The combination of an aerodynamically stable hull form 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 Mk 48 centrifugal turbojet provided as a loan by the Ministry of Supply at the request of Major Frank Halford, the engine designer. The engine was rated at 5,000 lb thrust fed by two scoop inlets forward of the cockpit.[1]
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 planing surfaces. Aircraft-style riveted aluminium was used for the box-section cantilevers to the outriggers.[2][3]
Expectation was that the boat could achieve more than 200 mph (320 km/h).[4]
The boat was destroyed and Cobb killed on 29 September 1952 when on a world record attempt at Loch Ness, Scotland.
Fifty years later on 5 July 2002 the wreckage of Crusader was discovered by the Loch Ness Project in 200 m (660 ft) of water.[5] The site was designated as a scheduled monument in 2005.[6]
crusader, speedboat, crusader, powered, speed, boat, piloted, john, cobb, historynamecrusaderownerjohn, cobbbuildervosper, company, portsmouthcost, 000yard, number2456laid, downjanuary, 1952maiden, voyagejuly, 1952fatewrecked, loch, ness, september, 1952genera. Crusader was a jet powered speed boat piloted by John Cobb HistoryNameCrusaderOwnerJohn CobbBuilderVosper amp Company PortsmouthCost 15 000Yard number2456Laid downJanuary 1952Maiden voyageJuly 1952FateWrecked on Loch Ness 29 September 1952General characteristicsDisplacement3 long tons 3 0 t Length31 ft 9 4 m Beam13 ft across floatsInstalled power5 000 lb thrust static Propulsionde Havilland Ghost turbojetSpeed206 89 mph 332 96 km h Crew1The combination of an aerodynamically stable hull form 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 Mk 48 centrifugal turbojet provided as a loan by the Ministry of Supply at the request of Major Frank Halford the engine designer The engine was rated at 5 000 lb thrust fed by two scoop inlets forward of the cockpit 1 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 planing surfaces Aircraft style riveted aluminium was used for the box section cantilevers to the outriggers 2 3 Expectation was that the boat could achieve more than 200 mph 320 km h 4 The boat was destroyed and Cobb killed on 29 September 1952 when on a world record attempt at Loch Ness Scotland Fifty years later on 5 July 2002 the wreckage of Crusader was discovered by the Loch Ness Project in 200 m 660 ft of water 5 The site was designated as a scheduled monument in 2005 6 Contents 1 See also 2 Citations 3 References 4 External linksSee also EditWater speed recordCitations Edit Flight p325 Can Jet Boat Blast Speed Record Popular Mechanics September 1952 p 112 Flight pp 325 326 Flight p326 John Cobb s Crusader Found by The Loch Ness Project lochnessproject org 2009 Retrieved 9 March 2012 Historic Environment Scotland Crusader remains of speedboat in Loch Ness near Achnahannet SM11070 Retrieved 16 April 2019 References EditStobart Hook Barry 2008 The Last Crusader April Cottage Publications ISBN 978 0 9559147 0 6 John Cobb and the Crusader reprinted from Leo Villa and Kevin Desmond 1976 The World Water Speed Record Du Cane Peter 1956 High Speed Small Craft 2nd ed Temple Press Endpapers include a sectional drawing of Crusader Jet Boat for World s Record Flight 33 11 July 1952 Crusader Aircraft Construction and a Ghost Turbojet for Water speed Record Attempt Flight 325 326 5 September 1952External links EditBritish Pathe Newsreel John Cobb s Crusader nbsp This article about a specific civilian ship or boat is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Crusader speedboat amp oldid 1169969851, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
