The most powerful nuclear missiles. The most powerful nuclear missiles The most powerful American car
Those remaining in the world, namely the United States and the Russian Federation, spent the first years in relative strategic nirvana. The leadership and people of both countries had a deceptive impression of the ensuing peace, guaranteed for many decades. The Americans considered their victory in the Cold War so convincing that they did not allow thoughts of further confrontation. The Russians did not feel like losers and expected an equal and benevolent attitude towards themselves as a people who voluntarily joined the Western democratic scale of values. Both were wrong. Very soon, a civil war began in the Balkans, in the outcome of which American weapons played a decisive role.
The US leadership considered its success in dismembering the SFRY a good omen. It went further, striving to establish complete hegemony, allowing it to control material resources on a planetary scale, and suddenly at the beginning of the third millennium it came across resistance from Russia, a country that has the will and means to protect its geopolitical interests. The United States was not ready for this confrontation.
Before and during the war
Even on the eve of World War II, the United States was a peaceful country. The American army was not numerous, and its technical equipment remained quite modest. In 1940, a certain congressman boasted that he had seen all the armored vehicles of his country’s armed forces: “All 400 tanks!” - he proudly declared. But even then, certain types of weapons were given priority, and serious achievements by American designers were observed in the field of aircraft construction. America entered the war with a powerful air fleet, which included an armada of B-17 strategic bombers, Mustang and Thunderbolt long-range fighters, and other examples of excellent aircraft. By 1944, the United States began using the latest B-29s in the Pacific Ocean, beyond the reach of Japanese air defense systems. The US fleet was also impressive, powerful, aircraft-carrying and capable of crushing objects remote from the coast.
American ones were supplied to the USSR under the Lend-Lease program, and this concept included dual-use equipment. The beautiful Studebaker trucks, Willys and Dodge Three-Quarter jeeps enjoyed the well-deserved respect of Red Army drivers, and are remembered with kind words to this day. American military weapons, that is, those that are means of directly destroying the enemy, were assessed less clearly. The Airacobra fighter, on which the famous ace I. Kozhedub fought, had truly titanic firepower, excellent maneuverability and unprecedented ergonomics, which, combined with a strong engine, contributed to the achievement of many aerial victories. The transport Douglas was also considered a masterpiece of engineering.
Tanks made in the USA were rated quite low; they were outdated both technologically and morally.
Korea and the 50s
The American weapons of the ground forces of the post-war decade were practically no different from those with which the US Army fought against Nazi Germany and practically they were the same Shermans, Willys, Studebakers, that is, either outdated models of armored vehicles, or excellent transport equipment, created by the Detroit auto industry. Aviation is another matter. By joining the race of aircraft, Northrop, General Dynamics, and Boeing achieved a lot, taking advantage of the technological superiority achieved in those years when the fire of war was raging in Europe (and not only). The largest strategic bomb carrier in history, the B-36, was adopted into service by the US Air Force, not without irony called the “Peacemaker.” The Saber jet interceptor was also good.
The USSR soon overcame the gap in the field of fighter aircraft; Soviet tanks remained unquestionably the best in the world for decades, but in many other areas American weapons were superior to Soviet ones. This was especially true for naval forces, which had large tonnage and devastating firepower. And the main factor became nuclear warheads.
The beginning of the atomic race
The arms race truly began after the appearance in the arsenals of the United States and the USSR of a large number of atomic charges and means of delivering them to the target. After the vulnerability of piston-powered strategic bombers was convincingly proven in Korean skies, the parties focused their efforts on other methods of delivering nuclear strikes, as well as technologies for parrying them. In a sense, this deadly ping-pong continues to this day. At the dawn of the arms race, even such joyful events in the history of mankind as the launch of Sputnik and the flight of Gagarin, in the eyes of military analysts acquired an apocalyptic overtones. It was clear to everyone that in the event of a major war, American weapons, even the most modern ones, would not be able to play the role of a deterrent. At that time there was simply nothing to repel the attack of Soviet missiles; all that remained was deterrence provided by the guarantee of a retaliatory strike. And the number of warheads was constantly growing, and tests were constantly taking place, now in Nevada, now on Spitsbergen, now near Semipalatinsk, now on the Bikini Atoll. It seemed that the world had gone crazy and was moving with vigorous steps towards its inevitable death. Thermonuclear (or hydrogen) bombs appeared already in 1952, less than a year later the USSR already presented its answer.
Local wars
Another illusion that arose at the dawn of the Cold War was that fear of a nuclear apocalypse would make it impossible. In a sense, this was true. The American attack on large industrial and military areas of the USSR had the same sobering effect on the Soviet leadership as the missiles deployed in Cuba had on J. Kennedy. An open military conflict between the two superpowers never occurred. But the horror of the inevitable end did not prevent humanity from fighting almost continuously. The best American weapons were supplied to the pro-Western allies of the United States, and the USSR almost always responded to these actions by “providing fraternal assistance” to one or another freedom-loving people fighting against imperialism. It should be noted that the practice of such (often gratuitous) supplies to friendly regimes was stopped even before the collapse of the Union due to economic problems that arose. However, while the allies of the USSR and the USA were fighting among themselves, analysts had no doubt about the relative parity of the superpowers' weapons systems. In some cases, the domestic defense industry has demonstrated superiority over the overseas one. American small arms were inferior in reliability to Soviet ones.
Why doesn't the US attack Russia?
Unlike the Soviet and Russian defense industries, which have always been predominantly owned by the state, American arms firms are privately owned. Military budgets (or rather, their ratio) indicate that the US armed forces should be the most powerful in the world. The history of recent decades leads to the conclusion that their use is inevitable against an obviously weak enemy in the event of dissatisfaction with the American administration with the policies of a particular state declared a rogue state. The budget of the US Armed Forces in 2014 amounted to an astronomical amount of 581 billion dollars. The Russian figure is many times more modest (approximately 70 billion). It seems that conflict is inevitable. But it is not there, and it is not in sight, despite serious tensions with the superpowers. The question arises as to how much better the American army's weapons are than the Russian ones. And in general - is it better?
Judging by all the signs, the United States currently does not have superiority (at least overwhelming), despite the gigantic amounts of military appropriations. And there is an explanation for this. It consists of the main goals and objectives of the American military-industrial complex.
How does the American military-industrial complex work?
It's all about private ownership. American arms manufacturers are interested in observing the fundamental law of capitalist society, for which His Majesty Profit is the main shrine. Technical solutions that require little, even brilliant ones, are usually rejected outright. The new must be expensive, technologically rich, complex, and have an impressive appearance so that taxpayers can, after admiring it, be convinced that their hard-earned money was not wasted.
While there is no major war, it is difficult (if not impossible) to assess the effectiveness of these samples. And against a technically weak enemy (such as Iraq, Yugoslavia, Libya or Afghanistan), using the wonders of technology is generally a win-win. Apparently, the US Army is not going to fight a strong enemy. At the very least, it is not making technical preparations for an attack on China, India or Russia in the near future. But spending budget funds on promising secret American weapons is a win-win, but very profitable. The general public is promised hypersonic missiles and fantastic unmanned aircraft. The latter already exist, for example the Predator in strike and reconnaissance versions. True, it is unknown how effective they will be in the face of powerful air defense. Over Afghanistan and Libya they were relatively safe. The newest stealthy Raptor interceptors are also untested in combat, but they are so expensive that even the American budget cannot support them.
The main trend of recent decades
The already mentioned relaxation that came after the victory in the Cold War prompted a change in the structure of spending of the US military budget in favor of preparation for a series of local wars planned in order to achieve a new geopolitical picture beneficial for the US and NATO. from the Russian side since the beginning of the 90s it has been completely ignored. The weapons of the American army were created taking into account their use in precisely such conflicts, which are close in nature to police operations. Advantage was given to tactical means to the detriment of strategic ones. The United States still holds the world lead in the number of nuclear warheads, but most of them were manufactured a long time ago.
Despite the fact that their service life has been extended (for example, the Minutemen - until 2030), even the most cheerful optimists are not confident in their ideal technical condition. The US plans to begin developing new missiles only in 2025. Meanwhile, the Russian state did not miss the opportunity to improve its Against the backdrop of the emerging lag, the American leadership is making attempts to create systems capable of intercepting ICBMs, and are trying to move them as close as possible to the borders of the Russian Federation.
American missile defense systems
According to the plan of overseas strategists, the most likely enemy in a proposed global conflict should be surrounded on all sides by means of detecting and intercepting ICBMs, combined into a single complex. Ideally, Russia should also fall under a kind of “umbrella” woven from invisible satellite orbits and radar beams. New American weapons are already stationed at many bases in Alaska, Greenland, and the British Isles, and they are continuously being modernized. An extensive warning system for a possible nuclear missile strike is based on AN/TPY-2 radar stations located in Japan, Norway and Turkey, countries that have common borders or are closely adjacent to Russia. The Aegis early warning system was installed in Romania. According to the SBIRS program, 34 satellites are being launched into orbit according to plan.
Space resources (both literally and figuratively) are spent on all these preparations, but their real effectiveness raises certain doubts due to the fact that Russian missiles can overcome the most modern missile defense systems - both existing and being created, and even planned.
"Trunks" for export
American advanced weapons account for approximately 29% of global defense exports. Russia is coming “on the heels” of the United States with its 27 percent. The reason for the success of domestic manufacturers lies in the simplicity, efficiency, reliability and relative cheapness of the products they offer. In order to promote their goods, Americans have to act in different ways, including using political influence on the governments of importing countries.
Sometimes simplified and cheaper designs are developed for the foreign market. American small arms, which in most cases are modifications of time-tested and combat experience-tested models that have been in service since the Vietnam War (M-16, M-18 rapid-fire carbines), enjoy well-deserved success in many countries. The newest “barrels” are considered to be the P-226 pistol developed in the 80s, the Mark 16 and 17 assault rifle and other successful designs, but in terms of popularity they are far from the Kalashnikov due, again, to their high cost and complexity.
"Javelin" - American anti-tank weapon
The use of guerrilla warfare, the complex nature of the modern theater of war, and the advent of compact man-portable weapons have revolutionized the science of tactics. The fight against armored vehicles has become one of the most important tasks. Due to the expansion of the geography of local conflicts in the world, the demand for American anti-tank weapons is possible. The reason for the shift in import channels is not primarily the superiority of overseas samples over Russian ones, it lies in political motives. The Javelin anti-tank missile system has recently become most famous in connection with negotiations on possible deliveries from the United States to Ukraine. The new complex costs $2 million and includes a sighting and launch system and ten rockets. The Ukrainian side agrees to purchase used units, but at a price of $500 thousand. How the negotiations will end and whether the deal will take place is still unknown.
Due to protective customs duties in Russia, high transport taxes and fuel costs, powerful American cars have become unpopular in our country. Just 5 years ago, the share of cars from the USA on the Russian market was large. Today our car market is unrecognizable. But this does not mean that attention to the North American auto industry has completely disappeared. Many car enthusiasts are still fans of American-made cars. Today we offer the TOP 10 from the USA with high torque.
Many of us know that the number of horsepower does not clearly indicate that the car is powerful and very fast. The main indicator in any car, in addition to horsepower, is the maximum torque, which is different for all models. This is why cars with the same amount of horsepower but different maximum torque do not accelerate from 0-100 km/h at the same rate.
GM 6.2-liter V8
Times are tough for all automakers in America as they all need to comply with legal regulations related to fuel economy. Every year the requirements become stricter and stricter.
Cadillac CTS-V Wagon
Yes, we were not mistaken when we re-included one model in our rating. But this is a different model. The CTS-V station wagon has 747 Nm of torque. But unlike a sedan, a station wagon offers much more cargo space, allowing even large families to quickly get from point A to point B with plenty of belongings.
Tesla Model S
Electric cars are still rare vehicles in the global car market. But we couldn't get past this American electric car model, which is currently in production. This . Believe it or not, this all-electric model has 600 Nm of torque. The machine is equipped with an 85 kW/hour battery. The range on a fully charged battery is 426 km. This is the best electric car in the world in terms of range.
We deliberately did not show a large number of high-torque vehicles on our list, as we compiled the rating to highlight the best car in each class. We've selected one of the best cars from each car segment for maximum torque. In particular, we have not forgotten about the electric segment of vehicles.
Military aviation has always attracted a lot of public attention. And, if at the time of its inception it delighted with its efficiency, today it surprises with its capabilities and the presence of a mass of high-tech solutions. We live in a very unstable world, in which local conflicts occur every now and then, but perhaps the only advantage of this is the opportunity to observe the best works of engineering in action. We have combined them into a rating the best military fighters in the world, which can not only surprise you with the technical progress of the defense industry, but also make you proud of your own country, because most of the leading positions belong to Russian aircraft. As they say, “First things first, the planes...”
10. Dassault “Mirage” 2000 (France)
French aviation has noticeably improved since the Second World War, when it was completely destroyed by the German army. Attempts to conduct an independent foreign policy required a strong army, so 30 years ago the Mirage military aircraft appeared, which immediately became the main fighter of the French Air Force and did not give up this position for two decades, because it performed excellently in peacekeeping operations in North Africa, as a result of which began to be purchased en masse by India. It was in this region that he found himself: the successful destruction of enemy aircraft and headquarters, as well as guided missile attacks, broke the rebel resistance in a couple of days. According to some reports, despite being discontinued in 2006, Dassault 2000 participated in the Libyan War, where it caused stunning damage to the military equipment of Gaddafi's army.
9.
Just a couple of years ago, the Falcon, ranked ninth in the ranking of the best fighters in the world, was the most common combat aircraft in the world. Low cost and quality indicators made it the main export product of the American Air Force. As of today, there are 4,750 F-16 fighters worldwide. The modernized version will be produced at least until the end of 2017. Pictures of this aircraft were repeatedly captured by military reporters; it managed to take part in 100 conflicts, the most famous of which are the NATO Operation against Yugoslav troops and the Iraq War. The Israeli Army's F-16 Fighting Falcons are the most capable combat fighters. According to official data, they have forty air victories.
8.
Although prototypes have not yet taken part in combat operations, and its commissioning is planned for 2018, it has already incorporated the leading developments of domestic engineers. Compared to its predecessor, it will become more economical in terms of fuel consumption, but at the same time, it will create more conditions for pilot comfort: from automated flight control during aiming to an increased volume of air created by an autonomous oxygen station. The only fly in the ointment, in our opinion, is the too early attempts of the Russian Ministry of Defense to involve it in international tenders, because the radar and some equipment are still not brought to ideal condition. A positive feature of this model is the cost of production; for example, the French produce aircraft with similar characteristics at two to three times the price.
7.
The most successful American project of the last forty years ranks seventh in the top ten best combat fighters in the world. The F-15 Eagle is guaranteed to remain in service until 2025, which means it will have time to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary. Amazingly, over such a long period, the Eagle was defeated in an air battle only once, while destroying about a hundred enemy aircraft. This fighter is connected with the story of an Israeli Air Force pilot named Peled, who during the military conflict in Syria was able to destroy six enemy aircraft and cause significant damage to four more. Currently, six hundred F-15s are in service with various countries, and they are not going to be written off, because on average problems occur only once every 50 thousand flight hours.
6.
The crown of thought of French aircraft designers in the context of fourth generation fighters. The only drawback is the high cost of production, which requires the involvement of a lot of precision engineering objects. Having started its journey with the war in Afghanistan 15 years ago, the Rafale has proven its effectiveness in the fight against the Libyan army. It is worth noting that the “victims” of the Rafale were most often domestic fighters and helicopters in service with the Libyan Air Force. Speaking of modern times, Dassault is mostly involved in training exercises and has only carried out strikes against Islamic State forces in Iraq on a few occasions. It is also associated with a lot of incidents when the plane crashed or exploded in the air, but the manufacturer has proven that the cause of such situations is most often the human factor.
5.
The most reliable domestic aircraft is located at the equator of the ranking of the best military fighters in the world. He repeatedly proved his superiority during the exercises. Forming the backbone of the Indian Air Force, the Su-30 defeated American and British competitors in training battles, and in most cases, dryly. Also, it was Sukhoi that ensured the success of the operation of the Russian military space forces in Syria, and played a decisive role in the liberation of Palmyra. Over a quarter of a century, only 9 incidents were recorded, most of which were caused by an engine fire or insufficient fuel; fortunately, there were no military casualties, with the exception of a Vietnamese Air Force plane crashing into the sea.
4.
The only fighter created by the joint efforts of the countries of the European Union and proven its effectiveness during real combat operations (coalition operations in Syria and Iraq). Its undoubted advantage is the ability to interfere with enemy radars and, thereby, correct the direction of flight of guided missiles, so the absence of losses should not be a surprise. Another advantage is the maximum firing range; according to this indicator, the Typhoon surpasses its closest competitors by as much as one hundred kilometers. Today, the countries of Europe and the Middle East are armed with about half a thousand fighters, each of which has a unique modification and production technology.
3.
The aircraft, which opens the top three among the best military fighters in the world, requires special attention, because it will form the backbone of the aviation wing of our country’s permanent military base in Syria. The secrecy of production for a long time forced potential buyers to avoid investing in a risky project, but participation in combat operations, where the Su-35 covered the main attack forces of the Russian Aerospace Forces, attracted a lot of attention to it. Considering that the aircraft is an extremely thorough modernization of the Su-27 (this is evidenced by the identical airframe), the fighter serves as proof of the durability of domestic military equipment, and also speaks of following traditions in aviation. Unfortunately, information about participation in exercises or battles with the enemy was not presented to the public.
2.
Multifunctional, economical, effective - in general, this is the best fighter produced in the United States. From 2014 to today, he has formed the backbone of the Air Force in Syria, where, having begun the fight against radical Islamists, he continues to create significant problems for IS troops. A noteworthy case is when the pilot, in one combat mission, not only completed a combat mission, but also remained in a certain area for another six hours, while not being noticed by enemy forces and transmitting the coordinates of the enemy positions who were trying to evacuate the base. Over the past two years, the F-22 has successfully completed approximately 210 combat missions. The entire operational period includes only two cases of loss during conflict, which indicates the high quality and reliability of the Raptor.
1. Sukhoi T-50 (Russia)
Palm in the ranking and title the best military fighter in the world receives the Sukhoi T-50 - the first domestic fifth-generation aircraft capable of simultaneous combat with several opponents located both in the sky and on the ground. This was made possible thanks to increased maneuverability and advanced technology. Even Western experts praised the first steps of Russian engineers in creating fighters with stealth reduction technology, but in practice it is not possible to draw any solid conclusions: all tests are carried out behind closed doors, and the final configuration of the prototype will be presented only in a year and a half.
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We could not ignore the best Soviet fighter, which is still in service both in post-Soviet countries and among allies in the communist camp, because he is in the top ten. It is noteworthy that the Su 27 becomes a participant in any computer flight simulator. Also, this aircraft is the only domestically produced fighter that took part in hostilities in Central Africa, where it neutralized 3 enemy aircraft without loss, and the only identified disadvantage is the rather high fuel consumption during afterburner.
The fastest car in the world - Hennessy Venom GT, which tore up the high-tech Bugatti Veyron. What's under the hood? A very powerful and very “evil” American V8, which is structurally not so different from the legends of the late 50s. In this review we will talk about the most iconic engines of this family.
By the way, this is the second part of the “novel”. , which you should definitely check out, we talked about the birth of the V8 format and the “warmest hearts” of American cars from the early 30s to the late 50s. So, let's move on.
Chrysler RB
FirePower with hemispherical combustion chambers was very difficult to produce and, accordingly, expensive on the market. In 1958, Chrysler released Engine B to replace it, and a year later Engine RB (Raised B), which differed from each other only in piston stroke and, therefore, volume with the same cylinder diameter. Let's talk about the RB line, since it was this that was installed in the most powerful factory configurations of the corporation's model range in the period from 1959 to 1979.
RB was produced in four versions - 383 (6.3 l), 413 (6.8 l), 426 (7 l) and 440 (7.2 l), and at different times they took their place under the hoods of almost all Chrysler models, starting with the huge full-size from the '60 Chrysler Saratoga sedan to top-of-the-line '70s pony cars like the Dodge Challenger and Plymouth Barracuda. The 383 RB lasted only a year, giving way to the 383 B, which was in quite stable demand.
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At the time of its introduction, the 413-inch RB became Chrysler's largest engine in the post-war period and boasted 380 “mares”, which was an incredibly impressive result in the very early 60s. The 413 RB was not originally intended to be used in motorsport, but it has proven itself in heavy road cars, and God himself ordered that we squeeze as much as possible out of this engine. This is where the story of the legendary Max Wedge engines with wedge-shaped combustion chambers begins. In 1962, anyone could buy a 413 Max Wedge with two four-barrel carburetors and a Cross Ram intake manifold, producing nearly 420 hp. Naturally, the RB immediately became one of the most popular engines in motorsport in the first half of the 60s.
However, the 413 block, despite its impressive output, did not take root on the tracks, because it provided the required level of torque in a very narrow rev range, and in 1963 it was replaced by the 426 Max Wedge (not to be confused with the 426 Hemi). The power was comparable to its predecessor, but the engine was much more flexible, which made it a welcome guest both on drag strips and in various circuit series. The Max Wedge has set several NHRA records, the most notable of which is 8.59 seconds in the AA/D class (Jim Nelson, Dodge Coronet, 1963). In 1965, the 426 Max Wedge took the place of the 426 Hemi in the Chrysler lineup.
In 1966, the titanic 440 engine appeared, which was installed on many full-size sedans due to its huge torque, and in 1967 its forced 375-horsepower version was presented in the Plymouth GTX (Super Commando) and the R/T Dodge (Magnum) trim level. The 440 Max Wedge, despite the fact that it produced significantly less power as stock than the 426 Hemi, was cheaper, simpler and more accessible in the context of tuning, and therefore is ubiquitous on the strip to this day.
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Pictured: Plymouth GTX
The most widespread and popular was the 396 engine, which appeared in the Corvette and Chevelle in 1965, and was later installed in the Monte-Carlo, Impala, Nova, Camaro and the GM line of pickup trucks. In its factory version, the seven-liter BBC II produced up to 375 hp. The following year, the 427-inch big-block appeared as an option on the Corvette and full-size Chevrolets. The most powerful modification was the all-aluminum ZL1, developed for the Can-Am racing series. The ZL1 made 430 horsepower while weighing the same as a 5.7-liter small block. This engine could be ordered either at the factory or from a dealer, but this whim, without any exaggeration, simply doubled the cost of the car. A total of two Corvettes and 69 Camaros in ZL1 trim were produced.
In 1970, the volume of the BBC II increased again, this time to 454 cc. inches (7.4 l). The engine was installed in Corvette and full-size Chevrolet (Caprice, Chevelle, Monte Carlo, El Camino), and later in GM pickups and SUVs in an already derated version. The output of stock engines reached 450 hp, but the scope for tuning was almost limitless.
The Big Block Chevy reigned supreme in the Can-Am racing series during its time, and engines built from it continue to dominate NHRA Pro Stock and other high-volume drag racing classes. You may never be able to buy a new GM passenger car with BBC II on board, but Chevrolet Performance can still offer you the king of all factory GM engines - a 9.4-liter (572 cu. in.), 720-horsepower naturally aspirated monster. $17,903 and it's yours. No delivery or installation.
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Chrysler Hemi
With the 7.0-liter Hemi in 1964, Tom Hoover and his team of Chrysler engineers made lightning strike in the same place a second time. Seeking a competitive advantage in NASCAR and drag racing, it was decided to retain the 1951-1958 FirePower cylinder head design and adapt it to the B/RB short block. It was in 1964 that Hemi became the official trademark of the Chrysler Corporation, although many historians call it Hemi II, referring to the first Chrysler engine with FirePower hemispherical combustion chambers. Almost immediately, the nickname “Elephant” (Elephant) stuck to this engine due to its impressive dimensions, weight and serious power.
Throughout its history (1965-1971), 11,000 Hemi left the Chrysler plant, which were delivered to the market only in the 426 cc (7 L) version and produced 425 hp. It is worth noting that the “civilian” version, available to any buyer if he had the required amount, was essentially a derated version of the engine “tailored” for motorsport.
The Hemi first appeared at the Daytona 500 under the hood of the racing version of the Plymouth Belvedere, which, driven by the legendary Richard Petty, crushed the competition. The following season, the Hemi was banned from NASCAR due to the fact that this engine was not available to ordinary buyers and therefore did not meet homologation requirements. However, many experts agree that this is just the result of the efforts of competitors, who at that time had nothing to oppose to the new Chrysler engine. Later, the ban was lifted, and thanks to Hemi, Chrysler won the Constructors' Championship twice (1970, 1971), and drivers driving Dodge and Plymouth won the NASCAR individual championship five times from 1964 to 1971.
Pictured: Plymouth Belvedere Hemi RO23
In addition, the Hemi has always been favored in the world of drag racing; it was installed everywhere where regulations did not prohibit it, starting with Super Stock cars and ending with Top Fuel cars. By the way, today engines used in almost all professional classes of drag championships around the world (Pro Stock, Pro Mod, Funny Car, Top Fuel, Top Methanol) have the basic architecture of the 1964 Chrysler Hemi 426.
The Hemi boost resource is almost limitless. For example, by boring the block and replacing the crankshaft, connecting rods and pistons, the engine capacity was increased to 572 cc. inches (9.4 l), which made it possible to remove about 700 forces. And when using supercharging and various variations of fuel mixtures, the return was absolutely cosmic. (See article about Top Fuel).
Hemi can be found in the top trim levels of many Dodge (Challenger, Charger, Daytona, Coronet, Super Bee) and Plymouth (GTX, Belvedere, Road Runner, Barracuda, Superbird). Today, original cars with Hemi under the hood, due to its exclusivity, are sold at auctions for incredible amounts of money. Thus, the Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible recently sold for $3,500,000, which is not at all surprising considering that only 11 cars were produced.
Chevrolet LS-series
To begin with, I will allow myself a small lyrical digression from the “boiled” series. To be honest, the indexing of GM engines has always left me in a helpless stupor due to the complete absence of any traceable logical connections. For example, LS3 is an engine that appeared in 2008 in the Chevrolet Corvette, but the 402 cc BBC II from the second half of the 60s had exactly the same index.
For greater clarity, we will talk below about the GM Small Block V8 of the third (Gen III) and fourth (Gen IV) generations. Oh yes, so that it becomes completely clear, or, on the contrary, it ceases to be clear at all, LS-series motors have nothing to do with (SBC), released in 1955. Personally, I will operate in terms of LS Gen III and LS Gen IV. This is not entirely correct, but I don’t see any other way of presenting the subject matter without your brain melting from confusion in notation.
If the original SBC defined the development of the V8 with a camshaft in the cylinder block, then the LS-series engines have advanced in this direction to a fundamentally new level. The archaic 16-valve V8 was simply unable to compete with modern DOHC engines, but the lightweight and compact LS allowed the fifth and sixth generation Corvettes to become world-class sports cars without any reservations.
In 2005, the fourth generation of the LS-series was released, which differed from the third in its larger engine capacity, more efficient timing, and an optional partial cylinder deactivation system to reduce fuel consumption in quiet engine operating modes. We are interested in the most powerful representatives of Gen IV, namely LS2 (6 l, 400 hp), LS3 (6.2 l, 430 hp), LS7 (7 l, 505 hp), as well as LS9 ( 6 l, 638 hp) and LSA (6.2 l, 580 hp), equipped with a mechanical supercharger. These engines, depending on the output, were installed in various trim levels of the Corvette, Camaro and Cadillac CTS-V.
It was thanks to the LS-series that America was able to compete with European high-tech engines. And as we can see from reviews of auto journalists and numerous videos, we compete more than successfully. As for his sports career, the Chevrolet Corvette has almost 7 victories in its class at Le Mans. If we talk about these engines in the context of amateur drag racing and various areas of customization, then the LS is loved and respected there, because sticking some kind of LS2 under the hood is the least labor-intensive way to make your car go really fast. Today, LS family engines can be found everywhere - both on the chassis of a classic American pickup truck from the 50s somewhere in Sweden, and in a Nissan Silvia at the New Zealand stage of the D1 drift series.
So what did you say about the victory over Bugatti?
As a conclusion, I will give a few numbers. Today's fastest production car, the Hennessy Venom GT, accelerated to 435 km/h, successfully surpassing the Guinness record held by the Bugatti Veyron. In terms of all dynamic indicators, the Veyron also remained out of the running: 13.63 seconds to 300 km/h for the Venom GT versus 16 seconds for the Bugatti. Whereby? Thanks to the Twin-Turbo LS7, which has 4 times fewer valves, half as many cylinders and boost is provided by two turbines instead of four, unlike the German supercar with Italian roots. Oh yes, Hennessy has an honest manual six-speed transmission and an equally honest rear-wheel drive without any auxiliary systems.
On occasion, you can trump these facts when some presumptuous amateur tells you that lower-level “eights” have long outlived their usefulness. It’s just that in America they discovered the secret of speed a long time ago, and no one there is interested in reinventing a bicycle that might go faster if you attach a third pedal to it.
Military vehicles - be they tanks, armored personnel carriers, trucks or anything else - are extremely heavy. At the same time, they must perform the most difficult tasks in the most difficult conditions, and therefore such machines need incredibly powerful engines. Today we will talk about the “strongest” and most voracious examples of military equipment that are in service with the American army.
1. IAV Stryker
The US Army has made many different vehicles based on the Stryker. Wherein IAV Stryker armored personnel carrier takes pride of place as one of the most voracious and powerful. This beauty is powered by a Caterpillar diesel engine with a power of 350 hp. Among military vehicles of its class, Stryker is one of the five fastest accelerating to 100 km/h on the highway. By the way, this is the only vehicle that impressed Russian experts following the results of the American Iraq campaign.
2. AAV-7
An amphibious landing vehicle that was used until the 80s by the US Marine Corps. Due to its professional specifics, it has a very powerful engine producing up to 525 hp. Although this vehicle is no longer purchased by the American army, it is still used by individual units.
3.RG-33
The RG family of armored vehicles has been used by the US Army since 2007. Like all military vehicles of its class, it has an incredibly powerful engine. Good old diesel is used as fuel. The unit produces 400 hp. Depending on the modification, 4x4 or 6x6 wheelbases are used. This workhorse performs a wide variety of tasks.
4. International MaxxPro Dash
A small specialized armored personnel carrier of the American army. This vehicle replaced the ill-fated HMMWV ("Humvee") in 2007, during the campaign in Iraq. The secret of the replacement is simple. At that point, 69% of American casualties in killed and wounded came from improvised explosive device explosions. The well-known HMMWV took the sad leadership palm in this matter - in 8 out of 10 cases, the Hummer became a mass grave of infantry.
New International MaxxPro Dash They turned out not only stronger, but also more powerful. An engine with 400 “horses” was stuffed into the car.
5. Bradley Fighting Vehicle
Everyone has seen this American armored personnel carrier at least once in films, news broadcasts or computer games. Perhaps this is the third most popular vehicle after the Abrams tank and the already mentioned unfortunate Hummer. "Heart" Bradley capable of squeezing out 600 horsepower.
6. M60 AVLB
When they talk about military equipment, they most often talk about tanks and guns. M60 AVLB- also military equipment, but it has never killed anyone! At least directly... In any case, this engineering miracle is used to install crossings. In order for this hulk to move, a variety of engines from different manufacturers were stuffed into it. These include products from Continental Motors. At the same time, all engines produced 750 “horses”.
7. M109 Howitzer
American self-propelled artillery unit. It has been serving the US Army for more than half a century, having at one time replaced the unsuccessful M44. Used in other countries such as Germany and South Korea. This hulking hulk is powered by a 405 hp engine.
8. M9 ACE
Another US Army engineering vehicle is the M9 ACE. It’s not difficult to guess that this is a bulldozer, although the list of tasks performed may vary depending on the specific modification. Can be used as a mining machine. Powered by a 295 horsepower engine.
9. M88A2 Hercules
And here’s another interesting engineering machine that doesn’t kill anyone, but just the opposite – it saves. This is an M88A2 Hercules, used primarily for the evacuation of disabled equipment. A real field medic among machines. Powered by a powerful 750 hp engine. Diesel is still used as fuel.
10. M1 Abrams
Of course, one cannot remember such a crown bearer of the US armed forces as the M1 Abrams tank. A 1,500 hp engine is installed in the Abrams universal base. This is a serious, constantly modernizing machine in all respects. By the way, the new Russian universal base “Armata” has an engine of comparable power with the same 1500 hp. At the same time, the American brother loses to the Russian in power reserve and speed. The Abrams base has a range of no more than 480 km, while the Armata does not fall below 500 km. The highway speed at the Russian base is 80 km/h (minimum), while the American base is only 66 km/h.
It will be interesting to see for both those who served in the army and those who have absolutely nothing to do with it.
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