Nope, not a race boat. This is the Boeing (yes THAT Boeing) Aqua-jet and it was an incredibly successful testing apparatus for the company in the early 1960s. With a pickle fork shaped hull made of African mahogany and sheeted on the bottom with aluminum, it was first powered by an Allison J-33 jet engine and later by a far more powerful Pratt and Whitney J-48. Make no mistake, this thing was thrust powered only! It ran about 115 with the Allison jet and about 140-150 with the J-48. This fellah only ran on sunny days with calm water and only on Lake Washington in Washington State. So what the heck was it testing? See that truss looking deal in the front? Models of hydrofoil hulls would be placed in there and with a quick high speed burst engineers would have loads of instrument documented data to refine their designs with. Boeing made (and continues to make) more than planes. Their hydrofoil boats were bad ass and the foundation of their design came from this floating (and crazed looking) aquatic hot rod. Now you know. #boeing #badass #science #speed #physics #allison #thrust #boat #lake #awesome #history #america #americana #forgotten #guts #wild #hotrod #cool #freak #wood #wooden
#boeing #badass #science #speed #physics #allison #thrust #boat #lake #awesome #history #america #americana #forgotten #guts #wild #hotrod #cool #freak #wood #wooden
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