Air Force Sergeant Dean Hart has broken the NZ land speed record at RNZAF Base Ohakea in his jet powered dragster. Photo / Bevan Conley
Air Force Sergeant Dean Hart has broken the NZ land speed record at RNZAF Base Ohakea in his jet powered dragster. Photo / Bevan Conley
A Royal NZ Air Force (RNZAF) technician has smashed the New Zealand land speed record after taking a jet-powered dragster to a top speed of 458.2 kmh.
The record-breaking vehicle, driven by Sergeant Dean Hart, reached an average speed of 363.436 kilometres an hour over a mile at RNZAF BaseOhakea, beating the previous record of 355.485kmh.
"Over 450kmh, I'm happy," Hart said.
"We've done it – not bad."
Sergeant Dean Hart reached an average speed of 363.436 kilometres an hour over a mile. Photo / Bevan Conley
It was the first time Hart, an avionics technician at RNZAF Base Auckland, had attempted the record.
He said the record-setting drive was more difficult than the test runs.
"The car was wavering a little bit. There's not a lot of wind today but the car was moving around a lot more than in the test runs. However, we reached a lot higher speed than the test runs as well," Hart said.
For setting the record, Hart was presented with the Castrol Trophy.
It was the first time the avionics technician had attempted the record. Photo / Bevan Conley
The record-breaking car is powered by a Rolls Royce Viper 535 engine from a BAC Strikemaster aircraft, which runs on aviation jet fuel.
Hart built the car along with other members of RNZAF technical trades at Whenuapai Motorsports Club over the past 10 years using mostly second-hand parts.
"The chassis is 30 years old, the motor is 60 years old. It was a slow process of piecing it together," Hart said.
The current holder of the Outright World Land Speed Record is ThrustSSC, a twin turbofan jet-powered car which hit 1227.985 kmh over one mile in October 1997.
