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{{Short description|Land speed record attempt}}
[[File:North American Eagle land speed record car.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|The land speed record attempt vehicle]]{{For|the Boy Scouts of America activity|Eagle Scout Service Project}}
The '''North American Eagle Project''' was a [[jet powered car]] that was intended to challenge the {{convert|763|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} (Mach 1.02) [[land speed record]] set by the [[ThrustSSC]] in 1997. The venture was a collaboration between [[Canada|Canadian]] and [[United States|US]] [[engineer]]s, [[aircraft pilot|pilot]]s, and [[mechanic]]s. In 2013, they had hoped to reach {{convert|800|mi/h|km/h|0|abbr=on}}, or [[Mach number|Mach]] 1.058.<ref>{{cite web |title=How Stuff Works |date=3 May 2007 |url=http://auto.howstuffworks.com/north-american-eagle.htm |access-date=2013-10-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005015345/http://auto.howstuffworks.com/north-american-eagle.htm|archive-date=2013-10-05|url-status=live}}</ref>

In a land speed record attempt on August 27, 2019, the North American Eagle crashed, killing driver [[Jessi Combs]]. During the run, Combs did set a new world land-speed record for a woman, at {{cvt|522.783|mph}}.<ref name=jalopnik20190828/><ref name=”2020-06-25_ABC-AP”/> Since the crash, the project has been abandoned.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/NorthAmericanEagle/posts/3192401734113419 |title=North American Eagle updated their profile picture |author= |date=2020-04-30 |website=Facebook |access-date=2021-11-10 |quote=we are done with the project.}}</ref>

==Description==
The vehicle was based on the fuselage of a [[Lockheed F-104 Starfighter|Lockheed F-104A-10 Starfighter]] jet fighter aircraft, tail number 56-0763,<ref>{{cite web|title=Aviation Data|url=http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/56-0763.html|access-date=2013-10-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004215524/http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/56-0763.html|archive-date=2013-10-04|url-status=live}}</ref> The aircraft was built for the United States Air Force and assigned to the [[Air Force Flight Test Center]] at Edwards Air Force Base from August 29, 1957 until 1970 when it was retired. Initially the aircraft was used as a GE test platform for the J79 engine. It was later used as a [[chase plane]] for the [[North American X-15]], [[Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird]] and [[North American XB-70 Valkyrie]] test programs. It was flown by [[Joseph Albert Walker|Joe Walker]], [[Albert Scott Crossfield|Scott Crossfield]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Crossfield flies 56-0763|url=http://landspeed.com/archive/updates/April/060420.html|access-date=2013-10-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004223117/http://landspeed.com/archive/updates/April/060420.html|archive-date=2013-10-04|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[William J. Knight|Pete Knight]], [[William H. Dana|Bill Dana]], [[Chuck Yeager]], [[Joe Engle]] and Bob Gilliland among other notable pilots. North American Eagle has designed{{clarify|date=September 2019}} road suspension and has carried out the necessary systems integration for it. The vehicle was {{convert|56|ft|m|1}} long and weighed {{convert|13000|lb|kg}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=Vehicle Information|url=https://www.landspeed.com/project/vehicle|website=North American Eagle|accessdate=9 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307005200/http://www.landspeed.com/project/vehicle|archive-date=7 March 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Powerplant===
The engine was a [[General Electric LM1500]] turbojet (a civilian variation of the aircraft's original [[General Electric J79|J79]]).
A stock engine for low speed testing is rated at 42,500 hp (31.7 [[megawatt|MW]]). The vehicle had an enhanced engine for record attempts, rated at 52,000 hp (52,700 metric horsepower). At idle the stock engine consumes {{Convert|40|usgal|L impgal|0}} of fuel per minute, rising to {{Convert|80|usgal|L impgal|0}} per minute at 100% military power and {{Convert|90|usgal|L impgal|0}} per minute in [[afterburner]] mode.{{cn|date=September 2019}}

===Braking systems===
{{asof|2014}}, four methods were in use to decelerate the vehicle. It had high-speed [[Air brake (aircraft)|air brake]]s which were original equipment on the F-104, high-speed [[drogue parachute]]s to be deployed at {{convert|700|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, and low-speed drogue parachutes for deployment below {{convert|350|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}. The vehicle also had an [[Anti-skid brakes|anti-skid]] [[neodymium magnet|neodymium]] [[rare-earth magnet]] [[eddy current brake|eddy-current brake]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://auto.howstuffworks.com/north-american-eagle2.htm |title=How the North American Eagle Work (no. 2) |date=3 May 2007 |access-date=2014-09-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006180112/http://auto.howstuffworks.com/north-american-eagle2.htm |archive-date=2013-10-06 |url-status=live }}</ref>
The vehicle failing to stop has been suggested as a factor in the crash of the North American Eagle in an August 2019 land-speed record run.<ref name=yahoo20190828/>

==Runs==
Fourteen engine test runs were conducted on a [[Engine test stand|test stand]], the first in June 2004, with the last two using full afterburner. In December 2004, the first test runs of the vehicle were performed. A total of 23 test runs were completed with the vehicle between March 2006 and June 2008. Speeds as high as {{convert|400|mph|km/h}} were claimed but not verified by outside official automobile speed record authorities. Testing in the US was conducted at [[Sanderson Field]] in [[Shelton, Washington]]; [[South Lewis County Airport|Toledo Airport]] in southwest Washington state; [[Edwards Air Force Base|Edwards AFB]], California; [[El Mirage Lake|El Mirage Dry Lake]], California; and [[Black Rock Desert]], Nevada.<ref>{{cite web|title=Geomagic|url=http://www.geomagic.com/en/community/case-studies/north-american-eagle-takes-on-the-land-speed-record-bid-with-3d/|access-date=2013-10-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004214118/http://www.geomagic.com/en/community/case-studies/north-american-eagle-takes-on-the-land-speed-record-bid-with-3d/|archive-date=2013-10-04|url-status=live}}</ref>

On October 9, 2013, [[Jessi Combs]] drove the North American Eagle (NaE) Supersonic Speed Challenger at the Alvord desert, claiming the women's 4-wheel [[land speed record]] with an official run of 398.954 mph (632 km/h) and a top speed of 440.709 mph (709 km/h).<ref>[http://cars.uk.msn.com/trending-blog/fastest-woman-on-four-wheels-crowned-after-440mph-record-run Fastest woman on four wheels crowned after 440mph record run] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014014313/http://cars.uk.msn.com/trending-blog/fastest-woman-on-four-wheels-crowned-after-440mph-record-run |date=2013-10-14 }} – MSN Cars UK, October 13, 2013</ref> In doing so, she broke the 48-year-old women's land speed record, a {{convert|308.506|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} run average set by Lee Breedlove in [[Spirit of America (automobile)#Spirit of America - Sonic 1|''Spirit of America - Sonic 1'']] in 1965.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.gizmag.com/jessi-combs-48-year-land-speed-record/29381/ | title=Jessi Combs breaks 48-year old land speed record | website=Gizmag.com | date=October 15, 2013 | accessdate=October 15, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015122811/http://www.gizmag.com/jessi-combs-48-year-land-speed-record/29381/ | archive-date=October 15, 2013 | url-status=live }}</ref> On September 7, 2016, Combs set a new top speed of {{convert|477.59|mph|abbr=on}} driving the Other{{clarify|what other? Why capitalized?|date=September 2019}} American Eagle.{{cn|date=September 2019}}

==Fatal crash==
On August 27, 2019, the North American Eagle crashed during a [[land speed record]] attempt, killing driver Jessi Combs.<ref name=jalopnik20190828>{{Cite news |title='Fastest Woman On Four Wheels' Jessi Combs Killed In Jet-Car Crash |url=https://jalopnik.com/fastest-woman-on-four-wheels-jessi-combs-killed-in-jet-1837654356 |date=28 August 2019 |work=Jalopnik |access-date=18 September 2019 |publisher=[[Gizmodo Media Group]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190914040156/https://jalopnik.com/fastest-woman-on-four-wheels-jessi-combs-killed-in-jet-1837654356 |archive-date=14 September 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.tmz.com/2019/09/04/jessi-combs-dead-died-jet-car-video-crash-photos-land-speed-record/ |title= Jessi Combs : Video of land-speed record attempt... Led To Fatal Crash |access-date=2019-09-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190916145628/https://www.tmz.com/2019/09/04/jessi-combs-dead-died-jet-car-video-crash-photos-land-speed-record/ |date=4 September 2019 |archive-date=2019-09-16 |url-status=live }}</ref> Reports indicate that the car failed to stop and traveled beyond the edge of the lake bed.<ref name=yahoo20190828>{{cite news |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/jessi-combs-jet-car-crashed-200331923.html |title=Jessi Combs' Jet-Car Crashed After Failing To Stop, Traveling Beyond Edge Of Lake Bed |date=28 August 2019 |access-date=18 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190828224321/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/jessi-combs-jet-car-crashed-200331923.html |archive-date=2019-08-28 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Investigation into the cause of the crash was reported in November 2019. The investigation revealed that the front wheel assembly of the car collapsed, likely due to collision damage from hitting something on the track.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://abc7.com/cause-of-crash-that-killed-mythbusters-host-jessi-combs-determined/5683169/|title=Jessi Combs death investigation: Cause of 550-mph crash in Alvord Desert determined|access-date=11 November 2019}}</ref>{{clarify|did the investigation examine why the power was left on for so long after the normal dry lake run? Did the front wheel assembly damage affect the engine controls?|date=December 2019}}

In late June 2020, the [[Guinness World Records|Guinness Book of Records]] reclassified the August 27, 2019 speed runs as meeting its requirements, and Combs was credited with the record at {{cvt|522.783|mph|kph}}, noting she was the first in nearly 46 years to break the record, surpassing the record set by [[Kitty O'Neil]] in December 1973.<ref name=”2020-06-25_ABC-AP”>[https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-25/jet-car-racer-jessi-combs-female-land-speed-record-fatal-crash/12391272 American jet-car racer and Mythbusters host Jessi Combs posthumously awarded world land-speed record for a woman], [[ABC News Online|ABC]]/[[Associated Press|AP]], 2020-06-25</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of vehicle speed records]]
* [[Bloodhound LSR]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.landspeed.com/ North American Eagle Project]
*"North American Eagle Project eyes speed record", [[Earth & Sky]] (2006-12-01)
**[https://web.archive.org/web/20070918214536/http://www2.earthsky.org/radioshows/50591/north-american-eagle-project-eyes-speed-record part 1]
**[https://web.archive.org/web/20080511173700/http://www.earthsky.org/radioshows/50592/ed-shadle-world-land-speed-challenger part 2]
*[http://www.chasingclouds.net/forums/index.php?action=gallery;cat=10/ North American Eagle Black Rock Desert Photography] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715004811/http://www.chasingclouds.net/forums/index.php?action=gallery%3Bcat%3D10%2F |date=2014-07-15 }}

{{F-104 family}}

[[Category:Jet land speed record cars]]
[[Category:Lockheed F-104 Starfighter]]

North American Eagle Project - Revision history

imported>Epsilon.Prota: /* See also */ Bloodhound LSR