Mercedes-Benz T80
Encyclopedia
The Mercedes-Benz T80 was a vehicle developed and built by Mercedes-Benz
, and designed by Ferdinand Porsche
. It was intended to break the world land speed record
, but never made the attempt, having been over-taken by the outbreak of World War II
.
's pet project was to take the world land speed record and he convinced Mercedes-Benz
to build a special racing car for the attempt. Officially sanctioned by Hitler
himself (a race car fan influenced by Stuck), the project was started in 1937, while the Nazi Third Reich was at the height of its powers. Automotive designer Dr. Ferdinand Porsche
first targeted a speed of 550 kilometre per hour, but after George Eyston
's and John Cobb
's successful LSR
runs of 1938-39 the target speed was raised to 600 kilometre per hour. By late 1939, when the project was finished, the target speed was a much higher 750 km/h (465 mph). This would also be the first attempt at the absolute land speed record on German
soil, Hitler envisioned the T80 as another propaganda triumph of German technological superiority to be witnessed by all the world courtesy of German television
. The same autobahn course had already proven itself ideal for record-breaking in smaller capacity classes, Britain's Goldie Gardner having exceeded 200 mi/h there in a 1,500 cc MG.
inverted V12
was selected to power the record-setting car. The engine was an increased displacement
derivative of the famous DB-601
aircraft engine which powered the Messerschmitt Bf 109
fighter in production at the time. The DB-603 fitted was just the third prototype (V3) engine of this variant and tuned up to 3000 hp, roughly twice the power of the Bf 109 or the Supermarine Spitfire
. The engine ran on a special mixture of methyl alcohol (63%), benzene (16%), ethanol (12%), acetone (4.4%), nitrobenzene (2.2%), avgas (2%), and ether (0.4%) with MW (methanol-water) injection for charge cooling and as an anti-detonant.
Although this power figure sounds impressive, it's not unusual for one-off racing engines of the period, especially those used for short-duration record-breaking with esoteric fuels. The Rolls-Royce R
-type, a more comparable engine than the Spitfire's Merlin
, had delivered 2350 hp on a similar fuel mixture back in 1931
. Eyston's land speed record car Thunderbolt
used a pair of them, and offered over 4000 hp.
600,000. The car was over 8 meters long (27 ft), had three axles with two of them driven, weighed over 2.7 metric tons (three short ton
s), and produced 3000 hp (2200 kW) together with the aerodynamics of specialist Josef Mikcl to attain a projected speed of 750 km/h (465 mph). Aerodynamically, the T80 incorporated a Porsche
-designed enclosed cockpit, low sloping hood, rounded fenders, and elongated tail booms. At the rear were two small wings to provide downforce
and ensure stability. The heavily streamlined twin-tailed body achieved a drag coefficient
of 0.18, an astonishingly low figure for any vehicle.
. The T80 survived the war, unlike many German artifacts, and was eventually moved into the Mercedes-Benz Museum
in Stuttgart
for permanent display.
After the war, John Cobb
drove the Railton Mobil Special to a land speed record of 634 km/h (394 mph) in 1947, a speed which was 116 km/h (72 mph) slower than the 750 km/h (465 mph) projected for the T80 back in 1940. It took until 1964 for Art Arfons to hit 875 kilometre per hour in the turbojet-powered "Green Monster
" to attain and surpass the T80's speed target, and the wheel-driven record of 409 mph (658.5 km/h) set by the four-Chrysler Hemi
-engined Goldenrod American land speed record car in 1965, which is still the piston-engined land speed record for non-supercharged, wheel-driven cars. No wheel-driven land speed record vehicle exceeded the T80's maximum design velocity until 2001, when Don Vesco's turboshaft
-powered "Turbinator" attained 458.44 mph (204.941 m/s) at Bonneville.
in Stuttgart
-Bad Cannstatt. Many people over the decades have urged Mercedes to fully restore the T80 and test run her to see if she would have reached 750 km/h (465 mph).
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
, and designed by Ferdinand Porsche
Ferdinand Porsche
Ferdinand Porsche was an Austrian automotive engineer and honorary Doctor of Engineering. He is best known for creating the first hybrid vehicle , the Volkswagen Beetle, and the Mercedes-Benz SS/SSK, as well as the first of many Porsche automobiles...
. It was intended to break the world land speed record
Land speed record
The land speed record is the highest speed achieved by a wheeled vehicle on land. There is no single body for validation and regulation; in practice the Category C flying start regulations are used, officiated by regional or national organizations under the auspices of the Fédération...
, but never made the attempt, having been over-taken by the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Background
World-renowned German auto racer Hans StuckHans Stuck
Hans Stuck was a German motor racing driver...
's pet project was to take the world land speed record and he convinced Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
to build a special racing car for the attempt. Officially sanctioned by Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
himself (a race car fan influenced by Stuck), the project was started in 1937, while the Nazi Third Reich was at the height of its powers. Automotive designer Dr. Ferdinand Porsche
Ferdinand Porsche
Ferdinand Porsche was an Austrian automotive engineer and honorary Doctor of Engineering. He is best known for creating the first hybrid vehicle , the Volkswagen Beetle, and the Mercedes-Benz SS/SSK, as well as the first of many Porsche automobiles...
first targeted a speed of 550 kilometre per hour, but after George Eyston
George Eyston
- References :*...
's and John Cobb
John Cobb (motorist)
John Rhodes Cobb was a British racing motorist. He made money as a director of fur brokers Anning, Chadwick and Kiver and could afford to specialise in large capacity motor-racing...
's successful LSR
Land speed record
The land speed record is the highest speed achieved by a wheeled vehicle on land. There is no single body for validation and regulation; in practice the Category C flying start regulations are used, officiated by regional or national organizations under the auspices of the Fédération...
runs of 1938-39 the target speed was raised to 600 kilometre per hour. By late 1939, when the project was finished, the target speed was a much higher 750 km/h (465 mph). This would also be the first attempt at the absolute land speed record on German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
soil, Hitler envisioned the T80 as another propaganda triumph of German technological superiority to be witnessed by all the world courtesy of German television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
. The same autobahn course had already proven itself ideal for record-breaking in smaller capacity classes, Britain's Goldie Gardner having exceeded 200 mi/h there in a 1,500 cc MG.
Power
The massive 44.5 litre Daimler-Benz DB 603Daimler-Benz DB 603
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9* Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London. Studio Editions Ltd, 1989. ISBN 0-517-67964-7...
inverted V12
V12 engine
A V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....
was selected to power the record-setting car. The engine was an increased displacement
Engine displacement
Engine displacement is the volume swept by all the pistons inside the cylinders of an internal combustion engine in a single movement from top dead centre to bottom dead centre . It is commonly specified in cubic centimeters , litres , or cubic inches...
derivative of the famous DB-601
Daimler-Benz DB 601
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Mankau, Heinz and Peter Petrick. Messerschmitt Bf 110, Me 210, Me 410. Raumfahrt, Germany: Aviatic Verlag, 2001. ISBN 3-92550-562-8.* Neil Gregor Daimler-Benz in the Third Reich. Yale University Press, 1998-External links:...
aircraft engine which powered the Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
fighter in production at the time. The DB-603 fitted was just the third prototype (V3) engine of this variant and tuned up to 3000 hp, roughly twice the power of the Bf 109 or the Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
. The engine ran on a special mixture of methyl alcohol (63%), benzene (16%), ethanol (12%), acetone (4.4%), nitrobenzene (2.2%), avgas (2%), and ether (0.4%) with MW (methanol-water) injection for charge cooling and as an anti-detonant.
Although this power figure sounds impressive, it's not unusual for one-off racing engines of the period, especially those used for short-duration record-breaking with esoteric fuels. The Rolls-Royce R
Rolls-Royce R
The Rolls-Royce R was a British aero engine designed and built specifically for air racing purposes by Rolls-Royce Limited. Nineteen R engines were assembled in a limited production run between 1929 and 1931...
-type, a more comparable engine than the Spitfire's Merlin
Rolls-Royce Merlin
The Rolls-Royce Merlin is a British liquid-cooled, V-12, piston aero engine, of 27-litre capacity. Rolls-Royce Limited designed and built the engine which was initially known as the PV-12: the PV-12 became known as the Merlin following the company convention of naming its piston aero engines after...
, had delivered 2350 hp on a similar fuel mixture back in 1931
Supermarine S.6B
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914, 2nd edition. London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3....
. Eyston's land speed record car Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt (car)
Thunderbold is a British Land Speed Record holder of the 1930s, driven by Captain George E.T. Eyston- Records held :Between 1937 and 1939, the competition for the Land Speed Record was between two Englishmen: Captain Eyston and John Cobb. Thunderbolt's first record was set at on 19 November 1937...
used a pair of them, and offered over 4000 hp.
Construction
The difficulty of the challenge was met with money and engineering genius. By 1939, the T80 was fully completed at a cost of RMGerman mark
The Deutsche Mark |mark]], abbreviated "DM") was the official currency of West Germany and Germany until the adoption of the euro in 2002. It is commonly called the "Deutschmark" in English but not in German. Germans often say "Mark" or "D-Mark"...
600,000. The car was over 8 meters long (27 ft), had three axles with two of them driven, weighed over 2.7 metric tons (three short ton
Short ton
The short ton is a unit of mass equal to . In the United States it is often called simply ton without distinguishing it from the metric ton or the long ton ; rather, the other two are specifically noted. There are, however, some U.S...
s), and produced 3000 hp (2200 kW) together with the aerodynamics of specialist Josef Mikcl to attain a projected speed of 750 km/h (465 mph). Aerodynamically, the T80 incorporated a Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
-designed enclosed cockpit, low sloping hood, rounded fenders, and elongated tail booms. At the rear were two small wings to provide downforce
Downforce
Downforce is a downwards thrust created by the aerodynamic characteristics of a car. The purpose of downforce is to allow a car to travel faster through a corner by increasing the vertical force on the tires, thus creating more grip....
and ensure stability. The heavily streamlined twin-tailed body achieved a drag coefficient
Drag coefficient
In fluid dynamics, the drag coefficient is a dimensionless quantity that is used to quantify the drag or resistance of an object in a fluid environment such as air or water. It is used in the drag equation, where a lower drag coefficient indicates the object will have less aerodynamic or...
of 0.18, an astonishingly low figure for any vehicle.
Projections for the 1940 land speed record attempt
As ambitiously planned, Hans Stuck would have driven the T80 over a special stretch of the Dessau Autobahn (now part of the modern A9 Autobahn), which was 25 metres (82 ft) wide and 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) long with the median paved over. The date was set for the January 1940 "RekordWoche" (Record/Speed Week), but the outbreak of the war prevented the T80 run. In 1939, the vehicle had been unofficially nicknamed Schwarzer Vogel (Black Bird) by Hitler and was to be painted in German nationalistic colors complete with German Adler (Eagle) and Hakenkreuz (Swastika). But the event was cancelled and the T80 garaged.War
The DB-603 aircraft engine was subsequently removed during the war while the vehicle was moved to safety and storage in Karnten, AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. The T80 survived the war, unlike many German artifacts, and was eventually moved into the Mercedes-Benz Museum
Mercedes-Benz Museum
The Mercedes-Benz Museum is an automotive museum housed in Stuttgart, Germany. Stuttgart is home to the Mercedes-Benz brand and the international headquarters of Daimler AG. The current building, which stands directly outside the main gate of the Daimler factory in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim, was...
in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
for permanent display.
After the war, John Cobb
John Cobb (motorist)
John Rhodes Cobb was a British racing motorist. He made money as a director of fur brokers Anning, Chadwick and Kiver and could afford to specialise in large capacity motor-racing...
drove the Railton Mobil Special to a land speed record of 634 km/h (394 mph) in 1947, a speed which was 116 km/h (72 mph) slower than the 750 km/h (465 mph) projected for the T80 back in 1940. It took until 1964 for Art Arfons to hit 875 kilometre per hour in the turbojet-powered "Green Monster
Green Monster (car)
The Green Monster was the name of several vehicles built by Art Arfons and his half brother Walt Arfons. These ranged from dragsters to a turbojet-powered car which briefly held the land speed record three times during 1964 and 1965....
" to attain and surpass the T80's speed target, and the wheel-driven record of 409 mph (658.5 km/h) set by the four-Chrysler Hemi
Chrysler Hemi engine
The Chrysler Hemi engine, known by the trademark Hemi, is a series of V8 engines built by Chrysler with a hemispherical combustion chamber. Three different types of Hemi engines have been built by Chrysler for automobiles: the first from 1951–1958, the second from 1964–1971, and the third...
-engined Goldenrod American land speed record car in 1965, which is still the piston-engined land speed record for non-supercharged, wheel-driven cars. No wheel-driven land speed record vehicle exceeded the T80's maximum design velocity until 2001, when Don Vesco's turboshaft
Turboshaft
A turboshaft engine is a form of gas turbine which is optimized to produce free turbine shaft power, rather than jet thrust...
-powered "Turbinator" attained 458.44 mph (204.941 m/s) at Bonneville.
Current status
The T80 is currently on display at the Mercedes-Benz MuseumMercedes-Benz Museum
The Mercedes-Benz Museum is an automotive museum housed in Stuttgart, Germany. Stuttgart is home to the Mercedes-Benz brand and the international headquarters of Daimler AG. The current building, which stands directly outside the main gate of the Daimler factory in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim, was...
in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
-Bad Cannstatt. Many people over the decades have urged Mercedes to fully restore the T80 and test run her to see if she would have reached 750 km/h (465 mph).
Technical data
- Total weight: 2896 kg (6385 lb)
- Power: 3,000 PSHorsepowerHorsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
(2,210 kW) @ 3200 rpm - Engine: 44.5 liters
- Wheels: (6) 7 X 31
- Length: 8.24 meters (27 ft 0 in)
- Width: 3.20 meters (10 ft 6 in)
- Height: 1.74 meters (5 ft 9 in)
- Drag Coefficient: 0.18
- Speed: estimated at between 550-750 km/h (340–465 mph)
Names of the T80
- Official: Mercedes-Benz T80
- Porsche: Mercedes Rekordwagen (Record Car)
- Mikcl: Hochgeschwindigkeitsrennwagen (High-speed racing car)
- Hitler: Schwarzer Vogel (Black Bird)
External links
- Official Mercedes-Benz Museum website
- Speed record attempts, lists cars that attempted to break the land speed record from 1934 to 1940, including the T80.
- Museum tour of the Mercedes-Benz Museum at official website of European Car.