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Detroit, 8:42 PM
Mon Nov 23
29 posts in the last 24 hours

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  • posts about #thehistoryofcars more →

    Last Flight Of The Silver Comet: Bernd Rosemeyer's Fatal World Speed Record Attempt
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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of Peter Orosz Peter Orosz
    01/29/09

    In reply to Last Flight Of The Silver Comet: Bernd Rosemeyer's Fatal World Speed Record Attempt
    Here is a very technical and utterly fascinating account of Rosemeyer's accident:


    [www.kolumbus.fi]


    What seems to have happened was that Robert Eberan von Eberhorst, the Rekordwagen's designer, accidentally invented ground effects-the very same phenomenon utilized by Jim Hall's Chaparrals and Colin Chapman's late-Seventies Formula-1 Loti (the 78 and the 79). Only the Auto Union's chassis rigidity was not up to the task of handling the extra g's and not falling to pieces. Which does fuck up your aerodynamics at 270 MPH.


    If you ever happen to be in Shanghai, take a ride on the maglev train that makes a 20 mile run to Pudong International. Its top speed is exactly the speed at which Rosemeyer was killed-and which, raced and survived by Caracciola an hour and a half earlier-is still the standing land speed record on a public highway.


    I made a video of it two years ago. The yakking is in Hungarian but you may enjoy the very disturbing sight of sweeping past an expressway with all the cars going backward at 200 MPH:


    [auto.indavideo.hu]

     Reply
    Peter Orosz was starred Peter Orosz was unstarred
    Image of 413wedge 413wedge
    01/29/09

    In reply to Last Flight Of The Silver Comet: Bernd Rosemeyer's Fatal World Speed Record Attempt
    wtf did they use for tires on those things???
     Reply
    413wedge was starred 413wedge was unstarred
    Image of Armand Armand
    01/29/09

    @bigblockautoX: Skinny bias-plies, weighed down by the driver's enormous balls. Some Auto-Union racers were "duallies," and even with four rear tires they had trouble putting all the power down on tight circuits.
     Reply
    Armand was starred Armand was unstarred
    Image of Adidac425 Adidac425
    01/29/09

    In reply to Last Flight Of The Silver Comet: Bernd Rosemeyer's Fatal World Speed Record Attempt
    Can I say that I LOVE the automotive history articles?
     Reply
    Adidac425 was starred Adidac425 was unstarred
    Image of Miscellanea Miscellanea
    01/29/09

    @Adidac425: Seconded. I am yearning for more.
     Reply
    Miscellanea was starred Miscellanea was unstarred
    Image of brandegee brandegee
    01/29/09

    In reply to Last Flight Of The Silver Comet: Bernd Rosemeyer's Fatal World Speed Record Attempt
    The Wired article had a good point: Rosemeyer never drove another car. When Nuvolari, the other master, joined Auto Union in 1938 after Rosemeyer, it took him many races to get a handle on the evil handling of the car. Of course, Auto Union was by then using the smaller V12 in the Type C chassis so that may have made a difference.
     Reply
    brandegee was starred brandegee was unstarred
    Image of BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ
    01/29/09

    In reply to Last Flight Of The Silver Comet: Bernd Rosemeyer's Fatal World Speed Record Attempt
    An other exemple of when "sex was safe and cars were dangerous"
     Reply
    BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ was starred BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ was unstarred
    Image of Boosted Lego Wagon Boosted Lego Wagon
    01/29/09

    In reply to Last Flight Of The Silver Comet: Bernd Rosemeyer's Fatal World Speed Record Attempt
    Bernd was a reluctant member of the SS and as a German racing driver was also required to be a member of the National Socialist Motor Corps (NSKK). I am, of course, happy that Nazism is dead, but I must confess, that it would be slightly great if the NSKK showed up at local autocross and SCCA events in camo'd VWs and death's-head openface helmets, just so I could strap on a fedora and ram them off the road.


    "Ach! Ve vill lap you next time Herr Jones! Aiieeeee!!"

     Reply
    Boosted Lego Wagon was starred Boosted Lego Wagon was unstarred
    Image of Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet
    01/29/09

    @boosted-lego-wagon: I hate Autobahn nazis. (floors accelerator and aims)
     Reply
    Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet was starred Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet was unstarred
    Image of Armand Armand
    01/29/09

    @boosted-lego-wagon: Sounds okay to me. Make sure you wear the Indiana Jones hat, though-- it's the only way you'll be able to top Nuvolari's German-stomping at the German Grand Prix. You'll get bonus points for doing this in a Triumph Spitfire.
     Reply
    Armand was starred Armand was unstarred
    Image of Rust-MyEnemy Rust-MyEnemy
    01/29/09

    In reply to Last Flight Of The Silver Comet: Bernd Rosemeyer's Fatal World Speed Record Attempt
     Reply
    Rust-MyEnemy was starred Rust-MyEnemy was unstarred
    Image of pauljones pauljones
    01/29/09

    @Rust-MyEnemy Accepts All Donations: COTD
     Reply
    pauljones was starred pauljones was unstarred
    Image of scroggzilla raids again scroggzilla raids again
    01/29/09

    In reply to Last Flight Of The Silver Comet: Bernd Rosemeyer's Fatal World Speed Record Attempt
    Someone needs to make a movie about Bernd Rosemeyer and his wife, Elly Bienhorn-Rosemeyer.
    [www.goteamsgo.com]
     Reply
    scroggzilla raids again was starred scroggzilla raids again was unstarred
    Image of Boosted Lego Wagon Boosted Lego Wagon
    01/29/09

    @SCROGGZILLA RAIDS COMMAS!!:

    Only if it includes this scene:


    "Finkel, Beinhorn, Finkel, Beinhorn... What the... That's it! Beinhorn is Finkle! Finkle is Beinhorn! Beinhorn is a man!

    Oh, my GOD! Beinhorn is a man!"

    *cue crying game music*

     Reply
    Boosted Lego Wagon was starred Boosted Lego Wagon was unstarred
    Image of brandegee brandegee
    01/29/09

    @SCROGGZILLA RAIDS COMMAS!!: I'm on the same page, Scroggs. I really don't know why this hasn't been done. It's perfect period piece material, with plenty of the drama today's audiences demand.
     Reply
    brandegee was starred brandegee was unstarred
    Image of scroggzilla raids again scroggzilla raids again
    01/29/09

    @brandegee: The Elly and Bernd share a ride in the Type C on the 'Ring scene alone would make women and dragons cry.
     Reply
    scroggzilla raids again was starred scroggzilla raids again was unstarred
    Image of FLB is on vacation FLB is on vacation
    01/29/09

    @SCROGGZILLA RAIDS COMMAS!!: Elly Bienhorn-Rosemeyer lived to be 100 years-old. She died in 2007.


    To think of that marriage, the greatest German driver until Micheal Schumacher married to Germany's equivalent of Amelia Earhart!

     Reply
    FLB is on vacation was starred FLB is on vacation was unstarred
    Image of Six Flags Over Tomsk Six Flags Over Tomsk
    01/29/09

    @SCROGGZILLA RAIDS COMMAS!!: I'd watch that, assuming it wasn't, you know, rubbish.
     Reply
    Six Flags Over Tomsk was starred Six Flags Over Tomsk was unstarred
    Image of Six Flags Over Tomsk Six Flags Over Tomsk
    01/29/09

    @FLB has sat in a 2010 Camaro: Before Schumacher, though, there was Bellof.

    [en.wikipedia.org]
     Reply
    Six Flags Over Tomsk was starred Six Flags Over Tomsk was unstarred
    Image of Boosted Lego Wagon Boosted Lego Wagon
    01/29/09

    In reply to Last Flight Of The Silver Comet: Bernd Rosemeyer's Fatal World Speed Record Attempt
    You don't walk away from flipping a car at 250+mph. Jeez, the last time I saw such a disastrous wreck involving Hitler, Tom Cruise was wearing an eyepatch.
     Reply
    Boosted Lego Wagon was starred Boosted Lego Wagon was unstarred
    Image of mechimike mechimike
    01/29/09

    @boosted-lego-wagon: What are you, (comma) trying for a _fourth_ COTD this month? Holy heck, (comma) there's only four and a half weeks in January!


    (wonders if Gawker got the message yet)

     Reply
    mechimike was starred mechimike was unstarred
    Image of mechimike mechimike
    01/29/09

    @mechimike: Apparently they did. Thanks!
     Reply
    mechimike was starred mechimike was unstarred
    Image of mechimike mechimike
    01/29/09

    In reply to Last Flight Of The Silver Comet: Bernd Rosemeyer's Fatal World Speed Record Attempt
    Drum brakes.


    Open wheels.


    Open cockpit.


    Cap and goggles.


    268 miles-per-hour.


    Wow.

     Reply
    mechimike was starred mechimike was unstarred
    Image of pauljones pauljones
    01/29/09

    @mechimike:


    Back in the day when men were men and cars were made out of steel.


    I fully admit to being a gurly-man by comparison.

     Reply
    pauljones was starred pauljones was unstarred
    Image of the good dr zero the good dr zero
    01/29/09

    @pauljones: Or polished aluminium?
     Reply
    the good dr zero was starred the good dr zero was unstarred
    Image of engineerd engineerd
    01/29/09

    In reply to Last Flight Of The Silver Comet: Bernd Rosemeyer's Fatal World Speed Record Attempt
    I was watching the Modern Marvels about the Autobahn a while back and they discussed this. Its impressive when any car goes that fast today, but this takes the impressive cake considering it was 71 years ago.
     Reply
    engineerd was starred engineerd was unstarred
    Image of beercheck beercheck
    01/29/09

    In reply to Last Flight Of The Silver Comet: Bernd Rosemeyer's Fatal World Speed Record Attempt
    Fucking Hitler.
     Reply
    beercheck was starred beercheck was unstarred
    Image of If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face
    01/29/09

    @beercheck: Oh, I know. He was always ruining stuff for everybody. Bastard.
     Reply
    If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face was starred If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face was unstarred
    Image of pauljones pauljones
    01/29/09

    @FromaBuick6:


    Wait, I thought was Neville Chamberlain.....


    /Waits for slap upside the head from Rust and Layabout

     Reply
    pauljones was starred pauljones was unstarred
    Image of Brimful of Ash on the 78 Brimful of Ash on the 78
    01/29/09

    @beercheck: Well, at least Hitler's cars were faster than Jesse Owens on foot.
     Reply
    Brimful of Ash on the 78 was starred Brimful of Ash on the 78 was unstarred
    Image of Rust-MyEnemy Rust-MyEnemy
    01/29/09

    @pauljones: Slap? Handshake and pint o'mild.
     Reply
    Rust-MyEnemy was starred Rust-MyEnemy was unstarred
    Image of engineerd engineerd
    01/29/09

    @beercheck: I'm sure Eva Braun said that a lot.
     Reply
    engineerd was starred engineerd was unstarred
    Image of mechimike mechimike
    01/29/09

    @beercheck: Who is, Eva Braun?


    I'll take "Fascist Dictators" for $500, Alex.

     Reply
    mechimike was starred mechimike was unstarred
    Image of nick2ny nick2ny
    01/29/09

    @FromaBuick6: he actually did a lot for german motorsports. How come you think that the english f1 cars of the time were so lame, and the german ones were awesome. he also conceived the highway...
     Reply
    nick2ny was starred nick2ny was unstarred
    Image of beercheck beercheck
    01/29/09

    @nick2ny: Steroids have done a lot for baseball.
     Reply
    beercheck was starred beercheck was unstarred
    Image of mechimike mechimike
    01/29/09

    @engineerd - the comma-free edition: You're starting to scare me, dude. We have almost the same replies to every post. Are you sure you aren't some other version of me, in a different state or something?
     Reply
    mechimike was starred mechimike was unstarred
    Image of pauljones pauljones
    01/29/09

    @Rust-MyEnemy Accepts All Donations:


    Okay, cool. I couldn't resist that comment, but at the same time I wasn't sure if that was going a tad too far.

     Reply
    pauljones was starred pauljones was unstarred
    Image of engineerd engineerd
    01/29/09

    @mechimike: I was beginning to think the same thing. I guess great minds think alike. Either that or stupidity comes in pairs. I usually go with the first one.
     Reply
    engineerd was starred engineerd was unstarred
    Image of beercheck beercheck
    01/29/09

    @mechimike: I've been considering that possibility for a couple weeks now.
     Reply
    beercheck was starred beercheck was unstarred
    Image of mechimike mechimike
    01/29/09

    @engineerd - the comma-free edition: @beercheck: @beercheck: I think the more appropriate cliche would be "birds of a feather flock together."
     Reply
    mechimike was starred mechimike was unstarred
    Image of John Krewson John Krewson
    01/29/09

    In reply to Last Flight Of The Silver Comet: Bernd Rosemeyer's Fatal World Speed Record Attempt
    Let this be a lesson to us all: Don't do anything Hitler tells you to.
     Reply
    John Krewson was starred John Krewson was unstarred
    Image of Syrax Syrax
    01/29/09

    In reply to Last Flight Of The Silver Comet: Bernd Rosemeyer's Fatal World Speed Record Attempt
    I thought the R8 came directly from the RSQ

    I can't see R8 in Rosemeyer, just plain fugly Veyron
     Reply
    Syrax was starred Syrax was unstarred
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