NSU Delphin III
The NSU Delphin III was a record of the vehicle NSU Motor Works, with the racer Wilhelm Herz in the U.S. on the Bonneville Salt Flats on August 4, 1956 reached an average speed of 339.404 km / h and thus improved the absolute motorcycle land speed record.
Walter William Moore, who designed the engine of the later famous Norton had, in 1929, the king shaft also introduced as the new head designer at NSU, last ordered their two V-shaped on a compressor twin cylinder, which he developed together with Albert Roder 1938. That in its 350- cc version relatively heavy unit used in 1939 Wilhelm Herz race. Heart was also among the first who explored after the Second World War in Neckarsulm, if a compressor machine was still to be found. A slightly damaged specimen was found, he repaired the old English compressor and 1948 German Champion in the 350 cc class. At the same time won the longer time -cherished plan outline to take the absolute speed record for motorcycles in attack: After the designs of the aerodynamicist Reinhard von Koenig - Fachsenfeld was built on heart ' costs a machine that resembled record - BMW in shape Ernst Jakob Henne.
The " world record " as a project of the NSU plant
1949 reached the testing stage, the " Fachsenfeld " was not used. Heart had seriously injured in a fall and in the period of his convalescence was at NSU beneath the racing department manager Walter Froede using the Technical University of Braunschweig, the dolphin I. head, shoulder and back of the driver was still to be almost out of the 50 kg fairing; the compressor provided with a newly developed 500 - cc engine delivered 110 hp at 8500 rpm and heart came on 12 April 1951, the Munich -Ingolstadt highway on an average speed of 290 km / h - Hennes 1937 record was broken.
Where all go - on American salt
Improvements were made to the value in New Zealand, where the July 2, 1955 Russel Wright on a Vincent set out with 297.64 km / h to the record holder. Competitors also occurred in the U.S., the team of Texan JH " Stormy " Mangham reached with the Devil 's Arrow on September 22, 1955, the salt lake at Wendover on average 311.19 km / h Driver Johnny Allen was now record holder on the list of AMA, but not in the FIM who wanted to have their own timekeeper on site. Then in the late summer of 1956, it came on the Bonneville Salt Flats for direct comparison between the Texans and had traveled with all the aids NSU factory team. By ship a mobile workshop had been brought in, equipped with spare parts for the machines in the six motorcycle classes of 50 to 500 cc. General Gerd Stieler of Heydekampf was present, as well as his deputy, and Technical Director Viktor Frankenberger.
Mostly were for heart conditions in the first record attempts with the newly constructed Dolphin III: A wet spot in the salt let him stray from the track and he touched the container of a light barrier, which tore a hole in the nose of the fairing. So rough was the surface of the web, that a use of the car cover was not thinking - was too short for the vibrations from the space for the driver's head. This robbed not only the development progress of the Dolphin III - the shape was optimized in a wind tunnel in Stuttgart - driving without a hood made the machine unstable, lead ballast had to be mounted close to the front fork. With a cut in the hood hole the bike again resembled the dolphin I. But even without a top number of heart on August 2, 1956 with the 75 hp payable 350- cc engine for the flying mile a value of 304.96 km / h and on August 4, with the 500 on average 339.404 km / h - a new absolute world record for motorcycles.
Russel Wright was spot on with his 1000 cc Vincent but not faster than 319 km / h Just over a month later, the Texans came back to the train and they took with their 650s Triumph " Streamliner " (without compressor) the record to 345 km / h As usual, we had saved a FIM timekeepers and remained without the official international recognition. That was until 1962 the American William A. Johnson, as he gained a world record of 361 km / h with the Dudek Triumph Streamliner.