Sir Malcolm Campbell
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Malcolm Campbell's Land Speed Record career, began in 1923 when he acquired the Sunbeam 350 bhp from K.Lee Guinness, and fitted with a 18 litre V12 engine, took it first to Fanoe Island, Denmark, and then to Pendine Sands UK, attempting to set new Records. At Fanoe Island, speeds were achieved which exceeded the existing record, however the official body ratifying records did not approve the timing apparatus used. At Pendine, on 25th September 1924, the Flying Mile record was set at 146.16 miles per hour. Returning the following year, with alterations & improvements to the car, on 21st July 1925, he increased the 1Mile record to 150.77 miles per hour, & the 1Km record to 150.87mph.
Malcolm Campbell returned to Pendine Sands in 1927, driving the Napier Blue Bird, powered by a 450 h.p. Napier Lion engine. After various unsuccessful attempts in January, on 4th February 1927, he raised the Mile record to 174.22 mph, and the Flying Kilometre record to 174.88 miles per hour. Motor-racing in 1927, he won the Boulogne G.P. on 10th September, followed by the JCC 200miles at Brooklands on 15th October, both times driving a Bugatti T39A. For the 1928 record attempt, the Napier Blue Bird was fitted with a specially developed 23,948cc 940 h.p. 'sprint' Lion engine, and a new bodywork design following wind-tunnel tests with side-mounted radiators. The car was taken to Daytona Beach, Florida USA, where Segrave had set his latest record. On 19th February 1928, the Mile record was raised to 206.96 miles per hour. Returning to the U.K., Campbell won the 1928 Brooklands 200 mile race on 21st July, followed by the Boulogne G.P. on 9th September, both times driving a Delage. In 1929, the Napier engine was fitted to a body built by Arrol-Aster, & the car taken to Verneuk Pan in South Africa, in an attempt to set the record in the British Empire. However, this car was not faster than Segrave's Golden Arrow over 1 mile. The altitude & surface conditions were far from ideal, & it was an isolated location. He did, however, set up world records over 5 kilometres at 216.03 mph and 5 miles at 211 mph.
The 1931 Napier Railton Blue Bird was designed by Reid Railton at
the Thompson & Taylor engineering works at Brooklands, and
fitted with a 1,450 b.h.p. supercharged Napier Lion engine. Whilst at Daytona, Campbell also set a Class H (upto 750cc) Flying Mile record of 94.03 mph, driving an Austin Seven.
The 1931 Blue Bird was modified for the 1932 attempts, and at Daytona on 24th February 1932, the Mile record was lifted to 253.97 miles per hour, the Kilometre record to 251.34 mph. Two days later, the 5 Kilometres record was raised to 247.94 mph, the 5 Miles record to 242.75 mph, and the 10 Kilometres record to 238.66 mph.
The 1933 Railton Rolls-Royce Blue Bird was powered by a 36.5
Litre 2,500 h.p. Rolls-Royce "R" aero engine, as used by Schneider
Trophy racing seaplanes. An air-scoop was fitted to feed the
supercharger.
The 1935 Railton Rolls-Royce Blue Bird was also powered by a 2,500 h.p. Rolls-Royce "R" aero engine, and featured a new aerodynamic bodywork, and twin rear wheels in an attempt to reduce wheel-spin. At Daytona Beach on 7th March 1935, the Mile record was marginally raised to 276.82 miles per hour, with 1 Km to 276.16mph, & 5 Km to 268.47mph. Campbell decided that the beach conditions would not permit the car to go faster. Later in the year, the car was taken to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. On 3rd September 1935, the 300 mph barrier was broken, with a new 1 Mile record of 301.13 miles per hour. The 5 Km record was raised to 292.12mph.
Malcolm Campbell
Web Links http://www.racingcampbells.com/content/index.asp http://www.sirmalcolmcampbell.com http://www.bluebird-electric.net/sir_malcolm_campbell.htm http://www.brooklandsarchives.com/ look in Galleries C3 & C4 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_Campbell http://www.britainunlimited.com/Biogs/CampbellM.htm http://www.bluebirdteamracing.net/bluebirdsupportersclub/pla/pendine.html http://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/world_land_speed_record_21.htm http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/Museum/Transport/Cars/Sunbeam/Speed.htm http://www.speedace.info/malcolm_campbell.htm http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/index.asp search for Campbell or Bluebird http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg5w71Wsgv0&feature=related
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