(JET ENGINE ROARS)
(INDISTINCT RADIO INSTRUCTIONS)
I told him it wouldn't work.
Welcome to Scrapheap Challenge,
where two teams endeavour to build
madcap machines from the flotsam
to be found here, on the heap.
It's chocks away as our teams
construct propeller-powered cars
brisk enough to breeze it in a straight-line sprint
and manoeuvrable enough to negotiate our aeronautical obstacle course.
ROBERT: Team one are a trio of cool corporate cats
with a need for speed.
With names like Barfy, Big George and team captain Smarty,
they may sound like three of the Seven Dwarfs,
but they are, in fact, The Fireblades.
LISA: Hoping to extinguish The Fireblades' challenge are team two.
Roo, Captain Pete and his brother Frog
are bearded British bike nuts
who love the smell of burning rubber
in the morning.
They're The Thirsty Knights.
Fireblades! ALL: Yes!
Thirsty Knights! Let's have it!
Welcome, teams.
Now, over the next two days, you will certainly be earning
your Scrapheap wings.
Don't worry. You won't be taking to the skies.
But your mechanical mission does involve the manufacture
of propeller-driven cars!
(EXCLAIMS)
LISA: Oh, yes.
Devoid of a drive shaft to turn your wheels,
your aeronautical automobiles must be powered and steered
by propeller alone.
As ever, there's a catch.
You have just 10 hours to structure your Spitfire-style saloons.
Fireblades, can you outrev those Knights?
Course we can. Yes, definitely!
Thirsty Knights, are you ready for a mechanical crusade?
ALL: Yes! Bring it on!
Wait for it. Wait for it.
BOTH: Go!
LISA: Ensuring that The Fireblades don't crash and burn
is an old friend of the show -
the 'air' apparent to the title
of propeller president.
He's hovercraft designer and builder John Gifford.
Right, come across.
ROBERT: Directing the Knights' charge is another Scrapheap icon.
Infamous for his airborne adventures
on our unforgettable "first flight" special,
he's madcap inventor
and microlight enthusiast
Billy Brooks.
LISA: Wasting no time, it's off to the drawing board,
and The Fireblades seem to want to build
a propeller-powered three-wheeled go-kart.
My idea on this at the moment is that we could have something with
possibly larger wheels at the back,
probably we just do it as a single wheel at the front - why have two?
On that front wheel, something like a scooter wheel or scooter forks...
Yeah, something like that, which we can then angle at the right angle
to get it to castor.
ROBERT: And the Knights' plans seem very similar to their opponents'.
Air-powered and, most importantly, air-steered.
Lightweight, high power output,
and with the biggest prop or fan that we can find...
A light chassis. And a light chassis.
As light a chassis as possible. That's right. Absolutely.
Fairly big back wheels, triangular. Yep.
So we need something like a Reliant Robin.
LISA: The Fireblades' chassis will be produced
by stripping down a Robin Reliant or similar three-wheeler.
The Reliant's engine will be replaced by a bigger motor
that will power a rear-mounted aeroplane propeller.
Steering will be provided by giant rudders
deflecting the airflow from the propeller.
The combination of a large propeller and light chassis
means that this vehicle could achieve some impressive straight-line speed,
but steering could be unresponsive and clumsy.
Whoa! (CRASH!)
No-one's done anything like this before,
so you can't really go... you can't equate back.
That's beginning to sound good, to use a transmission system
in something existing,
but it's got to be light.
Yep. Ahh. So...
Reliant chassis. Maybe. Maybe.
'Cause you've already got the single front wheel and...
...disconnect the steering and it castors.
Yeah, magic. If you can find one. Yep. Yep.
LISA: Like The Fireblades,
The Thirsty Knights plan to use the chassis of a cut-down Robin Reliant.
But, unlike their competitors,
they intend to use the Reliant's engine
to power an industrial fan or plane propeller.
It'll have no need for rudders
as it'll be steered by moving the whole of the propeller assembly.
If all goes to plan, this should be a very manoeuvrable vehicle.
But the puny Reliant engine may make it hard for the Knights to compete
in the straight-line sprint.
(SNAIL JEERS)
We need to start having a... a shopping list now, really, don't we?
So, what we need is something like a Reliant Robin.
First priority is gonna be our fan or prop.
Second, we need a chassis,
preferably already with three wheels on it, like a Reliant.
So we need... That's all we need, all of that.
Once we've got that, we can crack on.
Right, go.
Quick as you can. Cheers, boys. No problem. Thanks.
(ENGINE REVS)
LISA: And so begins today's Heath Robinson head to head.
Are we moving yet?
(SIGHS)
ROBERT: Norfolk bikers The Thirsty Knights and their expert, Bill,
are planning to chop up a Robin Reliant
to produce the chassis of their flying car.
Unbeknownst to the Knights,
West London office boys The Fireblades and their expert, John,
are also on the hunt for a three-wheeled auto.
Unfortunately, at the last count,
there was only one of these British classics on the heap.
And it's The Thirsty Knights' eagle-eyed scavengers, Frog and Roo,
who've made the all-important find.
Looks like Roo has found a Reliant of some kind. He's just checking it out.
Splendid.
Steve? Yeah?
I think that Robin Reliant we spotted has been taken by the other team,
so we'll have to look for something similar.
OK, have you seen anything else out there?
No, not yet, but we're still looking.
OK, guys, do what you can. That's a bit of a gutter.
LISA: So it's first blood to the Knights,
and missing out on a three-wheeler
has been a massive blow to The Fireblades.
We've got to get what we can. Yep. Yep.
LISA: As Barfy and Big George
frantically search for an alternative donor vehicle,
The Thirsty Knights scavengers are on their way back to base
with the coveted Reliant, rubbing salt into The Fireblades' wounds.
They've pinched our beast. Just bring it in here, Frog!
He didn't either.
We asked him nicely. Yeah.
Mind the paintwork!
Grab it. No!
ROO: Right, I'll be back.
Shall I go looking for... Yeah, go looking for a prop.
LISA: With the Reliant safely back in the Knights' build area,
the team captain wastes no time
in beginning the necessary modifications.
Pete and his fellow Knights are not often found stroking their beards
and discussing their next move.
Yeah. It's all there, isn't it?
ROBERT: If you find yourself
in the sleepy Norfolk village of Old Buckenham,
be afraid!
Be very afraid!
You may find yourself face to face with Pete, Roo and Frog,
collectively known as The Thirsty Knights.
Captain Pete's penchant for tinkering began early.
Well, I was probably about four
and started taking my dad's gramophone apart.
By the time I was 12, I could put it back together again.
ROBERT: Two peas in a pod?
Pete, the team captain, is my brother.
I've known him for quite a long time.
We were actually Siamese twins joined at the haircut.
ROBERT: Believe it or not, Roo is not a blood relation.
If we had to make a sewing machine, I'd find that odd.
He could make a toaster go along the road.
ROBERT: He's not joking.
We are The Thirsty Knights.
Before you laugh at ours... Look at your own!
Morning, Thirsty Knights. How you doing?
You've done very well, actually, so far.
I've noticed you got the three-wheel car.
Yeah. Pipped them to the post.
No, we brought that for ourselves, not for the program.
Oh, that's just for you, is it? Yeah. Yes.
Just gonna do that up, take it home. (BOTH LAUGH)
But, I mean, no, it does sound quite...
'Cause you're not gonna, presumably, use the steering
that's on the three-wheeler?
No, no steering or drive off a car, anything.
All steered by... Use the car as a rollerskate.
Right, so it's just a rollerskate with a big fan on the back? Yeah.
If we can find a fan.
Is that what the search is at the moment?
Yeah. Get the big fan.
Well, guys, I'd better let you get on and find your prop,
'cause that's kind of important.
Right. Thank you. OK. See you later on, guys.
Cheers. Bye-bye. Good luck.
LISA: Having missed out on the Reliant,
it's time for a crisis meeting
between expert John and Captain Smarty
in The Fireblades' build area.
Well, if the worst came to the worst, what we need is a decent back axle
that we'd have to just literally weld a triangular section...
We're not looking at anything too technical anyway, so...
No.
LISA: And The Fireblades' luck is about to change.
Steve, I think I've found something we can use. It's actually a trailer.
Bring it in.
ROBERT: Finding the trailer is one thing,
but hauling it from the heap is quite another.
It's Chris. We could do with a lift, mate.
SMARTY: Do you need a hand?
OK.
ROBERT: Lmpressive stuff from The Fireblades,
especially considering that humping and carrying
is not part of everyday life for these smooth operators.
LISA: A faceless office by a roundabout just off the M4.
Ring any bells?
Don't be fooled. You'll not find any David Brents here.
That's because this is no ordinary office.
And Steve, aka Smarty, Chris, aka Barfy,
and Big George
may be middle managers between 9:00 and 5:00,
but in their hearts...
...they're The Fireblades.
Fireblades comes from the most famous sports racing bike
that's probably ever been invented.
It's exactly the same as us. It's built for speed.
I think this is a finely engineered piece of kit
and we just about hang together.
LISA: Well, these boys have been off the shop floor for a few years.
(TYRES SQUEAL)
We may be rusty, but I'm sure with a bit of WD-40,
we'll soon be oiled up and ready to go.
Come out quite easy, didn't it? So, Fireblades.
BOTH: Hello. Hi.
I hear you missed out on the Reliant Robin.
Yes. Yeah.
Did you particularly want that? That was part of the plan, but...
We needed a triangular chassis, so we're quite happy with the trailer,
'cause we haven't got to take the body off.
All that grinding and stuff going on over there
is them taking the body off, that we haven't got to do.
It's better you didn't get it? Yeah.
Yeah. At the moment, yeah. At the moment.
We don't need none of the steering controls or anything like that, so...
Just need the chassis? We just need the chassis.
Fantastic. What you looking for now? We're looking for an engine.
Yeah. We want one powerful enough to, um...
Again, it's not got to drive the wheels,
it's got to drive a prop so we get the right r.p.m., so, uh...
So, what kind of size engine are you looking for?
It doesn't really matter. One that works.
Yeah.
We've been sent out for about 1,200cc,
but, um, the choice out here at the moment's not that wide,
so if we can find one that goes, then, um...
That'll do the job. That'll be the one for us.
You sound like and look like you know what you're doing. Very best of luck.
And I hope you can find a decent engine.
Alright. Cheers. 'Bye. See you later.
You ready? Yep.
(ENGINE STARTS AND STOPS)
(ENGINE ROARS) Hey!
ROBERT: The Thirsty Knights don't need to search for a power source,
as they've decided that their Reliant's engine
will be man enough for the challenge.
So as Roo and Frog begin the hunt for the all-important prop,
Captain Pete and expert Bill begin stripping the three-wheeler
of all but the necessary components.
That's one door off. You nasty man.
If we can get a socket on that crank pulley and a ratchet
or speed wrench...
Ah! Good morning, good morning. Good morning, Rob.
This is all looking very impressive. You've got the vehicle stripped down.
Oh, vandalised. Well, vandalised, yes.
Been beautifully vandalised.
The way you'll steer is you'll have the fan running,
and you could have it so the whole fan turns.
Is that one of the...
Yeah, we're thinking about... we're thinking about a CV...
...constant velocity joint, a car front-wheel-steering joint,
on the back of a shaft
so that we can vector the fan off.
If we use a CV joint, then we're using the fan exactly the same way
as the front wheel of a front-wheel-drive car that is driven.
So we have the shaft through the CV joint, the steering,
exactly the same as one front wheel of a front-wheel-drive car.
So that would be a direct link from the drive shaft...
Straight up off the drive shaft... ...up to there.
This fan is a slight problem.
We can't find anything remotely resembling a fan.
Remotely fanlike. I mean, do you need...
Would the best thing of all
be something like an aeroplane propeller?
Oh, oh, oh, please! I see. That's what you're hoping for.
Yeah, but, you know...
Or a large log and a penknife and about three days.
That's right. Yeah. Yeah.
LISA: When it comes to power and steering,
the Knights are keeping it simple.
They plan to disconnect the Reliant's drive shaft from the rear wheels
and extend the shaft behind the car,
allowing the engine to power their propeller.
By attaching the hub
from a front-wheel-drive car to the propeller
and the car steering column,
the Knights will be able to use the hub's constant velocity joint
to move their prop left and right,
directing the airflow and steering the vehicle.
ROBERT: Over in The Fireblades' build area,
John and Smarty are busy readying their chassis
for the arrival of the engine, if it ever turns up.
But like The Fireblades themselves,
their trailer looks a little rusty around the edges.
Morning. Oh, hello!
How are you doing? Yeah. Alright.
I see a hands-on captain and expert, first thing. Good, good.
Now, propeller cars - how, to layman's eyes,
are you gonna turn what looks like a quite rusty trailer
into a propeller car?
The aim is to get most of the weight near the centre of gravity
over these two wheels
and then put at the very front end a castoring wheel.
Bit like a big supermarket trolley-type wheel.
So you've got the weight there? And how are you doing the steering?
The steering's going to be rudders right at the back.
And they've got to be far back to help give a better steering effect.
(TYRES SCREECH)
LISA: Unlike their bearded competitors,
The Fireblades are committed to using a fixed propeller
mounted on the rear of their trailer.
The fixed propeller means that The Fireblades' flying car
will only be able to travel in a straight line,
not exactly an ideal design on our obstacle course.
To counter this problem, the lads are going to add two movable rudders
to deflect the airflow from their prop,
thus enabling them to steer their aeronautical automobile.
Now, what's on the boys' shopping list?
I was out there on the heap with them a moment ago looking for an engine.
We need about at least a 40-brake-horsepower engine.
But the most important thing is the prop.
If we get the right prop matched to the engine,
then we'll be totally unbeatable.
And they have been gone some time. I...
Gone for a cup of coffee or something.
Enjoy the build. I think it's a fantastic one this week.
It's a cracker. Good luck. I'll see you later on.
Thanks very much. Cheers. Cheers, boys.
ROBERT: Lock up your daughters. It's time to meet today's judge.
He's the debonair flight instructor from TV's 'Spitfire Ace'
and the holder of a staggering 202 aeronautical world records.
He's Brendan O'Brien.
So, Brendan, you're a man
with an alarming amount of aviation experience.
You know how propellers work and what they do.
I mean, what do you think is the key to this build today?
I think it's gonna be weight, Rob. Right.
And in order to move weight, you've got to have thrust.
And I guess if thrust is the king of aerodynamics,
then perhaps drag, which is the opposite of that,
is the queen of aerodynamics.
Effectively, then, drag is purely the friction of the wheels on the ground.
And the more weight they've got, the more drag they've got.
And the less you can have in contact with the surface,
with a greater amount of thrust, the faster it will go.
Certainly from the point of view of weight,
and weight is the fundamental point, I think,
then The Thirsty Knights and Billy Brooks has got it at the moment.
Oh, really? They're the lighter team? I think so, yeah. Absolutely.
From the point of view of the design, then,
are they your favourite at the moment?
Things can change. But at the moment, absolutely, they're my favourites.
LISA: Well, the Knights
have certainly divided their labour wisely.
Frog is continuing the search for the elusive propeller
whilst his fellow scavenger, Roo, has spotted a has-been hatchback
with a front-wheel drive,
the strut and hub of which will be used to make their movable prop.
Ugly beast, isn't it? Well...
ROBERT: Back at base, expert Bill knows exactly what's next
on the to-do list.
Yeah, castoring, castoring. I'm interested in this castoring.
Um...
We want free castoring, don't we? Yep, so, just remove this link?
Yep. And we'll be right.
And the drop arm we can possibly still use to operate our rudders.
LISA: Both teams have opted for a three-wheel chassis
with fixed back wheels.
As their vehicles must be air-steered,
both teams will have to ensure their front wheel
has the ability to castor.
This means their front wheels will spin freely
like the wheels on a shopping trolley,
allowing their flying cars to change direction
as the airflow from their propeller is directed left or right.
But if the front wheel isn't positioned correctly,
it'll start to shake, or shimmy, as they pick up speed,
making for a very erratic ride.
(SCREAMING) (CRASH!)
ROBERT: For The Thirsty Knights, creating a castoring wheel
is simply a case of cutting their Reliant's front wheel free
from the car's steering.
Well, we don't need to do anything with that. Just... That's it.
That's it? Yep. Exactly it. Done.
We've even got the front end of our link back here.
Right, if I push to and fro, you lean on the side at the front.
OK. Alright.
Yep.
ROBERT: Over the wall, The Fireblades will have to put a lot more work
into creating a castoring mechanism for their ageing trailer.
Steve, we've got a jockey wheel for the front.
Do you want us to bring that in?
Bring whatever you've got in right away if you can find it.
No problem at all.
ROBERT: Believe it or not, The Fireblades are confident
that they can rescue the front wheel and forks from this mangled moped
and fashion them into a free-running wheel
for their propellered powerhouse.
We can... we can salvage the forks.
Yeah. Let's go for it at the moment.
There's nothing better, so let's go for that.
I think we should get it over here and get the grinder
and give it a serious shake.
ROBERT: The Fireblades' build area
hasn't exactly been a hive of activity so far.
But the arrival of the moped finally gives John and Smarty
something to get their teeth into.
They spring into action, making up for lost time.
Right.
OK.
Uh, teams, you have seven hours remaining.
Seven hours construction time remaining, teams. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you.
We need a prop, we need a prop. Alright. I'll go and get one.
We're on time, so don't worry about that.
It's just a matter of finding the prop now.
ROBERT: For "needle in haystack", read "propeller in scrapheap".
Get it?
Ah, got it.
Steve, I've found the prop, mate.
Oh, magic. Well done, mate. Well done. Is it huge?
No, not particularly huge.
It's about, um, 4-foot - exactly what John was after.
Sounds perfect. Well done, guys. Well done.
ROBERT: A breakthrough for Barfy and The Fireblades.
But for Thirsty Knights Roo and Frog, the search continues.
Something like this you're looking for?
Ah!
Oh, that looks good.
Oh, that looks... Whoo-hoo!
That looks fantastic.
So that's, uh...
Oh, that's great.
Oh, it's a... wooden...
LISA: And the good news keeps flowing for The Fireblades.
Out on the heap, George seems to have stumbled across
a long-forgotten 4x4 with an ideal engine.
This means The Fireblades now have all the main components
for their wind-driven wonder.
But for The Thirsty Knights, there's still not a blade or vane in sight...
Ah!
LISA: Until Frog happens upon the remnants
of an industrial cooling unit.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine...
Ah! 12 blades.
There's two.
Yeah, Pete. Uh, Pete.
We've found a available 1 metre-diameter,
maybe a little less, uh, 12-blade fan.
BILL: Bring it.
Yeah, bring it in.
ROBERT: Now, the teams have started
to actually throw things together a little bit more.
Yes, they have.
It's an interesting stage because it's halfway through,
and everybody seems to be just about keeping up to speed.
No-one's falling behind. They've got similar-sized engines, 40-horsepower.
They've both got props.
The Fireblades have actually got an aircraft prop
and the other ones have got a heating duct prop,
which is very similar to the sort of thing that's used on hovercraft,
so they're all pretty evenly matched at the moment.
What it's going to be down to next is thrust.
They've got to get the engines working,
they've got to develop a sufficient amount of horsepower,
and, of course, they've got to get the props connected to the engine.
So have you changed your mind at all?
Are you sticking with The Thirsty Knights? Do you think it's changed?
Right now, I'd put it absolutely even. It could be anybody's.
ROBERT: Propeller-based land transport is nothing new.
Just take a look at this Cockney cyclist from the '50s.
Bored of pedalling, he attached a propeller to the back of his bike,
not realising he still had to pedal to turn the prop.
(LAUGHS) What a character!
What a fool.
And how about this resourceful Russian?
Why limit skiing to downhill? Pop a prop on your back and you're away!
Good thinking, lgor.
And we all know the French don't like to miss out on the action.
This is the Leyat Helica, being road-tested in Paris in the 1920s.
There were plans to go into mass production with the Helica.
But when it became apparent
that the car was slow, noisy and deadly dangerous,
those plans were shelved.
Quel dommage, monsieur.
Keep going.
LISA: The Fireblades may not pick up anything heavier than a pen
in their professional lives...
That was fun.
LISA: But with the jeep engine freed from the twisted chassis
and the Scrapheap clock ticking,
it's time for some old-fashioned brute strength.
Whoa!
OK.
Afternoon, chaps. Hello.
So you've got yourselves an engine,
which is a fairly vital part, really, of the whole project, isn't it?
Well, we've got the most important parts.
We've got a chassis, an engine, a propeller and a front wheel.
We just need to put it together now. Just need to put it together.
Are you gonna connect the propeller directly to this, or do you...
That's exactly what we're just discussing.
We have to work out exactly what the ratios are.
We just want to check the ratios in the gearbox.
'Cause the propeller can't run at engine speed. It's gotta run slower.
Oh, it has. Right. So we've got...
I mean, we could use the gearbox to get the reduction.
Look, I don't want to hold you up with the engine.
See you in a minute, guys. Yep.
We've got to really move on now. It's all taking too long.
LISA: After the setback of a time-consuming search for their prop,
The Thirsty Knights are back on track.
Hey! Prop shaft?
Yes.
Straightish. Yes. Yeah.
ROBERT: Frog has got his hands on a section of straight tubing
of a suitable length for the Knights' prop shaft.
There's a kink here, but we've got enough either side of it, haven't we?
Yeah, we want... we want, uh, what, about 6 foot?
ROBERT: Away from the prop shaft production line,
Roo has removed the Reliant's rear wheels and axle.
LISA: The distance between the Knights' prop and rear wheels
is vital.
The rear wheels act as a pivot point upon which the vehicle will turn.
If the distance between the rear axle and the prop is too short,
it'll be incredibly hard to move the Knights' aero car left and right.
In other words, steering will be unresponsive.
By moving the rear axle forward,
the prop can exert more leverage
when turning the car,
making it much easier to steer.
OK, so talk me through what's happening here.
Um, presumably, you want to put your propeller somewhere in this area.
Back here. Excellent.
How fast do you think this is gonna go?
Too fast. 50?
50 miles an hour. That's not bloody bad.
Well, we'll see. Um...
That's maybe a bit optimistic. Yeah.
0 to 60 in half an hour.
No. Infinity. Half a day.
LISA: Over the wall, The Fireblades are locked in a crisis meeting.
The problem we've got is this propeller goes
the opposite way to the engine goes.
So... We could use the gearbox in reverse.
But then we're only going to get...
We're not really getting up to 2,000 engine r.p.m.
So the only alternative option, which is not so clever,
is the engine's back here, then the gearbox and then the propeller here.
LISA: At the root of The Fireblades' problem
is the fact that propellers are designed to turn
in one direction only.
Try and run a prop in the opposite direction
and you'll be going nowhere.
The Fireblades' prop is designed to turn in the opposite direction
to that in which their engine runs.
The chaps have two options -
either turn the engine round and position it behind the propeller,
which would involve a massive rethink in their chassis design,
or run their engine in reverse,
an easier solution,
but they'll run the risk of not generating enough power
to get their prop spinning at speed.
ROBERT: Whichever route they take,
The Fireblades will have to make up their minds soon.
OK, well, we think we can absorb the power in the reverse gears,
so we're back to...
...by using the reverse gearbox, we're back to plan A,
where the engine's at the front, the propeller's at the back.
So we now know what we've got to do,
so we've got to get this engine up into approximate position.
ROBERT: So The Fireblades have plumped for the reverse-gear option.
This does allow them to stick with their original plan,
but even so, they're gonna have to get a move on
if their car is to be ready to fly in time for tomorrow's test.
Find something to block it up with.
ROBERT: Of immediate concern is the mounting of the engine.
It took four men to lift it, and it will take some serious bracing.
Let it down again.
That's about the clearance you want.
Look at that. Oh, fantastic.
Precision engineering. (ALL LAUGH)
That spline isn't critical at all, really, for this, is it?
No, it's not gonna be...
LISA: Over in The Thirsty Knights' camp,
progress has been considerably smoother.
Norfolk's answer to ZZ Top are now ready to position their prop shaft.
That's amazingly good.
Line it up with the fibreglass there. There's nothing happening.
No, no, that's fantastic, that is.
That's fantastic.
I think, uh... I think we should have a functioning vehicle
in about half an hour, by the look of it.
Don't say that. Never, ever say...
And the rest is turning it into a racing machine.
So, Brendan, we're about two-thirds of the way through the build now.
And we've got one team, The Thirsty Knights,
with an almost completed machine, by the looks of things,
and The Fireblades with an almost...
...almost mounted, almost an engine, almost in place.
BRENDAN: It's getting a little bit critical now.
I'd like to have seen The Fireblades
just get a little bit quicker with the engine runs - we shall see.
If they were up to speed
and they had got that big prop going and coupled and the ratios all set,
I'd almost start to put my money on The Fireblades.
Right. 'Cause you think they've got more thrust from that propeller?
I think they have got a lot more thrust.
Well, the pressure's definitely on the old Fireblades, then.
It is, very much so. The young Fire...
Or the... middle-aged Fireblades. I wish them well.
LISA: The Fireblades seem to have heeded Brendan's warning
as they spring into action.
Barfy and John have found a sheet of ply
that can be refashioned into rudders.
This one, I'm after.
LISA: George is stripping a child's bike of its brake system
to use as a throttle cable.
Some kid's Christmas present, that, you know.
One rudder.
LISA: And safety-conscious Smarty is completing the bracing of the engine.
Uh, teams, you have three hours... MEN: Oh, no!
Only three hours remaining, teams. Thank you.
I don't believe this.
LISA: And with time flying, tempers fray.
You're gonna go through the steps there, John, I think.
You're gonna go through the steps. There's a jigsaw.
No, it's alright. I'm in control. It's alright. I'll handle it.
I'll handle it. OK.
LISA: Now, now, children.
ROBERT: Next door, it's an altogether calmer scene,
where Pete and Frog are modifying the Knights' steering mechanism.
That's superb, that is. I think every Reliant should have one.
Yeah.
ROBERT: In fact, the Knights seem just about ready to call it a day.
And, see, we've got so much time left,
we can just sweep up, tidy, get the place spick-and-span.
ROBERT: I thought we ought to come down this end of the yard,
'cause there's a rumour going round the heap
that there's gonna be an engine starting - it's still light -
an engine starting and a propeller turning.
LISA: No! ROBERT: Yep.
Thirsty Knights, they've got it all done. It's all there.
I don't think it's safe yet - there's some health-and-safety issues
like if you start that now, you will die.
But apart from that.
That can put a crimp on your desire to test something out.
They're nearly there. Extraordinary. Virtually unheard of.
ROBERT: Yeah.
LISA: And as night draws in, it appears the rumours are true.
In neutral. Engine only.
(ENGINE RUMBLES)
LISA: It's that rarest of Scrapheap moments -
a functioning vehicle
without the traditional mad dash in the last hour.
Well, I must admit, I find that quite shocking
that we've actually had a machine tested just before the night fell.
So quickly.
I had no idea they were gonna finish that quickly.
I mean, a very, very, very serious performance.
They didn't try steering it, so we don't know...
Exactly, and they didn't use very high r.p.m.,
so we still have to wait and see, but having said that,
The Fireblades are coming up, they've got their aero prop,
which is a very big two-bladed prop.
I want to see that run before I really make a final judgment.
Right. But I'm gonna have to put you on the spot, Brendan.
I want to know, if you were forced to fly in one...
To fly! To drive one of these machines, yes.
To be at the controls. To be at the controls.
Which one would you choose? You're a bit of a daredevil pilot.
To be absolutely honest, neither.
LISA: Time is slipping away for The Fireblades,
who realise that they've made a miscalculation
when drilling holes in the bracket that'll hold their rudders.
Just going to have to file like anything.
I can't believe that we did that, but anyway.
LISA: Not what they need at this time of night.
Know what I mean? Is it, George? It's not going through, no.
OK. Job's a good'un.
You have one hour remaining. One hour remaining, teams.
A whole hour? We've got nothing to do.
Got any cards?
Right, what we gonna do? Furry dice.
LISA: For The Fireblades, it's now a mad dash for the finish line.
Thirsty Knights have just cantered through it.
I would say galloped, but, I mean... they have galloped,
but they've cantered, without really breaking sweat.
Obviously, a very fit horse.
The Thirsty Knights have actually built a machine
that they've started up, tested, and it moves along,
you know, which, I have to admit, The, um...
...The Fireblades haven't quite managed that.
But they have done amazingly well. I'm amazed.
They're really one of those teams that left it to the last minute
and suddenly they've really just turned it round.
It's very impressive. And now they're sweeping up.
Used to work in a hairdresser's.
Have you lost a bit?
OK, teams, I warned you that time was flying,
and your 10 hours has now flown.
Tomorrow, your amazing aero cars will attempt our awesome obstacle course!
LISA: Indeed.
We'll be putting your fan-assisted three-wheelers through their paces
in the twistiest, turniest rotary road test imaginable.
After that, it's on your marks
for the 100 metres in the Scrapheap Olympics.
Well done, teams. Brilliant build.
Very well done. Whoo!
John, thanks very much. Well done. Well done, George.
ROBERT: So who'll be squadron leaders on our aero car athletics track?
We're gearing up for a unique road test.
Our teams have crafted cars that are as much Spitfire as koda,
as much hovercraft as Honda.
They're powered by propeller.
LISA: First up is an examination of our teams' aero agility.
No sooner do they leave the start line
before they're faced with our super slalom.
After that, it's time to taxi through both sets of departure gates.
Next is a complete 360
round the death-defying loop-the-loop roundabout
before dashing to the finish line.
(CHEERING)
Failure to negotiate any of the obstacles
will result in a 20-second time penalty.
But any pilot who can successfully bring his craft to rest on the target
without using brakes
will be rewarded with a 30-second reduction in his overall time.
Round two is a straight-line sprint
to test our teams' creations for pure pace.
When the dogfight begins,
judge Brendan will be keeping an expert eye on proceedings
from the air-traffic control tower.
Well, here we are, Brendan. Wonderful site. Lovely test...
Nice, smooth runway for them to... Absolutely, yeah.
And all the machines are ready. Crunch time.
We got the runway, we got the airfield,
we got the people, we got the machines.
We've got ourselves an air show. Well...
Just wondering whether it's gonna be an air show or a scare show.
It could be a scare show. I know you've got one or two slight worries.
In terms of operation, they've been doing a lot of final tinkering.
You can see The Thirsty Knights
have changed their propeller significantly.
They've reduced the pitch. They're down to three blades.
Why is that? Do you know why?
They want the maximum amount of thrust out of it.
The other one, The Fireblades',
they've now got their prop set, I think, just how they want it.
However, I've been watching them operating this morning,
getting their little tests going, etc, etc, etc.
Part of the problem I can see is they've got shimmy.
That's not a version of the Funky Chicken - it's actually wobble
on what we call their nose wheels.
OK, you've got to put your money where your mouth is.
Put my money where my mouth is? I think it's anybody's.
But if you really, really pushed me. Yeah.
Pete, Billy and The Thirsty Knights. The blue team.
That would be my tip for the top.
LISA: We're now minutes away from the start of today's test.
But there's just enough time for our teams to ensure
that their craft are looking sharp for their maiden flight.
First up on the aero obstacle course is Barfy,
who's been nominated as The Fireblades' pilot.
Fireblades, it's time to substantiate your steerability.
(SQUEEZES HORN)
That's fantastic.
ROBERT: Despite some serious shimmy,
it's a stunning start to the slalom for The Fireblades.
But Barfy's struggling to make his next turn.
I don't think that was in the flight plan.
Well, there's a few penalties there, but he's through.
ROBERT: Safely through the departure gates.
And now for the loop-the-loop roundabout.
Or maybe not.
Barfy seems to have lost control of his craft completely.
And he's gonna struggle to complete the course.
Oh, he's gone. He's completely lost it there.
He's lost the picture.
'Cause the prop did stop spinning for a moment, but then I think he...
Yeah, I think he'd throttle back. I think he'd throttle back.
But that was an outstanding effort.
Rogers to Llewellyn. Do you read me? Over.
Uh, reading you loud and clear, Rogers, yes.
Little bit of a wibbly-wobbly run there.
I think the conclusion I've heard is that that is an invalid run
because they didn't actually cross the finish line.
Over. It was a very brave attempt.
Barfy, are you alright? I'm fine. I'm fine.
That looked incredibly difficult to control.
Yeah, yeah. It was fine. The power was fine.
But it's just the steering that couldn't respond quick enough.
You hit one of the barrels, which was down,
ignored the roundabout completely.
Did you decide just abandon it there, or could you not...
Well, no, it wasn't going left at all. It was straight or nothing.
So you went straight. So I went straight.
Do you think you're gonna be able to do better on the straight line?
As long as the finishing posts are quite wide.
Yes!
LISA: After failing to complete the course,
The Fireblades are awarded the maximum time of 3 minutes.
So Thirsty Knights captain Pete now has a great opportunity
to put his team into an early lead.
Knights, prepare to propel yourselves. (SQUEEZES HORN)
In gear. Off he goes. It's moving.
ROBERT: Despite the shimmy, Pete is making a steady start.
But wait a minute. He has run too wide here.
No! That incredible movable prop is doing its job.
He should be way over the other way. He's gonna try. That's it.
He's thinking, though. He's thinking. Oh, yes, he's going for it.
It's like a mad bumblebee.
ROBERT: Surely now he's gone too wide for the first departure gate.
Oh! What fantastic control!
Very, very good. He's actually learning as he's driving it.
That's extraordinary. Yeah.
Is he gonna remember to go right round?
He's going, yeah. He's going for it.
ROBERT: The roundabout proved too difficult for The Fireblades
but no problem for Pete.
An outstanding effort. He is gonna go through the finish.
I think that is absolutely fantastic. I applaud that.
ROBERT: The clock's stopped, but can he finish on the target?
Ooh! So close!
That is impressive.
That required pilotage as well as driving.
Serious pilotage there. Yep, yep.
Lisa to Rob. Are you there? Over.
Yes, I am here. We've just been watching the best shimmying so far.
Would you like to know his time? I'd like to know the time very much.
Well, The Thirsty Knights managed to complete the obstacle course
in a time of 1 minute and 48 seconds.
I think that's not bad,
considering they were shimmying in every direction possible.
LISA: Although it looked as though Pete could lose it at any moment,
he skilfully completed the course
and only just missed out on the 30-second time bonus.
Nevertheless, his time of 1 minute, 48 seconds
puts the Knights in pole position.
Pete!
Well done. Splendid.
You've got to be seriously pleased with that.
I could have stopped on the target. You did very, very well.
I mean, how hard was it to control? It looked really shaky at the front.
It's... We've set it up to be shaky at the front for the slalom course.
We're not so worried about stability there.
We don't mind it shaking so long as it responds to the control.
And it's done exactly what we asked of it.
ROBERT: Now it's time for the straight-line sprint.
The Fireblades are over a minute behind The Knights.
So Barfy will have to go for broke.
Fireblades, fly like the wind. This is the sprint. (SQUEEZES HORN)
Go for it.
ROBERT: Barfy's away quickly.
Hee-hee!
ROBERT: That front castor is shimmying like mad.
But that won't bother Daredevil Barfy.
(ELECTRONIC BEEP)
That could be under 20 seconds.
Whoa! That is fast. That was fast!
Yes! He's got to stop it now.
I wish he hadn't throttled back, because the shimmy was under control.
It was fine, wasn't it? It just needed the big 'B'.
Just hold onto it! Bottle.
Well done, Barfy. Thank you.
You certainly looked to be shifting.
Was that as scary as it looked? Yeah.
Possibly scarier at one point.
You completed the course in a time of 21 seconds.
And when you crossed the finish line, you were doing 23 miles an hour,
although I suspect you were probably going a bit faster
earlier on down the course.
LISA: So The Fireblades have a combined time
of 3 minutes and 21 seconds.
Realistically, their best hope of victory now
is for a Thirsty Knights breakdown on the sprint course.
Knights, one Linford Lite run can win it here. (SQUEEZES HORN)
ROBERT: It's a very slow start.
Is Pete in trouble?
He's just drifting on. Oh, ho-ho!
Oh, dear. Oh, dear.
ROBERT: He seems to be picking up pace.
Floor it! Floor it!
ROBERT: Remember, he only needs to make it past the finish post.
He's done it!
Wait for us!
We don't have an official time yet, I take it.
I do indeed. The official time was 27 seconds.
And the official fastest speed was 21 miles an hour.
21 miles an hour? Awesome.
LISA: Although Pete was six seconds slower than Barfy
over the sprint course,
The Thirsty Knights' combined time is a fantastic 2 minutes and 11 seconds.
So well done, both teams. You've done very well.
But this week's clear winners...
...are...
...The Thirsty Knights, so well done.
Yes! Thank you. Well done, guys. Well done.
There you go. Cheers.
Commiserations, guys, 'cause you did an amazing job. Really, really good.
LISA: You did. Brilliant. Thank you very much. Well done, guys.
(LISA LAUGHS)
It was a great build. Thanks, Lisa.