Hammond crashes Vampire !!!
Discussion
Just posted this over on the 'General news' forum...
If the article wasn't so pathetic, Id be laughing at it...
www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1
If the article wasn't so pathetic, Id be laughing at it...
www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1
Just read another article published at the time of the crash...
www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=406386&in_page_id=1770
" It is enlightening to compare Hammond and the lardy Top Gear lads (with their incorrigible cult of drinking and smoking) with Andy Green, the holder of the world's 763 mph land speed record who recently achieved another record with 350mph in a diesel car.
Nobody could possibly meet Andy Green without being impressed by his seriousness. Not only is he the RAF's top instructor for fighter pilots but he is also the perfect embodiment of the Corinthian ideal - lean to the bone, as fit as a race horse, sober, gentle and self-effacing"
Hmmm...
lean to the bone, as fit as a race horse, sober, gentle and self-effacing...
Anyone recognise our mate Smax in that description?
He seems to ba able to go from 0-250mph in 5 seconds without being the 'Embodiment of the Corinthian ideal
www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=406386&in_page_id=1770
" It is enlightening to compare Hammond and the lardy Top Gear lads (with their incorrigible cult of drinking and smoking) with Andy Green, the holder of the world's 763 mph land speed record who recently achieved another record with 350mph in a diesel car.
Nobody could possibly meet Andy Green without being impressed by his seriousness. Not only is he the RAF's top instructor for fighter pilots but he is also the perfect embodiment of the Corinthian ideal - lean to the bone, as fit as a race horse, sober, gentle and self-effacing"
Hmmm...
lean to the bone, as fit as a race horse, sober, gentle and self-effacing...
Anyone recognise our mate Smax in that description?
He seems to ba able to go from 0-250mph in 5 seconds without being the 'Embodiment of the Corinthian ideal
From the Pie and Piston
http://news.sky.com/skynews/picture_g
Just in case anyone still thinks full length concrete barriers in the shutdown area are not needed...
http://news.sky.com/skynews/picture_g
Just in case anyone still thinks full length concrete barriers in the shutdown area are not needed...
Here's a memory test for me and perhaps you guys can confirm/deny for me
1. Vampire used to be matt black
2. Vampire has sat outside on the pavement with tarpaulin over it on a street in the villgae of Roade, Nothants. (if it wasn't Vampire it was another Jet Dragster)
3. It was later kept in a shed/garage somewhere in St James End, Northampton
I know it was painted by Douglas Motor Sport www.dmsport.co.uk because my car goes there
Please help an old man as I no longer have the photos
1. Vampire used to be matt black
2. Vampire has sat outside on the pavement with tarpaulin over it on a street in the villgae of Roade, Nothants. (if it wasn't Vampire it was another Jet Dragster)
3. It was later kept in a shed/garage somewhere in St James End, Northampton
I know it was painted by Douglas Motor Sport www.dmsport.co.uk because my car goes there
Please help an old man as I no longer have the photos
Edited by Sporting Bear on Thursday 18th January 16:01
Sporting Bear said:
Here's a memory test for me and perhaps you guys can confirm/deny for me
1. Vampire used to be matt black
2. Vampire has sat outside on the pavement with tarpaulin over it on a street in the villgae of Roade, Nothants. (if it wasn't Vampire it was another Jet Dragster)
3. It was later kept in a shed/garage somewhere in St James End, Northampton
I know it was painted by Douglas Motor Sport www.dmsport.co.uk because my car goes there
Please help an old man as I no longer have the photos
1. Vampire used to be matt black
2. Vampire has sat outside on the pavement with tarpaulin over it on a street in the villgae of Roade, Nothants. (if it wasn't Vampire it was another Jet Dragster)
3. It was later kept in a shed/garage somewhere in St James End, Northampton
I know it was painted by Douglas Motor Sport www.dmsport.co.uk because my car goes there
Please help an old man as I no longer have the photos
Edited by Sporting Bear on Thursday 18th January 16:01
1, yes, then white and blue, then yellow and red
2, Very probably.
3, Very possibly.
Thanks Miss Corrando and Jon C
I thought it was black at one time, waiting for the cash to put on a paint job(?)
I know it was a Jet Dragster on the pavement, even the biggest Chav exhaust now wouldn't be as big as the exhaust it that vehicle then!
Never saw Vampire in Jim's End just heard about it being there
I thought it was black at one time, waiting for the cash to put on a paint job(?)
I know it was a Jet Dragster on the pavement, even the biggest Chav exhaust now wouldn't be as big as the exhaust it that vehicle then!
Never saw Vampire in Jim's End just heard about it being there
Can I direct all right thinking Drag Racers to a post I have put in the Pie and Piston.
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=349379&f=141&h=0
I really really hope the beeb arent trying to hang Primetime out to dry.
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=349379&f=141&h=0
I really really hope the beeb arent trying to hang Primetime out to dry.
Jon C said:
Can I direct all right thinking Drag Racers to a post I have put in the Pie and Piston.
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=349379&f=141&h=0
I really really hope the beeb arent trying to hang Primetime out to dry.
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=349379&f=141&h=0
I really really hope the beeb arent trying to hang Primetime out to dry.
Colin Fallows is now blaming Richard Hammond for the incident:
www.northamptonchronicleecho.co.uk/ViewArticle.aspx?SectionID=255&ArticleID=2003122
Good to see my old employer is still willing to stir the pot...
Dirty Laundry shouldn't be aired in public in my opinion.
However, what he has said is correct in that if Hammond had hit the brakes in reaction to the puncture it would have been the wrong thing to do - hitting the parachute would I imagine have been a far better choice.
I wouldn't say that made Hammond responsible for the crash, just that his inexperience in thrust powered cars led him to take the wrong action. You can't blame him for being inexperienced since the only way to get experience is to drive one.
The article tries to imply he purposefully ignored the safety briefing whereas in all likelihood. he reacted instinctively.
None of this is constructive though, so I don't know why people keep banging on about it. He's OK and the safety equipment did its job. The only thing I would like to see come out of the ongoing investigations is recommendations for further safety improvements rather than blame and talk of legal action.
However, what he has said is correct in that if Hammond had hit the brakes in reaction to the puncture it would have been the wrong thing to do - hitting the parachute would I imagine have been a far better choice.
I wouldn't say that made Hammond responsible for the crash, just that his inexperience in thrust powered cars led him to take the wrong action. You can't blame him for being inexperienced since the only way to get experience is to drive one.
The article tries to imply he purposefully ignored the safety briefing whereas in all likelihood. he reacted instinctively.
None of this is constructive though, so I don't know why people keep banging on about it. He's OK and the safety equipment did its job. The only thing I would like to see come out of the ongoing investigations is recommendations for further safety improvements rather than blame and talk of legal action.
Time Machine said:
Dirty Laundry shouldn't be aired in public in my opinion.
However, what he has said is correct in that if Hammond had hit the brakes in reaction to the puncture it would have been the wrong thing to do - hitting the parachute would I imagine have been a far better choice.
I wouldn't say that made Hammond responsible for the crash, just that his inexperience in thrust powered cars led him to take the wrong action. You can't blame him for being inexperienced since the only way to get experience is to drive one.
The article tries to imply he purposefully ignored the safety briefing whereas in all likelihood. he reacted instinctively.
None of this is constructive though, so I don't know why people keep banging on about it. He's OK and the safety equipment did its job. The only thing I would like to see come out of the ongoing investigations is recommendations for further safety improvements rather than blame and talk of legal action.
However, what he has said is correct in that if Hammond had hit the brakes in reaction to the puncture it would have been the wrong thing to do - hitting the parachute would I imagine have been a far better choice.
I wouldn't say that made Hammond responsible for the crash, just that his inexperience in thrust powered cars led him to take the wrong action. You can't blame him for being inexperienced since the only way to get experience is to drive one.
The article tries to imply he purposefully ignored the safety briefing whereas in all likelihood. he reacted instinctively.
None of this is constructive though, so I don't know why people keep banging on about it. He's OK and the safety equipment did its job. The only thing I would like to see come out of the ongoing investigations is recommendations for further safety improvements rather than blame and talk of legal action.
I'm with you on almost all of the above
Richard Hammond has no memory of the event so if there's other evidence that he did not follow instructions that means he made a mistake for which he could have paid the ultimate price
Thankfully it's just the realatively unimportant matters like the car that now need sorting out - someone has to pay with money - this upsets everyone
Amongst some of the stuff that I found this week while I had the neg scanner at home...
Two shots of Vampire from the late 80's at York. They're a bit grainy as I've cropped them from the original 50mm lense wide shots as it was all I had at the time.
Dad assures my we have more shots of Vampire, (in sealink colours) and Hellbender along with some shots of some of the FC's that visited York in the early eighties somewhere in his photos box, when he digs them out I'll try and get a few scanned and posted up.
CP
Two shots of Vampire from the late 80's at York. They're a bit grainy as I've cropped them from the original 50mm lense wide shots as it was all I had at the time.
Dad assures my we have more shots of Vampire, (in sealink colours) and Hellbender along with some shots of some of the FC's that visited York in the early eighties somewhere in his photos box, when he digs them out I'll try and get a few scanned and posted up.
CP
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