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Image Not Available for Wind tunnel model of SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA
Wind tunnel model of SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA
Image Not Available for Wind tunnel model of SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA

Wind tunnel model of SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA

Model Maker (1939 - 2023)
Date1975
Object number00046921
NameModel
MediumBalsa wood
DimensionsOverall: 140 x 203 x 715 mm, 354.21 g
ClassificationsModels
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Ken Warby
DescriptionThis model was made by Ken Warby in 1975 on the advice of Professor Fink, Dean of Engineering at the University of New South Wales. It was used for wind tunnel testing to determine the size and configuration of a proposed tail plane for SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA. Warby became the first person to design, build and race his own boat to a new world water speed record, all without the financial resources of previous contenders. Warby began building SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA, a three point hydroplane in 1972 in his back yard in suburban Sydney. In 1977 he broke the outright world water speed record after reaching a speed of 464.44 km/h on Blowering Dam,Tumut, New South Wales. In 1978 Warby returned to Blowering dam with SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA and broke both the 300 mph and 500km/h barriers pushing his record to 51.11km/h (317.68 mph). SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA is still the fastest boat in the world.HistoryIn 1975 Warby had left his full time employment to focus on readying SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA for the attempt at the world water speed record. One of the steps he took to move forward was to contact Dr Tom Fink, an expert in fluid dynamics who had also assisted Donald Campbell on his 1967 attempt on Lake Coniston, England. One of the first suggestions Fink made to Warby was the need for him to create a wind tunnel model of SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA so it could be tested in the facilities at the University of New South Wales where Fink was Dean of Engineering. These models are usually made by professional technicians but within a month Warby was back at the university with this 'near perfect' model of the boat he had made himself. The wind tunnel testing was carried out by Dr Lawrence Doctors who was a mechanical engineer at the University of New South Wales. It was at the end of the testing, looking at the results, it was decided that SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA needed a tail plane. This would later be added and be made from second hand material from a Cessna 182 plane. The quest for speed on water has been vigorously pursued since the 1930s with attempts to break the 100, 200 and 300 miles per hour barriers and set new records. In 1930 Sir Henry Seagrave in MISS ENGLAND II was killed at Lake Windermere, England while attempting to break the 100 mph (160.93 km/h) barrier. In 1931 Gar Wood in MISS AMERICA recorded 102.256 mph (164.56 km/h) at Miami Beach, Indian Creek, Florida, USA. In 1937 Sir Malcolm Campbell in BLUEBIRD K3 recorded 126.33 mph (203.31 km/h) at Lake Maggiore, Italy. In 1939 Campbell broke his own record in BLUEBIRD K4 at Coniston Water, England, with a time of 141.74 mph (288.11 km/h). Stanley Hayes bettered the record in 1952 in SLO-MO-SHUN IV at Lake Washington, Washington, USA, with a record time of 178.49 mph (287.25 km/h). The 200 miles per hour (321.87km/h) barrier was first broken in 1952 by John Cobb in CRUSADER K6 at Loch Ness, Scotland. Tragically he was killed on the return run. In 1955, Donald Campbell set a record of 202.32 mph (325.60 km/h) at Lake Ullswater, England in the jet-powered BLUEBIRD K7. In 1964 Mario Verga in LAURA III was killed at Lake Iseo, Italy while attempting to break Donald Campbell's record set in 1955. In 1967, Donald Campbell in BLUEBIRD K7 was killed at Coniston Water, England while attempting to break his own record. The same year Lee Taylor recorded a speed of 285.213 mph (459.0 km/h) in HUSTLER at Lake Guntersville, Alabama. This record was broken by Ken Warby in the jet-powered hydroplane SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA. In 1978 Ken Warby broke the 300 miles per hour (482.80 km/h) barrier and his previous world record in SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA with a time of 317.60 mph (511.12 km/h) at Blowering Dam, Tumut, NSW, Australia. This record has not been broken. Since then two people have died attempting to break Warby's record. In 1980 Lee Taylor in US DISCOVERY II was killed at Lake Tahoe, Nevada, USA and in 1989 Craig Arfons in RAIN-X CHALLENGER was killed at Jackson Lake, Florida, USA.SignificanceThis wind tunnel model is representative of testing SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA’s proposed tail plane. Following initial speed trials in 1974 at Lake Munmorah near Newcastle, NSW, Warby approached Professor Tom Fink, Dean of Engineering at the University of New South Wales and his colleague Dr Lawrence Doctors who advised on design modifications to improve SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA's safety and performance - including the addition of a tail plane. The tail plane was essential to stabilise the vessel and prevent it doing a loop-the loop at hight speed.

As there are no formal drawings of SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA, this model is significant in representing the vessel's proposed configuration.