A Nuclear Bomber Engine Gave This Jet Car 5,200 Pounds Of Thrust

The Flying Caduceus, a pioneering jet car, was set to be auctioned off with an estimated price of $70,000 to $90,000. However, the lot was withdrawn before the sale. This one-of-a-kind jet-powered land speed racer was conceived by Dr. Nathan Ostich in the late 1950s and is widely regarded as the first purpose-built jet-powered land speed record car. The Flying Caduceus was powered by a General Electric J47-19 turbojet, which produced 5,200 pounds of thrust, equivalent to around 6,930 HP. The car featured a four-foot-diameter tubular chassis, aluminum bodywork, four-wheel independent suspension, disc brakes, and an eight-foot parachute. Although it never achieved its ultimate goal of exceeding 500 mph, the Flying Caduceus reached 359.7 mph during testing and proved that jet-powered land speed cars were viable. Its influence can be seen in later record-setting cars, such as Craig Breedlove’s Spirit of America and Andy Green’s Thrust SSC. The Flying Caduceus may be one of the most influential vehicles in land speed racing history, and its place in the record books is already secure.