Mercedes-Benz T 80

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mercedes-Benz T 80

The Mercedes-Benz T 80 was built to set a new world speed record for land vehicles. The prototype is now on display in the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart.

history

The successful German racing driver Hans Stuck , whose star was declining at the age of 36 and in the face of emerging competition from young racing drivers such as Bernd Rosemeyer within his Auto-Union team , planned to bring the world speed record for land vehicles to Germany. He received support in his project from the head of the procurement office in the Reich Aviation Ministry, Ernst Udet . Udet finally gave an oral promise to release two Daimler-Benz DB 601 aircraft engines for the record-breaking car. Thereupon, from August 1936, Stuck turned to Wilhelm Kissel , the board member of Daimler-Benz AG . For example, Stuck wrote on October 13, 1936:

“My dream in life is to become the fastest man in the world. I will make every sacrifice and every effort for it. "

After long deliberations within Daimler-Benz AG, the contract for the construction of the record-breaking car was finally awarded to the engineering office of the former Daimler chief designer Ferdinand Porsche . From 1938 the development of the record-breaking Mercedes-Benz T 80 was in full swing. The body, designed by aircraft manufacturer Ernst Heinkel and tested on scale models in the wind tunnel, achieved the desired properties. The first run on the roller test bench took place on October 12, 1939.

construction

As drive a first should Daimler-Benz-DB-601 - aircraft engine used, which is already a record for aircraft Messerschmitt Me 109 R and Heinkel He 100 V 2 was used. Later, a Daimler-Benz DB 603 engine with 3,000  hp (approx. 2,200  kW ) and 44.5 liter displacement was planned, which was to achieve up to 3,500  hp (approx. 2,600  kW ) with increased power.

The T 80 had three axles, the front axle was used for steering, the two rear axles for drive. The driver was housed in the front third, the engine in the middle and the gearbox in the rear (a fixed ratio). Special tires from Continental AG with a diameter of 1160 mm were to be used. These had already withstood speeds of 700 km / h during test runs without damage.

The shape of the body was influenced by the aerodynamicist Baron von Fachsenfeld . To reduce wheel slip, the car had a special device that would have cut back the fuel supply to the engine if there was a difference in speed between the front and rear wheels.

Planning the record runs

The usual test route for such a record drive back then was salt lakes in the USA. However, these were out of the question for reasons of prestige; the record should also be set in Germany.

The record run was finally planned for 1940 on the Dessau race track , on which the car was to reach speeds of up to 600 km / h. The racetrack was a straight, 10 km long section of the Reichsautobahn between Dessau and Halle, where the median was not structurally separated and the bridges had no central pillars. This route is now part of the A9 motorway . Hans Stuck was planned as the driver, but Daimler-Benz AG considered using its own works driver Rudolf Caracciola . When the Second World War broke out on September 1, 1939, the planned record run was ultimately prevented.

Technical specifications

Technical data of the Mercedes-Benz T 80
Engine: 12-cylinder V-engine, type DB 603 RS
Bore × stroke: 162 × 180 mm
Displacement : 44,500 cc
Power: 3,500  hp (2,600  kW ) at 3,460 min -1
Crankshaft : one-piece, supported seven times
Motor control: one overhead camshaft per cylinder bank
Valves: 2 inlet and 2 outlet valves per cylinder, suspended, operated via rocker arm
Charge: Compressor , charge air cooling
Lubrication: Dry sump pressure lubrication
Cooling: Glycol
Transmission: fixed translation
Clutch : Three-plate clutch with automatic centrifugal governor
Chassis : Double tube frame
Front suspension: Double crank arms , torsion bar springs
Rear suspension: Pendulum axles , torsion bar springs
Shock absorber : Friction shock absorbers
Brakes: hydraulically operated inner-shoe drum brakes
(drum diameter 500 mm)
Length: 8240 mm
Width: 3200 mm
Height: 1270 mm
Wheelbase : 3550 mm
Track : 1320/1180 mm (front / rear)
Vehicle weight: 2800 kg
Top speed: 600 km / h / 373 mph

Web links

Commons : Mercedes-Benz T 80  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. a b c d Michail Hengstenberg: The 3000 hp project. In: one day. Spiegel Online , September 2, 2009, accessed on April 10, 2018 (with picture gallery for the T 80 ).
  2. ^ Mercedes-Benz T 80 with V12 aircraft engine DB 603. In: Chronik 1931 - 1940. Mercedes-Benz Public Archive, accessed on April 10, 2018 .
  3. a b MB-T80-1939 engine. Mercedes-Benz Classic, February 12, 2010, archived from the original on November 3, 2013 ; accessed on April 10, 2018 : "DB 603 RS special aircraft engine"
  4. ^ Alfred Neubauer, Harvey T. Rowe: Men, Women & Motors , Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 1970, pp. 235-238.
  5. ^ Paul Clifton: The fastest men at the wheel. The history of the world speed records in automobiles , Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 1968, pp. 193–195
  6. ^ Company Reichsautobahn. (PDF) The Reichsautobahn comes to Dessau. In: The history of the city of Dessau. Dirk Schröter, accessed on April 10, 2018 (excerpt from the Dessauer Chronik - special issue "Company Reichsautobahn" ).
  7. Tom Grünweg: Return of the 650 km / h flounder. In: Mobility. Spiegel Online , July 13, 2018, accessed on July 13, 2018 (with picture gallery for the T 80 ).
  8. Mercedes-Benz T 80 record car, 1939. Mercedes-Benz Classic, accessed on April 10, 2018 .