THE REBUILT BLUEBIRD

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29897, 10 August 1962, Page 9

THE REBUILT BLUEBIRD

KEY 1 BIFURCATED AIR 5 FUEL TAMK 10 AERODYNAMIC BRAKES 14 SERVICES 18 PNEUMATIC INTAKE DUCT . 11 DISTRIBUTION SUSPENSION LEG 2 0 ‘PROTEUS- GAS TURBINE II REAR SPIRAL POINT WITH HYDRAULIC ENGINE OH. TANK J.HJ. AT 11. MB RAM. REVEL GEARBOX DAMPING MODIFIED TO DRIVE RATIO UTO I 13 FIRE EXTINGUISHER 1O FROM BOTH ENDS IO CO * ,OrTLE I” TWO PEDALS—BEVEL GEARBOX IZ CONSTANT iz OPERATING RATIO MTO I / hear DRIVE SHAFT VELOCITY IO FRONT GEARBOX THROTTLE AND canwr Q COUPLINGS OIL TANK DISC BRAKES ENGINE FRONT GEARBOX -to 17 On DRIVE WITH FREE SUSPENSION ARMS 1 3 HONEYCOMB 1/ BRAKE SYSTEM ZU DRIVER'S WHEEL DEVICE _ MAIN BEAMS AIR STORAGE INSTRUMENT 7 CAMERA POO CYLINDERS PANEL

'THE new Bluebird car, in A which Mr Donald Campbell is planning to make a second attempt on the world's land speed record in 1963. was shown to the public for the first time on July 14 at the Goodwood motor circuit, in Sussex.

Basically, the car is similar in design to the original Bluebird CN. 7 which crashed on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah during Mr Campbell’s first attempt in September, 1930, but modifications have been made. Most of these are to the internal construction of the car, but in addition, a tail-fin has been added to give greater stability at high speeds.

The fin was designed after a series of wind tunnel tests on models had been carried out by the Imperial College of Science. Shaped in aerofoil section and standing seven feet eight and a half inches off the ground, the fin can be easily removed from the car if it is found, during preliminary trials, that the increased stability gained is outweighed by extra drag.

Instead of two fuel tanks as in the original vehicle, the Bluebird now has one tank

on the starboard side, with a capacity of 16 gallons which, at a consumption of about one mile a gallon at top speed, will be ample for one run.

Other slight modifications have been made to bring the centre of gravity further towards the front of the car. The batteries which were originally at the rear of Blue, bird have been fitted each side of the body structure forward of the front wheels. Other ancillary equipment has been mounted on fore and aft rails on either side of the engine compartment so that its position can be adjusted should the centre of gravity have to be altered. The new cockpit canopy is thicker and made of glass

fibre instead of perspex, as before. The windscreen and two panels on either side of the driver’s head are made of clear perspex, with a safety glass screen behind the windscreen

To avoid the possibility of wheel spin slewing the vehicle to one side, the differentials in the gearboxes have been locked. After the unsuccessful attempt on the record in 1930, a search was commenced in Australia to find a course which would provide a longer distance. The most promising area found was Lake Eyre, some 430 miles north of Adelaide, which is a salt flat similar in size and formation to Bonneville, but offering facilities for a longer and

better course of about 20 miles. This site was inspected by Mr Campbell at the beginning of this year, and although a certain amount of preparation is necessary to smooth the surface, this is the most likely site for the next attempt, in April or May next year.