1-194-034 - National Motor Museum/Heritage Images

Railton Special Land Speed Record car, Brooklands, Surrey, 1938. John Cobb is pictured in the car with its designer, Reid Railton, standing alongside holding the cockpit canopy. Cobb set Land Speed Records in this car at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, USA. In 1947, when he set the record at 394.19 mph, on one of the required two runs he exceeded 400 mph, the first man to break this barrier. He was killed in 1952 when, attempting to break the water speed record, his boat disintegrated at high speed on Loch Ness.