TAILPIPE  FIREWORKS
Some still shots made from the video of the first run where erosion of mild steel was
observed. The tip of the tube was approx. 9 inches [230mm] into the tailpipe. After
a large burst of molten metal shown in the top picture, there begins a brief phase of 
hot metal vapor emission with practically no sparks [second picture]. Soon, though, we
see further explosions of molten droplets, along with some brightly colored vapor [third
and fourth pictures]. Destruction of stainless steel was just as dramatic. The video was
shot by Ben Brockert on a 'Hi-8' tape cassette; the stills were digitally processed from
the video by my friend Kevin Day, working from a slow-motion copy he generated 
especially for this project. Video is almost ideal for analysis - while the engine is
overexposed due to the camcorder's high sensitivity to infrared, this same quality
ensures that even the tiniest sparks are made visible.
Photos Copyright 2003 Cottrill Cyclodyne Corporation