Donald Campbell’s Hydroplane Named “Bluebird” By N.Z. Wife

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27584, 15 February 1955, Page 8

Donald Campbell’s Hydroplane Named “Bluebird” By N.Z. Wife

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.)

LONDON, February 13. Mr Donald Campbell’s £25,000 turbojet hydroplane, with which he hopes to establish a new world water speed record on Lake Ullswater, Westmorland, was christened Bluebird by his wife, Mrs Dorothy Campbell, last week. She is a New Zealander, from Palmerston North, and her maiden name was McKegg. Mrs Campbell came to England to continue her study of singing and music, and she first met Mr Campbell when he was at Lake Coniston in 1950. They were married two years later. ' - After the christening, Bluebird was launched and Mr Campbell did a slow speed trial run which he described as “most satisfactory.” He is in no hurry to make his first all-out attempt to beat the world record of 178.49 miles an hour held by the United States. He regards his new boat as being most valuable for research that may have applications ultimately for highspeed naval defence boats. He knows that at speeds approaching 200 miles an hour there is a danger of excessive vibration, loosely called the “water barrier,” which can have fatal consequences—both John Cobb and an Italian were killed when their boats blew up while approaching that speed. What may roughly be described as the “application of television” will result in all Bluebird’s engine dials being seen on the shore while Mr Campbell makes his trial run. He will also be in touch with his team of mechanics by radio-telephone. He narrowly escaped disaster on the record attempt when engine trouble resulted, scalding oil smothering his face and goggles. He was told he had beaten the record and then after the

timekeepers had checked the figures, he learned that he had failed by a few miles an hour. Eventually, with a redesigned propeller and following a number of experiments, he reached a speed of 170 miles an hour on Lake Moniston in 1951. During the final trial, when the boat hit “something,” it was wrecked and sank. Now, more determined than ever to win the world record, Mr Campbell has spent nearly three years having the latest Bluebird designed and built. It is the first all-metal boat of its kind in the world. As all Sir Malcolm Campbell’s ears and boats were called Bluebird after Maeterlinck’s famous play, Mr Donald Campbell decided to retain the name for the new boat. Aged 33, he lives with his wife at Betchworth, near Dorking, Surrey, in a modernised Elizabethan farm cottage. If necessary his controls can be worked by remote control from the shore so that if he runs into difficulties and is perhaps knocked out, his team will still have charge of the boat. There is a touch of romance about his career. The son of Sir Malcolm Campbell, who held the world land speed record no fewer than nine times, and the world water speed record four times, Mr Donald Campbell had not raced a car or a boat until 1949. Three months after his father’s death at the end of 1948, he learned that an American intended to take Sir Malcolm Campbell’s world water speed record of 141 miles an hour back to the United States. Mr Campbell decided immediately to give the American a run for his money and took Augisst d l94£ tO lAke Aniston in