Ted Jones (hydroplanes)
Tudor Owen ("Ted") Jones (died January 9, 2000) was a hydroplane designer and builder.
Biography
[edit]According to Tex Johnston, "Seattleite Ted Jones, a keen marine engineer, designed a revolutionary speedboat, the hydroplane, supported at high speed by two sponsons - streamlined, buoyant, lateral extensions - attached to the forward sides of the boat's wide, flat body. The hydroplane was powered by an Allison aircraft engine identical to the one I modified for Cobra II."[1]
One of his boats, the Slo-Mo-Shun IV, won the 1950 Gold Cup, and set a water speed record (160.323 mph) in Lake Washington, off Seattle (USA)'s Sand Point, on June 26, 1950, breaking the previous (10+ year-old) record (141.740 mph) by almost 20 mph. He also designed several other unlimited hydroplanes that won the APBA Challenge Cup.
Legacy
[edit]His son, Ron Jones, Sr., and grandson Ron Jones, Jr. both also had distinguished careers with unlimited hydroplane racing.
Award
[edit]He was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2003.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ Johnston, A.M. "Tex" (1992). Tex Johnston, Jet-Age Test Pilot. New York: Bantam. p. 215. ISBN 9780553295870.
- ^ Ted Jones at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
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