ATTACK ON RECORD

Hawera Star, Volume L, 20 December 1930, Page 15

ATTACK ON RECORD

THE UNDERLYING OBJECT

CAPT. CAMPBELL’S PTIOGB AMME. According to an announcement in “The Motor,” Captain Malcolm Campbell intends to be in a position to go out and attack any fresh record that may be set up, and is accordingly building a new car with very special streamlining, which, in wind-tunnel experiments, has given results far better than he had even hoped for. That is not all, however. Captain Campbell believes that the opportunities for propaganda in respect of the British motor industry have largely been missed in any previous record attempts. The achievements have resulted in personal triumphs for one or two men, and, on rare occasions, for a particular make of car. There has i been much talk about such a success I adding to the prestige of British auto-! niobine engineering, but little practical benefit- has resulted. Because lie knows Daytona Reach, Florida, Captain Campbell lias decided that it shall be the scene of bis next attempt on the world’s land speed record. Were lie to go to New Zealand. as has been suggested, lie might be delayed by unforeseen circumstances.. His intention, however, is to make up a party of leading figures in the British motor industry. They will take over to America examples of their products, and, prior to the record attempt, the “Bine Bird” —recordbreaking car —will be publicly exhibited, surrounded by a group- of representative British cars. Then, immediately after the record attempt, these cars will again be exhibited at Daytona, grouped round the ‘‘Blue Bird,” l thus focussing the attention of the U.B.A. motor magnates on the line products of Great Britain. It is suggested that the experiment will be of no value unless the managing directors, at least, of the concerns manufacturing the cars shown, go over to America in person in order to discuss with American financiers the possibility of granting licenses for these cars to be built in the L T .S.A.

Captain Campbell does not intend to derive any personal gain from this intensive propaganda on behalf of the British car. He lias conceived the idea purely from patriotic motives, and sugbests that certain accessory or component manufacturers, as well as those produeinp automobiles.'may find it profitable to join the party. If this great “sales push” or travelling motor show is successful in the U.S.A., and Captain Campbell lias beaten the existing record, he is quite willing to go to New Zealand or Canada, or anywhere else, to repeat or improve upon his performance, accompanied still by this group of British cars and their representatives.

It is his intention that, immediately after the record attempt at Daytona, the British cars should be timed officially by the A.A.A. over the measured mile, thus demonstrating that they are capable of speeds equal to, or in excess of, those of American cars of very much larger horse-power.

Several important figures in the motor industry have already given the scheme their whole-hearted support.