Blazing Fast Remote Control Jet Vehicle Provides Tough Lessons
In an extraordinary display of engineering ingenuity, James Whomsley, a well-known figure in the RC community, strapped a jet turbine engine to an RC car, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in miniature speed machines.
The RC car, initially a four-wheel drive electric race car, was transformed into a high-speed beast, equipped with a little jet engine producing approximately 120 N of thrust. To ensure high-speed stability, the car was fitted with a vacuum-formed shell and a pair of large vertical stabilizers. An electronic gyro was added to the RC car to stabilize it at high speed.
However, the journey was not without its challenges. The chassis and engine of the RC car only sustained minor damage during the crash, but an incorrect fail-safe setting in the RC car made the engine go full throttle during the crash, causing the vehicle to veer off the track and crash during the 3rd test run and later during the high-speed event.
Excessive play in the steering mechanism of the RC car caused the gyro to induce oscillations, contributing to the crash. The receiver in the RC car also experienced a loss of signal during the crash. Most of the drive train components were removed from the RC car, and James rebuilt it with a lower engine to reduce its center of gravity.
After checking the onboard footage, James discovered the issues with the receiver and the fail-safe setting. He intends to take the lessons learned from this failed build into a new high-speed car build.
Prior to this ambitious project, James Whomsley had already made a name for himself in the world of speed machines. He had previously experimented with a rocket plane and recently done testing with an EDF-powered RC car, using a drone flight controller for high-speed stability.
From TikTok content around June 2025, James Whomsley appears associated with ambitious RC builds and projects, including large-scale and high-powered vehicles. These suggest that his experience with jet turbine RC cars contributed to ongoing experimentation and pushing the boundaries of RC car performance.
Working with jet turbine engines on RC cars involves managing extreme heat and thrust control, ensuring durable chassis design to withstand high speeds and stresses, balancing fuel efficiency with power output, and handling safety concerns due to jet exhaust and potential fire hazards. Lessons learned from such a unique build likely include refining the integration of turbine propulsion with lightweight RC car frames and improving remote control responsiveness at high speeds.
Despite a lack of direct and detailed accounts from James Whomsley himself, the tags and project descriptions hint that his jet turbine RC car served as a foundational high-speed RC platform, informing his later complex and powerful RC car builds. For those interested in delving deeper, exploring his specific social media channels or RC enthusiast forums might provide direct commentary or technical breakdowns of lessons learned and technical evolution in his projects.
The RC car, initially an electric race car, was upgraded with gadgets such as a jet turbine engine, transforming it into a high-speed racing machine that utilizes technology for stability. However, during a high-speed event, a failure in the fail-safe setting made the engine go full throttle, causing the vehicle to veer off the track and crash. This crash, while damaging some components, didn't deter James Whomsley from learning from his mistakes. He intends to apply these lessons to future builds, continuing to push the boundaries of what's possible in sports with his innovative use of radio-controlled gadgets, including jet turbine engines.
