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''Crusader'' was a jet-powered speed boat piloted by John Cobb. The combination of an aerodynamically stable hullform and turbojet propulsion was proposed by Reid Railton, Cobb's adviser. A rocket-powered scale model was tested at Haslar. The full size design was by Peter du Cane and built by Vospers of Portsmouth. Technical assistance came from Saunders-Roe and Vickers-Supermarine. It cost £15,000 in 1949. It was silver and scarlet in colour and 10 m long. The engine was a de Havilland Ghost 48 centrifugal turbojet provided as a loan by the Ministry of Supply at the request of Major Halford, the engine designer. The engine was rated at 5,000 lb thrust fed by two scoop inlets forward of the cockpit.〔''Flight'' p325〕 The hull was of trimaran form, a main hull with a planing step, and two smaller rear-mounted outriggers. Construction was of birch plywood frames and stringers. The hull was skinned in birch ply covered in doped fabric with metal skin reinforcement for planning surfaces. Aircraft-style riveted aluminium was used for the box-section cantilevers to the outriggers.〔 ("Can Jet Boat Blast Speed Record." ) ''Popular Mechanics'', September 1952, p. 112.〕〔''Flight'' p325-326〕 Expectation was that the boat could achieve more than 200 mph or 320 kmh.〔''Flight'' p326〕 The boat was destroyed and Cobb killed on 29 September 1952 when on a world record attempt at Loch Ness, Scotland. Sixty years later on 5 July 2002 the wreckage of ''Crusader'' was discovered by the Loch Ness Project in of water. ==See also== *Water speed record 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Crusader (speedboat)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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