EYSTON HONOURED

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 134, 3 December 1938, Page 28

EYSTON HONOURED

LAND SPEED EXPERT

THE THUNDERBOLT'S TRANSFORMATION -

Captain G. E. T. Eyston was banqueted in London by the Guild of Master Motorists, its first dinner, with a very distinguished company present, including a representative of the French Ambassador and Vicomte de Rohan, president of l'Auto-

mobile Club de France. John Cobb was among the speakers. He refrained from reference to his own exploits, dwelling instead, according to "The I Motor's" report, on the tenacity of purpose which was the secret of the' success of Eyston. i | Eyston said that the timing apparatus was absolutely untried when it was put into operation at Bonneville for his speed record attempts and its breakdown, which caused one attempt to be abandoned, was attributed to the selenium cells becoming tired after long exposure to the blinding light reflected from the salt bed. He stated, too, that for the final record —the day following Cobb's great achievement—the stabilising tail fin of the Thunderbolt was removed and a rounded nose completely enclosing the front was added. With the front thus enclosed he got a thrill, for he found everything getting hotter and hotter, and "his carcass rapidly being turned into a boiled lobster, with no chance of escaping from the heat." With regard to the track on the saltbed, Eyston said that the more work that was spent on it smoothing the bumps the faster it became. Two black lines were ruled with oil as a necessary guide, and that was practically all that one could see. Each time a record was to be attempted he got up at 1 o'clock in the morning for the preparatory work, and was on the; starting line just at dawn, when the air was cool and there was no wind. Sitting in the cockpit he overcame previous trouble from fumes by wearing a kind of gas mask to which fresh air was brought by a small tube leading from the front of the car. As soon as the measured mile had been passed the air brakes were shot out, for the higher the speed the more | effective they were, and the wheel brakes were not applied until only a I mile remained in which, to pull up, and Lthen they had to be put on very hard. Replying to the toast of foreign visitors, the Comte de Rose referred to the honour of Chevalier of the Legion of Honour conferred upon Eyston as a recognition by France of what he had done for the benefit of the whole automobile- world. * There was a presentation to Eyston of an original George IV wine cooler, made in Sheffield in 1821, and a silver badge of the guild, by Mrs. GrahameWhite. Personal telegrams congratulating Eyston were received from the King and the Duke of Kent (the latter as president-in-chief of the British Racing Drivers' Club.)