21 replies to this topic

[Shiney005]

Now this bloke had balls of steel. He inherited them from his old man (Malcolm) who gained the World Speed Record with a run of 272 miles per hour in 1933 in a car he built himself and named Bluebird.

 

 Malcolm Cambel 272 MPH 1933.jpg   339.51K   6 downloads

 

He was also the first bloke to reach 300 MPH at Bonneville a couple of years later. This must have had a big impact on Donald (In car in the following pic). Malcolm left Donald out of his will to prevent him from following in his father's footsteps but after Malcolm died, he funded his own way into the record books.

 

 Malcolm and Donald Cambell. Malcolm first man to break 300mph.jpg   124.15K   4 downloads

 

By 1960, Donald had already broken the LSR for a motor driven boat at Conniston Waters and had built his own "Bluebird" for an attack on the record for a motor driven car. He took it to Bonneville where he crashed at 369 MPH resulting in a lengthy stay in hospital with serious injuries.

 

 Donald cambell bonneville-sept 1960 crash at 369 MPH.jpg   120.39K   4 downloads

 

 Donald.jpg   129.32K   4 downloads

 

In 1962 the car was rebuilt and in 1963 he decided to take it to Lake Eyre, as it was much bigger than Bonneville and it hadn't rained there for 20 years. The Australian Govt got behind him by building 100 kilometers of roads and a 400 metre causeway onto the lake. (There has been zero government funding for our own Rosco McGlashin though)

 

 1963 lake eyre 100 kays govt made road then 400m causeway.jpg   273.76K   5 downloads

 

Donald gained a new LSR with a top speed of 440MPH, and it started pouring with rain the next day.

 

 440 top speed 1963 lake eyre.jpg   63.75K   6 downloads

 

Not being content with this, he then set out to Lake Dumbleyung in WA to be the first person to have both the land and water speed records in the same year with a top speed of 276MPH.

 

 1964 276mph lake dumbleyung.jpg   194.87K   5 downloads

 

Over the next few years he built a rocket powered boat, which he took to Lake Conniston, and on the 4th Jan 1967 he set out to demolish the old record. At 328 MPH, the left pontoon hit the water hard several times resulting in a "flame out" of the motor. With a nose down attitude the boat dug in and broke in half right at the driver's seat. His body wasn't found until the 28th of May 2001.

 

 4 Jan 1967. 328 MPH Flame out. Broke in half at seating position. Body found 28 May 2001.jpg   207.1K   5 downloads

 

 

 

 

 

 

[V-SLR5000-P]

They were heros venturing into the unknown with aerodynamics in its infancy. The record books are littered with dead guys trying to inch up the land speed record, like Parry Thomas killed in his aero engined monster "Babs"

[Cook]

Brings back good memories.  I remember going to the Exhibition buildings in Melbourne with my father too see the Bluebird.  Actually touched it.  Thanks Laurie. Cheers Ron

[Redslur]

Great to see these sorts of threads.  Very interesting reading and a great blast from the past to inspire us rev heads :-)

[UCgazman]

Art they building a replica boat atm?

Restored the original - http://www.dailymail...eed-record.html

[V-SLR5000-P]

Australia's Norm (Wizard) Smith took a tilt at the land speed record with a locally built car. 

Ultimately unsuccessful, but no less daring.

 

http://www.gregwapli...enterprise.html

[cameron]

Love old photos like this.

Speed is very addictive.

Love it.

 

Cameron

[Ice]

272 Mph in 1933 effin legend

[Swarbs]

Fast forward to 15 October 1997 and i still think this is one of the greatest motorsport photo's ever taken

Thrust SSC passes through the sound barrier

Sorry may be getting ahead of things but the thread made me think of this pic

 

 

 SSC.JPG   125.18K   4 downloads

[Max's SS]

I went to Lake Gairdner here in SA earlier this year for Speed Week. The fastest car did 345mph and fastest bike was 343mph. With today mechanical advances it make the past acheivement more outstanding.

The car was developed by a group called Target 550 and the bike ridden by Valerie Thompson . Valerie's run of 343mph ended in grief. Youtube has some good footage. Don't know how to load a link.

[RallyRed]

makes me wonder whatever happened to Old Johnno's Bultaco / Salt flat thingo?

[Max's SS]

makes me wonder whatever happened to Old Johnno's Bultaco / Salt flat thingo?

 

 

Old Johnno was there on his Bultaco. From memory he did about 4 runs with a top speed about 121mph.

[Max's SS]

Just rechecked.....top speed was 127.605mph.

[RallyRed]

hey, thanks for the feedback Steve

[dascind]

Great historical account of this 'legend'. Put together for a really interesting read. Thanks.

[Potta]

Restored the original - http://www.dailymail...eed-record.html

 

I don't think it is actually finished yet.

 

There is a non running replica in Dumbleyung.

[Potta]

Can't edit anymore?

 

Anyway, by non-running I mean it is a fiberglass shell, never intended to be anything but a display piece.

 

Pretty sure there is a replica in the UK, and the original was getting close to paint a few months back.

 

There is heaps on Youtube about the recovery and resto if anyone is interested.

 

https://www.youtube....lOR6tm_g53vCbiQ

[Shiney005]

This is the replica out at Dumbleyung. Mark, (the bloke who built it) also rebuilt my boat after it was swamped last year.

 

 Bluebird-at-night3.jpg   153.54K   6 downloads

 

Australian, Ken Warby holds the world water speed record at the moment, and his son is currently testing a new boat to beat it.

 

 

[Shiney005]

Just a bit of an addendum to the story.  When the Bluebird was taken out to Lake Gairdner, a bloke by the name of Andrew Mustard brought along his Elfin open wheeler to test the track.  He went out for a run to the far end, and while he was flat bikkies coming back he noticed a rooster tail of salt coming at him from over the horizon, so he turned right and got out of the way before having a head on with 1.6 tonnes of of very fast car.

 

Hey Swarbs, I have only just noticed the way the ground looks like it is lit up in your photo of Thrust SSC. Is that something to do with breaking the sound barrier?

 

 Andrew Mustards Elfin. nearly had a head on but was averted when he saw rooster tail of salt coming over the horizon..jpg   174.95K   3 downloads

 

 

[Shiney005]

A bit more interesting info courtesy of Bill Pearson on facebook. This relates to the early testing accident at Bonneville.

 

The Utah strip was short and, in trying to gain speed rapidly, Campbell had accelerated too hard too soon. The four big wheels, all driven by the Proteus gas turbine, began spinning on the salt, one side began to lift and, in an instant, the accelerating projectile was out of control. It began to cartwheel through the air. Alternately spinning through the air and gouging salt, it tore along the marked line, shedding wheels and mangling bodywork as Campbell rode out the fastest car accident any man had experienced.

Finally, the remains of the blue shell stopped, belly down on the track. The driver – incredibly – turned off all the switches bar one and lapsed into unconsciousness. His skull was fractured and one ear torn off. The one switch he had missed controlled the fuel supply to the engine, still running at full power.

The accident almost claimed the life of Campbell’s chief mechanic, Swiss-born Leo Villa. Leo saw Campbell still in the cockpit and painted the bright crimson of arterial blood, and dashed to the nose of the car to unlatch the cockpit cover. He stood in front of the air intake, and, like a scrap of paper near a vacuum cleaner nozzle, he was sucked in.

The Bluebird had a divided air intake, with passages running either side of the driver's compartment. Villa went in legs first. Luckily for him, one leg went up each passageway. He came to a sharp and agonising halt on the divider and passed out. Another helper turned off the turbine and pulled him out.

 

You can see the divider in this pic.

 

 66424969_685559061900224_6232732501299691520_n.jpg   49.07K   1 downloads

 

 65755897_685558905233573_5223892598124445696_n.jpg   113.82K   1 downloads

 

 66395511_685558901900240_9005790879130058752_n.jpg   154.61K   1 downloads

 

A moment before disaster.

The boat accelerated to 328mph, bounced three times and became airborne – but Donald’s radio commentary continued. ‘There’s no panic in his voice. He’s fully aware that he’ll die,’ Sheppard explains. ‘Until the last ten seconds of his life, he was convinced he was going to break the 300mph record. He didn’t have a death wish, but he shouldn’t have had to do it. He held eight speed records but he almost had to prove himself like a beginner.’

“Full nose up… Pitching a bit down here… coming through our own wash… and we’re tramping like mad… I can’t see much and the water’s very bad indeed… I’m galloping over the top… I can’t see anything… I’ve got the bows out… I’m going…

 

 66052633_685559255233538_8151976935740669952_n.jpg   303.62K   1 downloads

 

Recovery in 2002

 

 66048248_685559555233508_5114995678019321856_n.jpg   190.08K   1 downloads

Edited by Shiney005, 06 July 2019 - 01:00 PM.

[Indy Orange]

Good read! Thanks Shiney.

Edited by Indy Orange, 06 July 2019 - 03:43 PM.