully breaking records starting next year.

[@exsappermadman25055]

@@Foxhound617 Yeap, its a great tool for getting kids interested in engineering and science. The records should be tumbling soon, I just hope they do it safely. The process of getting 3 engines to run without a hitch is mind bendingly complicated and risky as hell. Godspeed Bloodhound SSC!......

[@thethirdman225]

ExSapper MadMan Which is why there dumped the Jaguar engine for the rocket motor and are going electric instead.

[@jameswilkinson2242]

With all the shit going on in the world at the moment I've come here to watch humans doing something amazing and brilliant.

[@MrDaddynomates]

The measured mile went by in a blink. When he stops he's like 15 miles from the start line.

[@danielcohn6884]

More like 14 but yeah

[@visionist7]

That's fucking lunacy 😳

[@watsondove849]

man that was hard work, British understatement at its finest

[@rock3tcatU233]

I would have crapped myself when he started to move off course at 965 km/h.

[@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017]

Exactly. I wonder how many tests up to that speed he had been on already.

[@roku_nine]

​@@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017 there's a documentary about thrust ssc. Look it up.

[@wisamshehadeh7158]

these speeds are incredibly fast one mistake and your toast it takes balled of titanium todo this 725 mph is just 😂 ridiculous

[@Giskard1000]

Bloody hell, that is intense just to watch! It was an incredible achievement.

[@dinoboy1540]

Andy green is a literal legend I can’t even imagine the pressure he must’ve been through

[@jezzter4293]

Andy is a great bloke :-) Enjoyed lunch with him & Richard at a BAR F1 event. Great people who made history :-)

[@derekwall200]

0-600 mph in 16 seconds, the G forces must be brutal

[@ben-2368]

John Stapp did that in in less than 1.

[@thethirdman225]

@@ben-2368 He wasn't driving.

[@azonicrider32]

an F1 car does 0-100 in 1.6 seconds. Bugatti in 2. Both have a higher G-load but not for such a sustained amount of time.

[@thethirdman225]

azonicrider32 Bloodhound is a lot quicker than Thrust SSC.

[@cageordie]

@@azonicrider32 16 seconds includes the idle power acceleration to 100mph. Until the burners are on he's still nowhere near full power. So how about we try to idle a Bugatti or an F1 car to 100? Or use a 100mph rolling start. His 200 to 500 acceleration is the really impressive part.

[@whosaprettyboythen1]

That is one focussed and disciplined individual.

[@TSB43]

Legend team! This never loses its intensity.

[@ben-2368]

That is a sexy car.

[@thethirdman225]

I don't know about you but I find women sexy. Cars have no such appeal and I don't get aroused by them.

[@thethirdman225]

Thomas As opposed to...?

[@JetFalcon710]

@@thethirdman225 Well, jets (e.g SR-71) can be sexy as well. Not necessarily because people are sexually attracted to them, but because they look awesome ;v;

[@groomlake51]

He called his shot like the Babe😲 he was off buy 1 mph 💪🏼😎

[@DrElsemere]

Since true speed is 5% faster, he topped out at 761mph

[@JustinSeara]

At that speed he’s covering 12.6 miles per SECOND

[@themultiroundergamer6073]

@@JustinSeara this is 761 miles per HOUR lmao, he's moving 12.6 miles per MINUTE not second did you genuinely think he was moving 12 miles a second

[@Joshua-zj8gm]

@@JustinSeara Bruh if he went at 12.6miles per SECOND he would cover 72999.84 kilometres per HOUR. Earth's diameter is around 12.5k kilometres so if we were to build a road across the earth, this car would be able to circle earth around * 7 times in one hour*.

[@kdwaynec]

@@JustinSeara 43,000 mph? That is pretty fast!

[@pixelcrunch300]

Man's LITERALLY got an F-Zero car going on here.

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

Calm, precise, almost sounds like no fuss at all. This is the way to gather good data, incremental and exacting.

[@Ballingham]

Mann, going faster than the speed of sound is like...I dunno how did Andy manage to do this his heart must be pounding faster that the speed of light while he is in a huge car which travelling faster than Sound like whaaaaaaat....

[@crashstitches79]

That's a fighter pilot of the highest caliber in that cockpit, and he's breathing like he just survived a bear mauling. Imagine a random armchair expert getting thrown in there for a quick go.

[@sammencia7945]

Interior camera shows him turning the wheel hard over just to adjust 5 feet r or l. Hard work indeed.

[@richardjohn7991]

Anyone watching this again lately. Because of Bloodhound LSR ? I am.

[@elliegames1488]

Yes absolutely that's the reason

[@MrJacksonBollock]

Yawing violently at 500mph whilst under sustined acceleration of 0.9g and not becoming immediately, totally ded is breathtaking, Still one of our finest achievements as a nation.

[@Trevor.OKeefe]

That’s literally a drivable missile.

[@graysonvirtue4058]

What you can't see in this video is the supersonic wheelbarrow trailing behind carrying his massive balls

[@JetFalcon710]

The idea of a supersonic wheelbarrow is hilarious but pretty interesting to think about

[@wilsonrawlin8547]

LMAO!!! The winner!!!

[@ginodelavega752]

thanks for all the infos during the run, thanks andy !

[@alanwatts8239]

If i had a dollar for every pixel in this video i'd have 12 cents.

[@mikefandango294]

You’re interesting 😂 Nerd!

[@Mrlegodj]

such a professional driver

[@AppleLauda_destroyer99942]

F1 drivers are kiddos compared to this

[@pauldean8638]

You know Andy is the professional that should rightly be in that seat .jeez at the top end it hit 600-700 faster than most vehicles that go 60-100 ha ha

[@ilonagunszebn2674]

crazy. good luck guys

[@K31TH3R]

350-450mph in ~4 seconds = approx. 1.01G of acceleration. 350-500mph in ~7.5 seconds, average sustained acceleration of 0.91G. That's one helluva ride. I imagine that would feel pretty terrifying.

[@insanitized750]

yaz. pretty much 0_0

[@jackhemsworth7515]

he said he wouldnt do it again, but as he's driven the last 3 successful land speed records, there's no one else who knows that fast.

[@K31TH3R]

Jack Hemsworth Hard to blame the guy, at nearly 1G of sustained acceleration I imagine it must feel something like falling horizontally. Probably not too pleasant regardless of how awesome it is.

[@gus628]

K31TH3R amazing acceleration but still bested. A top fuel dragster can reach 325 mph in under 4 seconds and 100 mph in under 1 second

[@ej20tnz]

K31TH3R I had no idea before watching this video the accel rate was that violent, I had imagined a slow and controlled ride up to speed. That looks legitimately scary!

[@wilsonrawlin8547]

Balls of steel to make that correction and get it back on track.

[@dwaynehicks7670]

an outta time real hero :)

[@Chalkerfan]

Rush :)Fantastic work, congratulations to everyone involved.

[@njclondon2009]

Christ, that massive correction he does at around 600-650mph took balls of steel

[@MrJacksonBollock]

There's an interview with Jay Leno where he said it was 90 degrees of steering lock. 90 Degrees at 600mph. Mere mortals can't get their noggins round that.

[@thethirdman225]

@@MrJacksonBollock Remember that the steering was much lower geared than a regular car so 90 degrees of lock is not what it seems to be. You also need to hear how Andy Green did it. The wheels no longer function normally at that speed and act more like rudders.

[@joncoe9046]

And dont forget its rear wheel steering.

[@thethirdman225]

"Man that was hard work!"

[@thandontantiso3744]

And it's crazy that he was fighting the vehicle. It just darted left and had to bring it back at high speed

[@gravyboat2370]

He's got some balls that guy. Big posh balls . Top man

[@johngeiger3770]

That moment when he went off the track and had to yaw it back in line, damn, that must have nerve wrecking.

[@baaiiimmmm]

amazing

[@LichaelMewis]

Amazing

[@ashtonroth7726]

Imagine this dude's speeding ticket

[@tallismanto4847]

Great HD graphics :D...

[@juanalvira7925]

That was the best video in the WORLD

[@user-bm3jh8qm7m]

The cam is FREAKING out

[@heyitseyevan]

its crazy to think this man went supersonic TWICE in 2 different cars breaking his own record

[@cujjiii1373]

That was intense.

[@sammencia7945]

1:52 start measured mile 1:56 end mm 4-5 seconds

[@wmejia4122]

That's insane! 😮

[@callumcurtis15]

It's sad that not many people can actually comprehend how crazy it is to do 700 mph on land. All i see is a lot of comments saying this plane is faster that planes is faster, It would be so much easier to get a plane to do 700 miles an hour in comparison to a wheeled vehicle. This was 1997 and the record still stands for a reason.....

[@olivertaylor8788]

That was rolling on.

[@tatersdomergue6463]

Jolly good

[@t5239857289578947594]

After that infernal run, you tell me... he has the balls... too,...do... it all again, and live through it? Super Man exists. Word to your mother.

[@pawthecowboycorgi]

Broke the sound barrier

[@RBFR01]

Over 1000km/h that's insane. How did the wheels not just explode🤯

[@oxcart4172]

I'm surprised somebody hasn't claimed it didn't really happen by now!

[@renatoherren4217]

That's just a matter of time... 😁😁😁😁

[@t5239857289578947594]

I think after Thrust SSC went supersonic, it archived a milestone soo great that it ended the race for top spot for a long time.

[@t5239857289578947594]

@Blob B everyone knows that.

[@oxcart4172]

@Blob B green screen!😂😂

[@TheEulerID]

"I'm surprised somebody hasn't claimed it didn't really happen by now!" they have. There are a number who claim that Thrust SSC never went supersonic.

[@aissau5091]

The driver so good

[@Dirtbug473]

Once a wheeled vehicle gets over 150mph...is it just a wignless aircraft that is trimmed to stay in touch with the ground???

[@NickCohn]

Aerodynamics indeed plays an ever increasing role as speed increases. Above around 200mph Aerodynamic forces start to dominate wheel forces. Lift and/or downforce needs to be balanced at all speeds, made even more complex by the shock waves at transsonic and supersoinc speeds. This was a major challenge for the design of both Thrust SSC and Bloodhound SSC. It was not until "Config 10", after 5 years of research (beginning 2010 if I remember correctly) that the team was sure that they had a shape that would be stable at all speads and capable of reaching 1050mph (1670km/h)See www.bloodhoundssc.com/project/car/aerodynamics for more information.

[@matthewpreston8745]

I really want to know how much distance he traveled during this, anyone know?

[@snavarro7713]

Le record est toujours là! Nous sommes dans le troisième millénaire, le record finira par tomber, mais quand?

[@minkymott]

I never see the chutes in all the videos I've watched. Where are they?

[@tronarat]

Watching the afterburners come on makes all I show this video too fall silent and say "wow

[@user-tf9hk4tq7v]

So, why did you build this monstrosity of a vehicle? *YES*

[@suprimemiray6285]

When she says that shes alone at home:

[@kdwaynec]

Pip pip! Cheerio!

[@johnnydobbs1399]

He did it on Columbus day!

[@shivarao6778]

thats how i want my delivery guy to arrive

[@shivamshinde1938]

I bet my PC will beat this speed in lag

[@sarcasticguy4311]

Car: Travelling at 740mph Me: Sure seems sandy out there.

[@adredy]

my god !

[@kannoz_9745]

Imagine if something was gone wrong in this this run...

[@manlikescats9313]

How did he survive all of his blood going into one place?

[@bobkin611]

Now this is pod racing

[@suar99x29]

So the engine manage to avoid ash

[@jj4791]

That car had A LOT left to give. At 725mph it was still easily out-accelerating any fighter jet of the era. Just not enough dry lake bed.

[@johnny5805]

Apart from 1963 - 1983, the Yanks have hardly held the record at all. Since the dawn of time, it's always been the Brits, and the odd Frenchman here and there.

[@Flo_Resolution]

As an American idec, I'm just glad a car like this even exists to begin with.

[@Physhi]

I find the lack of facts disappointing. Half-assed-job. I love youuuuuuu.

[@DeltaModelX]

imagine ordering mcdonalds in this thing

[@sinking1902]

There's only 2 nations in the world this unflappable under immense mortal pressure: 1. The British 2. The Germans

[@martyfeldman3269]

Froggy Noddy... Germans don’t do land speed records.

[@TheHateSpeechChannel]

There is only one man with bigger balls and had a bigger pressure on him and that was Neil Armstrong. Credit where its due.

[@chrisvinicombe9947]

@@TheHateSpeechChannel Agreed the US holds some incredible records for manned speed and distance. Only place us Brits can compete is on the ground where we are nuts. I think Russia deserves a mention too for their accomplishments.

[@ant2312]

@@TheHateSpeechChannel I wouldn't say Neil Armstrong had bigger balls than Andy Greene tbh

[@Chris-zi4mo]

@@ant2312 Nah no chance.

[@telecaster_7849]

Thats is so scary...he had a metal eggs

[@Mark9150]

This reminds me of Skywalker in the race

[@lol_0kkay]

Lol

[@Time_Traveler642]

How he was felt with G force ?

[@Pertamax7-HD]

1997 action cam

[@telecaster_7849]

1:54 i though this is end

[@AppleLauda_destroyer99942]

the only car to outrun a traffic plane

[@OfficialScaryTerry]

Did he burn out the engine? that what it seems like

[@KE6DOA]

I want to see this in 4K

[@Video_watcher577]

Jeez he was 1 accidental jitter from immediate death

[@amelierenoncule]

0903 EEST Hold-on a minute, now! Didn't Buckaroo Banzai set the ultimate record, on his run in '84 ?

[@gtv6chuck]

True - this car did not enter another dimension.

[@bonan960623]

Make sure to never let the Hamster within 10 miles of this thing

[@gmanrobertson423]

Björn Lillpers gear head lol. not many know who your on about. But yes as far as possible or it will be upside down or over a cliff 😀

[@roblaa3198]

Rule Britannia...proud brit

[@wizdombeatz3670]

He almost went to the Future.

[@barbraabsalom4531]

Wil a bit more aggressive cam , a couple of 1000plus cfm carbs & maybe just a little more port work they should be able to squeeze another 50 horses or so out of it .