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Video: Jet powered school bus

15th December 2020
Laura Thomson

It’s the bane of many a child’s day – the slow, smelly, sweaty bus to school. But, if more looked like this, it would certainly make education a whole lot sweeter.

Join Gerd Habermann at Santa Pod back in 2018 as he prepares to send his jet engine-powered school bus flying up the drag strip. Complete with a flashing stop sign and a 1946 American-built jet, it’s a bona fide weapon.

More commonly seen in the F2H Banshee, F3D Skynight and P-2 Neptune jet planes, the Westinghouse J-34 turbine jet engine boasts an afterburner and can produce 5,000lbs of thrust. Watch as Habermann coaxes it to the start line before allowing the engine to spool momentarily, then spraying flames and taking off, completing the run in 11.2 seconds at 127mph.

Filmed at the 2018 Flame and Thunder event, it unfortunately only completed one run due to inclement weather, however we have it on good authority (the video caption), that “it is capable of running in the 9's at over 175mph”. Imagine seeing that on the school run.

Welcome to Goodwood Elevenses, a mid-morning helping of motoring-related amusement to help break up your day. Watch the last video: The best moments from Rally Monza

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