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ICYMI: DIY Iron Man
Today on In Case You Missed it: British inventor Richard Browning show us his (slow, careful) flights across a test area using his "Daedelus" jet pack prototype. Daedelus consists of six kerosene-powered microjets strapped to his limbs, which doesn't sound dangerous at all. While that might sound like a bad idea, the system "flies" at a walking pace, and the wearer only hovers about six to ten feet off the ground. For his part, Browning's convinced the jets are safe, stating that he uses small amounts of kerosene and has a dead-man's switch to kill the set-up when not pressed. For now, Browning is mostly shopping the device around at exhibitions, but he hopes it will one day be used by rescue or military personnel.
Jet-powered hoverboard shatters world record
When footage of a flying hoverboard first emerged last month, many thought it was fake, because the relatively tiny device appears to be breaking the laws of physics. But the "Flyboard Air" from inventor Franky Zapata is real, spectacular and just set a world record for the longest hoverboard flight of all time. It traveled 2,252 meters or 7,388 feet, nearly ten times farther than the mark set last year by Catalin Alexandru Duru on a much larger device. The record has already been certified by Guinness, which attended the event (see the full video, below).
Jaguar will actually build million-dollar C-X75 hybrid supercar in 2013
You know how we said that 780bhp electric pipe dream Jaguar had last year wasn't going to be anything more than a concept? Well, we were wrong. Sort of. You see, the British automaker has just announced its intention to produce a limited run of 250 C-X75 supercars in partnership with Formula 1 team Williams, however the retail model will eschew the craziest aspect of the original design -- the twin turbine engines at the back. Those will be replaced with a four-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine, which will aid the four electric motors (one attached to each wheel). Don't worry, though, this tweak has actually made the C-X75 accelerate even faster, as it's now rated to go from 0 to 60mph in under three seconds. 2013 is when the earliest production of this road-faring beast is expected to commence, with prices starting at £700,000 ($1.15 million), and there's even a glimmer of hope that a version with the gas turbines will also be built at some point down the line. Crazy, just crazy. Check the C-X75 out on video after the break, where Jay Leno gives you a tour around its dramatic design.
China builds a jet-propelled water cannon, just because it can (video)
Just what does $456,000 buy you these days? Well, if you happen to run the fire department of China's Luoyang City, the answer is a jet-propelled water cannon capable of spraying four tons of water per minute. That pretty much qualifies it for a "terminal velocity" badge, as the water is said to move at such speed as to choke fires from the oxygen surrounding them. Maximum range for this blaze blaster is 120 meters (nearly 400 feet), though you'll need to only move a fraction of that distance to click past the break and watch the awesome video of it in action.
Pulsejet-powered bicycle, for those leisurely commutes
There's just something about people strapping jet engines to things they have no business being strapped to that brings a twinkle to our eyes, and Robert Maddox's pulsejet-powered bicycle is no exception. Maddox actually sells pulsejets on eBay ranging from fourteen to over a thousand pounds of thrust, and the fifty-pounder in this video is capable of moving his bicycle at a whopping 75MPH. Sure, it's loud, but at least it's more practical than that jet-powered Port-a-Potty. Video after the break.[Via AutoBlogGreen]
Jet engine-powered go-kart roars onto eBay
Here's one that's sure to make Toad weep, even if he's toting a golden mushroom or two. In a bid to make every Mario Kart (or speed demon) freak's dream come true, a bloke in Inverness has concocted a jet engine-equipped go-kart that actually sports a functioning afterburner. Similar to a number of other jet-powered vehicles we've seen, this one is fitted with a military spec JFS-100 jet engine and a push button afterburner that emits "extra thrust, noise, and spectacular fire / smoke effects." Moreover, you'll find an EGT gauge, MOMO steering wheel, and digital RPM meter crammed inside the wee vehicle, and if you just so happen to reside in the UK, you can get the bidding starting for a mere £5,000 ($9,864). More drool-worthy snapshots after the break.[Via El Reg]
All-aluminum Front Runner hydrofoil watercraft plays in the kiddie pool
Sure, it's no USS Ronald Reagan, but Joey Ruiter's conceptual Front Runner is one sweet ride if you're looking to exercise 215-horsepower on a slick body of water. Shown at the recently concluded Grand Rapids Boat Show in Michigan, the designer unveiled his latest concept watercraft, a hydrofoil with "twin forward-mounted jet-drive motors." The futuristic design is fairly easy on the eyes, and would certainly garner quite a bit of positive attention skimming across the shallow end at your local YMCA. Aside from being crafted entirely of aluminum without a hint of glue holding anything together, the unique construction allows the boat to cruise in "extremely shallow water," which could definitely brighten up an extremely rainy day if you're in a low-lying area. Still, we've no idea if Joey has plans to commercialize this gem, but if he adds a hovering feature in the near future, count us onboard.
Ron Patrick's jet-powered Honda scooter
It seems that we humans have a strange fascination with strapping immensely powerful jet engines onto objects that were clearly never made for such propulsion, but that doesn't stop the engineering (and a bit off kilter) minds of the world from giving it a go anyway. We've seen jet-powered wheelchairs and even supermarket carts, but the current king of overkill in regards to horsepower is none other than Ron Patrick -- his rocket-infused Volkswagen Beetle, though deemed "completely street legal" by Ron, sports an extra 1,350 horses thanks to the massive blaster he attached to his ride. Obviously this little endeavor went over so well that he figured strapping dual JFS 100 jet engines onto his wife's Honda Metropolitan scooter would solve her complaints of it "only going 40 miles per hour." Since Ron estimates that one engine alone could get her ride over 60 mph, it's fairly safe to say she should be outrunning commuters (and police, or anybody else for that matter) in no time. Patrick's biggest challenge is compensating for the weight of the actual engines, because at 50 pounds apiece, they put a serious strain on the suspension. He plans to install an "air-start" that utilizes a "carbon fiber tank of compressed air" in order to remove the batteries currently on the vehicle. Regardless of Ron's sanity (or lack thereof), we can't argue with his determination, and if you happen to see a scooter in California with a curious looking device on each side (click through to see what we mean), don't even think of revving your puny engine at Mrs. Patrick.[Via OhGizmo]
