The Tupolev Tu-144, first flown on 31 December 1968 in the former USSR, was reported to have reached Mach 2.4 (2,587 km/h; 1,600 mph), but normal cruising speed was Mach 2.2. After two crashes the aircraft was taken out of service in 1978. The BAC/Aerospatiale Concorde, first flown on 2 March 1969, cruised at up to Mach 2.02 (2,333 km/h; 1,450 mph) and became the first supersonic airliner used on passenger services on 21 January 1976. The New York-London record is 2 hrs 52 mins Continue reading →

The former Soviet Tu-95/142 (NATO code-name Bear) long-range bomber is the fastest propeller-driven aircraft in standard production form, with a maximum level speed of Mach 0.82 or 925 km/h (575 mph). First produced in the 1950s, it remains in service with several air forces. The Bear has four 11,033 kW (14,795 hp) engines, driving eight-blade contra-rotating propellers.

With an engine based on the LS Corvette power train, the WaterCar Python is the fastest amphibious vehicle in the world. It has a top speed of 96 km (60 mph; 52 knots) on water and can perform a 0?60 mph acceleration in 4.5 seconds on land. The Python is hand-built to order; prices start from $200,000 (£123,000).

The USAF Lockheed SR-71 ‘Blackbird’, a reconnaissance aircraft, is the world’s fastest non-experimental jet aeroplane, with a top speed in excess of Mach 3. First flown in its definitive form on 22 December 1964, it is reportedly capable of attaining an altitude of close to 30,000 m (100,000 ft). It has a wing span of 16.94 m (55 ft 7 in) and a length of 32.73 m (107 ft 5 in) and weighs 77.1 tonnes (170,000 lb) at take-off. Its reported range at Mach 3 Continue reading →

On 7 December 1995, a small probe released by the Galileo spacecraft began a fiery descent into the atmosphere of the giant planet Jupiter. During this most difficult atmospheric entry ever, the Galileo probe reached a speed of 170,000 km/h (106,000 mi/h). During its entry, the probe was subjected to a deceleration force of around 230 times Earth’s gravity.

The fasteset baseball pitch is 162.3km/h (100.9mph) and was achieved by Lynn Nolan Ryan (then of the California Angels) (b. 31 Jan 1947), at Anaheim Stadium, California, USA, on 20 August 1974.

Minimum Requirements: 210 beats per minute null

The fastest goal scored in Champions League final is 52 seconds by Paolo Maldini (Italy) playing for AC Milan against Liverpool on 25 May 2005.

On 26 June 2009, Earthrace was granted the Union International Motonautique (UIM) record for the fastest circumnavigation by powered boat. The journey took 60 days 23 hrs 49 mins, beginning in Sagunto, Spain on 27 April 2008, finishing 27 June 2008. The crew of Earthrace consists solely of international volunteers.

The fastest flight under the FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale) rules, which permit flights that exceed the length of the Tropic of Cancer or Capricorn (36,787.6 km or 22,858.8 miles), was one of 31 hrs 27 mins 49 secs by an Air France Concorde (Capts. Michel Dupont and Claude Hetru) from JFK airport in New York, USA eastbound via Toulouse, Dubai, Bangkok, Guam, Honolulu and Acapulco on 15 and 16 August 1995. There were 80 passengers and 18 crew on board flight AF1995. The technical crew Continue reading →