The Bloodhound SSC project has just announced that they are to do the first public runs of the vehicle in Newquay on 26th October 2017. This will occur at the Aerohub, Newquay Airport, and it’s 2,745m long runway. Information on the session is available at the Bloodhound website.
Prior to this there will be a host of static testing, and then the car will be shipped to Newquay, and the systems tested including the EJ200, the engine used in the RAF Typhoon fighter.
This uses the same runway as the old RAF St. Mawgan airbase, which used to support English Electric Canberra and maritime reconnaissance Nimrod aircraft. It was also home to Sea King helicopters that were part of the Search and Rescue training team.
I remember holidaying at the bottom of the hill below the aerodrome, and the sky full of colour. The grey and white Nimrod MR.1 and later the grey-green MR.2s would take-off on their sorties. The yellow Sea Kings added brighter colours, alongside the black and yellow striped Canberra. Before the end of the year, the blue and orange Bloodhound will use the runway for testing.
