Hampson to Go Super Sonic with The BLOODHOUND SSC Land Speed Record Attempt

July 21, 2010 - PRLog -- Farnborough International Airshow (FIA), Farnborough, Hampshire, UK – Hall 1, Stand B15– Hampson Industries PLC (“Hampson”), an international aerospace and precision engineering, tooling and aerostructures group, has been selected by the BLOODHOUND Project to provide the six metre rear chassis for its much anticipated super sonic car (SSC). The vehicle, which has been in the concept and design stage since 2007, is now entering the build stage, and will be used to attempt to set a land-speed record of 1000 mph in 2012.

EDITOR NOTE:  The full size BLOODHOUND show car, measuring 44 feet long and 7 feet high, will make its debut at Farnborough in the outdoor area at OE16.

“We are delighted to be a part of this historic undertaking,” stated Mark Abbey, Global Marketing and Business Development Director of Hampson Aerospace Services. “BLOODHOUND is as much an educational as well as an automotive record setting project and is a fantastic tool to help encourage the youth of today to become involved with engineering, hopefully enthusing them to consider it as a future career path. We are honored that BLOODHOUND trusted our capabilities to provide a vital structure for this extraordinary vehicle.”

BHW Components Ltd, located in Wigan, United Kingdom, a subsidiary of Hampson, is to manufacture the structure that will house the two main propulsion systems; an EJ200 Eurofighter Jet engine and a unique hybrid rocket booster. The structure will be manufactured from a combination of steels and titanium, with aluminum outer skins. It will involve both traditional skills along with the latest high speed machining technologies and will utilise some of the largest stretch forming capabilities in Europe.

“Obviously, manufacturing and assembling such a unique, futuristic design required that we be 100% certain our contractors would be able to meet all of the exact specifications involved,” commented Richard Noble, BLOODHOUND Project Director and himself a former holder of the land-speed record. “It didn’t take long for us to realise Hampson, which is recognised for its professional, high-quality manufacturing and engineering capabilities is well matched to meet our challenging requirements.”

The primary objective of the iconic BLOODHOUND Project is to inspire young students to pursue careers in science, engineering, technology and math by demonstrating how they can work together to achieve the seemingly impossible, such as the 1000 mph land-speed record attempt.

The BLOODHOUND SSC is designed to run at speeds up to 1050 mph and is powered by a combination of jet and rocket propulsion. It has 133,000 bhp, about the same as 180 Formula One race cars. The car will begin runway testing in January 2012 ahead of going to South Africa later that year to begin the high speed run programme.

Visit Hampson Aerospace Services at 2010 Farnborough International Airshow in H1/B15.The BLOODHOUND Team will be unveiling a number of must-see exhibits at FIA, including a prototype of the BLOODHOUND SSC. The Team will also take part in the Friday, July 23 Futures Day program, which gives students between the ages of 7 and 21 a view of the many exciting career opportunities available in the aerospace and defense industries. The BLOODHOUND booth is located in the outdoor area at OE16.

About Hampson Industries PLC:

Hampson is the world leader in the design and manufacture of close-tolerance tooling and assembly systems, as well as holding leading positions for composite and metallic components and aero structures. The Group’s end-to-end solution for its customers from engineering and project management through manufacturing and logistics has lead to numerous customer awards.  Hampson’s operations serve the global commercial and military aerospace markets from 16 facilities in the UK, North America and India employing over 1,400 people worldwide.

Hampson Industries PLC is listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange (Symbol: HAMP). For more information, visit: www.hampsongroup.com.



Contact:

Mark Abbey Hampson Industries PLC
7 Harbour Buildings, Waterfront West, Dudley Road
Brierley Hill, West Midlands DY5 1LN, UK
+44 1384 485345
mark.abbey@hampsongroup.com
   
For The BLOODHOUND Project –
Jules Tipler   
Mettle   
07811 166 796
jules.tipler@mettlepr.com


All products/services and trademarks mentioned in this release are the properties of their respective companies.
© 2010 Hampson Industries PLC. All rights reserved.

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