When Richard Thompson climbs into the cockpit of the Shooting Star, the ritual is always the same. A deep breath. A final equipment check. A moment’s reflection on the razor-thin margin between glory and disaster. Then, with a nod to his Jet-Powered Land crew chief, he ignites the after burner What follows is nothing short of mechanical violence—a cacophony of sound and fury as the repurposed military jet engine roars to life, sending shock waves rippling across the salt flats. This isn’t merely a vehicle; it’s a ground-bound missile, purpose-built for a single mission: to be the fastest thing on wheels And now, it’s going under the hammer.
The Ultimate Automotive Trophy: Speed Machine Seeks New Guardian
The announcement sent shock waves through the close-knit community of speed enthusiasts and collectors. After decades of breaking records and defying physics, one of the most iconic jet-powered land speed record cars is heading to auction this spring. The vehicle, which has repeatedly pushed the boundaries of what’s possible on land, represents the pinnacle of mechanical engineering and human courage.
“This isn’t just another auction lot,” explains Marcus Winters, the specialist overseeing the sale for Gooding & Company. “We’re talking about a vehicle that fundamentally altered our understanding of speed. It’s like offering Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis or Armstrong’s lunar module—a genuine artifact from the frontier of human achievement.”
The car’s specifications read more like those of an aircraft than an automobile: a modified J79 turbojet engine capable of generating over 15,000 pounds of thrust, a titanium and carbon fiber chassis, and a streamlined body sculpted by thousands of hours in wind tunnels. During its record-setting run in 2018, it achieved a two-way average speed of 763.035 mph, briefly breaking the sound barrier on its return leg.
“When you stand next to it, you can feel the potential energy,” says former team engineer Sarah Lockhart. “It’s like standing next to a coiled spring that could unleash enough force to cross a football field in less than a second. There’s something primally terrifying about that.”
From Military Scrapyard to Speed Legend: An Unlikely Origin Story
Like many record-breaking vehicles, this speed demon was born not in the gleaming workshop of a major manufacturer but in the cluttered garage of a dreamer. Former Air Force mechanic James “Mad Dog” McPherson acquired the surplus jet engine in 1997 after it was decommissioned from service in an F-4 Phantom fighter jet.
“People thought I’d lost my mind,” McPherson recounted in his 2019 autobiography, Chasing the Sound Barrier. “My wife gave me two choices: either the jet engine went, or I did. So I moved into the workshop for eight months.”
What followed was a decade-long saga of trial and error, financial setbacks, and technical breakthroughs. McPherson assembled a ragtag team of aerospace engineers, metalworkers, and fellow speed enthusiasts. Many worked for nothing more than the promise of being part of something historic.
The team suffered multiple catastrophic failures during testing, including a spectacular crash in 2008 that destroyed an early prototype when its braking parachute failed to deploy. Miraculously, test driver Alex Rodriguez walked away with only minor injuries.
“After the crash, we completely redesigned the safety systems,” explains Rodriguez, who still bears a small scar above his right eye from the incident. “James was absolutely relentless about safety after that. He’d wake up at 3 AM with new ideas for redundant systems and emergency protocols.”
By 2015, the team had secured enough funding to begin serious record attempts, and in September 2018, they etched their names in the history books with their sound-barrier-breaking run.
The Physics of Extreme Speed: How It Works
Understanding the engineering behind this marvel requires grasping the unique challenges of land speed record attempts. Unlike aircraft, which operate in three dimensions with relatively consistent air density, land vehicles must contend with the ground effect, surface variations, and the critical challenge of keeping all wheels in contact with the earth at speeds where even microscopic imperfections can prove catastrophic.
The vehicle employs a dual propulsion system. The primary thrust comes from the modified J79 turbojet engine, which generates approximately 15,000 pounds of thrust at full afterburner. This is supplemented by four solid-fuel rockets that provide an additional 6,000 pounds of thrust during the record-setting portion of the run.
The body, crafted from carbon fiber and titanium, features a remarkably low drag coefficient of just 0.128, achieved through thousands of hours of computational fluid dynamics simulations and wind tunnel testing. The driver sits in a reinforced carbon-fiber cockpit designed to withstand impacts of up to 50 G.
Perhaps most impressive are the braking systems. Primary deceleration is handled by twin drogue parachutes capable of withstanding forces of up to 3G. These are backed up by carbon-ceramic disc brakes and, as a final failsafe, titanium skids that can be deployed to create massive friction against the salt surface.
“What makes this vehicle so special is the integration of these systems,” explains aerodynamics specialist Dr. Elena Petrova. “Anyone can build a powerful engine, but getting it to work in harmony with aerodynamics, stability control, and safety systems at these speeds is what separates record-breakers from expensive coffins.”
The Human Element: Courage at the Edge of Physics
For all its technological sophistication, the most remarkable component of this speed record remains the human one. Driving a vehicle at speeds approaching the sound barrier requires a rare combination of reflexes, spatial awareness, and sheer nerve.
“Time compresses at those speeds,” explains Thompson, who piloted the vehicle during its record-breaking run. “You’re covering a mile every five seconds. Your brain isn’t evolved to process information that quickly, so you have to develop a different kind of awareness—almost a predictive sense of what’s coming rather than reacting to what you see.”
The physical forces are equally challenging. During acceleration, drivers experience up to 3G of force—three times their body weight pressing them back into their seats. During emergency braking, this can spike to 5G momentarily.
“It’s not just the G-forces,” Thompson continues. “There’s the noise—even with the best headsets, that jet engine is screaming just feet behind your head. There’s the vibration as you reach certain speed thresholds where parts of the vehicle begin to resonate. And there’s the knowledge that at these speeds, even a momentary loss of concentration can be fatal.”
Thompson underwent rigorous preparation for his record attempts, including time in high-G centrifuges, cognitive training to improve reaction times, and endless hours in a custom simulator. He also worked with a sports psychologist to develop mental techniques for maintaining focus under extreme stress.
“The night before a record attempt, I couldn’t sleep,” he admits. “Not from fear, exactly, but from this overwhelming awareness of potential. Like standing at the edge of a high dive, there’s this moment of perfect tension between what is and what could be.”
The Auction: What Price for History?
As the vehicle heads to auction, speculation abounds regarding its potential sale price. Experts suggest it could fetch between $8 million and $12 million, placing it among the most valuable motor vehicles ever sold.
The question of who might purchase such a machine is equally intriguing. Traditional car collectors may be intimidated by the specialized knowledge required to maintain a jet-powered vehicle. Museums represent one possibility, though private collectors with the resources to house and potentially operate such a machine remain the most likely buyers.
“This isn’t something you can take to cars and coffee on Sunday mornings,” jokes Winters. “We’re looking at a very select group of potential buyers—people who understand not just the vehicle’s historical significance but also the responsibility that comes with owning it.”
The sale includes not just the vehicle itself but a comprehensive archive of design documents, test data, and maintenance records. Perhaps most valuably, it includes the rights to the team’s intellectual property—the culmination of over two decades of research and development in high-speed aerodynamics, propulsion systems, and safety equipment.
The Future of Speed: What Comes Next?
The auction of this record-breaking vehicle raises questions about the future of land speed record attempts. In an era increasingly focused on sustainable transport and electric vehicles, the raw, fossil-fuel-burning power of jet propulsion seems almost anachronistic.
Yet the fundamental human drive to go faster—to push beyond established limits—remains as powerful as ever. Several teams worldwide are developing new record contenders, including hydrogen-powered rockets and electromagnetic propulsion systems that promise even greater speeds with reduced environmental impact.
“The technology evolves, but the challenge remains the same,” observes Rodriguez. “It’s about solving the fundamental problem of how to keep a human being safely on the ground at speeds where physics seems to be actively fighting against you.”
For the team that built and campaigned this remarkable machine, the auction represents both an end and a beginning. Many have already moved on to new projects—electric land speed record attempts, commercial aerospace ventures, and hyperloop transportation systems that apply the lessons learned from their record-breaking experience.
McPherson, now in his late 60s, views the auction with characteristic philosophical calm. “We built it to go fast, not to sit in a garage,” he says. “My hope is that whoever buys it appreciates not just what it is, but what it represents—the idea that if you’re persistent enough and a little bit crazy, you can do things everyone else says are impossible.”
As the vehicle prepares for its next chapter, one thing remains certain: in the rarefied atmosphere of machines built to break boundaries, this jet-powered wonder will always occupy a special place—a thundering testament to human ingenuity, courage, and our relentless drive to go faster than anyone thought possible.
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