By: f1steveuk
- 30th March 2008 at 17:29Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
He was, it seems, referring to his own post. Breathe.
Enjoy the forum, all welcome.
Ah breathing, one of my favourite hobbies, fair enough! Mike, I'm sure you know more than you let on!
White Hawk was a strange one. Ken Norris arrived at the Hanning-Lees to design the spaceframe, onlt to find the whole design was a chalk out line on the wall, and as such had to fill in ALL the gaps, this is while his brother Lew was working for Donald Campbell re-designing Blue Bird K4 into a prop rider.
K5 was a hydro-foil, and as such had a well defined top speed, governed by the break down in lift created by the underwater foils. She did her high speed submarine impression three times, although I have never heard she had twin seats?!
Her whereabouts are something of a mystery, either broke up as scrap, or locked in a customs warehouse as payment against unpaid import duty...........:eek:
By: BIGVERN1966
- 30th March 2008 at 19:13Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
A bit of topic this..
I remember there was a British K8 boat that was going to do an attempt on the WSR, years back powered by a Viper if memroy serves and named Alton Towers after the sponser. What happened to it?? (Googling don't get any hits).
By: f1steveuk
- 31st March 2008 at 14:02Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
A bit of topic this..
I remember there was a British K8 boat that was going to do an attempt on the WSR, years back powered by a Viper if memroy serves and named Alton Towers after the sponser. What happened to it?? (Googling don't get any hits).
K8 British Pursuit/Miss Alton Towers was owned and run by businessman Tony Fahey. She simply failed to plane due to balance and weight issues. Attempts to locate Mr Fahey, K8's hull or the mock up for Noel Edmonds Excalibur have all failed, indeed Noel goes quite a funny colour when that name is mentioned!
K8 followed the trend set by John Cobb/Reid Railton, in having the single shoe at the front, or a reverse three pointer, which with the exception of Cobb's trial runs, has never succeeded.
By: Bluebird Mike
- 31st March 2008 at 17:30Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
It's a shame that Noel won't talk about it these days- back in his old Top Gear/airshow presenter days, he'd have made a good sort to have had a bash at the record.
By: Bluebird Mike
- 20th April 2008 at 23:15Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Just bumping my own thread here, regarding that damn gauge we're after again- today while idly adding new aircraft to my flight sim, I added an Armstrong Whitworth Argosy, and blow me if there weren't four of the pesky EXH gauges on it's panel! I quickly found pictures of real Argosy panels online, and sure enough, they had four of a very close match to the gauge we're after fitted.
Now, I know nothing about the type at all...so, are any left? Do any fly? Who's got one? Who might have parts for one? Etc etc, any help gratefully received, etc!
By: BIGVERN1966
- 20th April 2008 at 23:51Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
K8 British Pursuit/Miss Alton Towers was owned and run by businessman Tony Fahey. She simply failed to plane due to balance and weight issues. Attempts to locate Mr Fahey, K8's hull or the mock up for Noel Edmonds Excalibur have all failed, indeed Noel goes quite a funny colour when that name is mentioned!
K8 followed the trend set by John Cobb/Reid Railton, in having the single shoe at the front, or a reverse three pointer, which with the exception of Cobb's trial runs, has never succeeded.
I remember Excalibur, prop driven hydrofoil if memory serves, First time I saw it I though "That isn't going to work, Hydrofoils suffer from cavitation at about 80 MPH and fall back the water' and I was a teenager at the time. I'm not surprised that Noel goes a funny colour. He lost quite a bit of money on it if memory serves.
As for reverse three pointer's, I wouldn't say that seeing that Lee Taylor's Discovery II was a reverse three pointer and was able to plane at almost 300 MPH up to the point where it broke up and killed him, However no boat of that configuration has broken the record.
By: lucyfahey
- 26th April 2008 at 00:33Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
K8 British Pursuit/Miss Alton Towers was owned and run by businessman Tony Fahey. She simply failed to plane due to balance and weight issues. Attempts to locate Mr Fahey, K8's hull or the mock up for Noel Edmonds Excalibur have all failed, indeed Noel goes quite a funny colour when that name is mentioned!
K8 followed the trend set by John Cobb/Reid Railton, in having the single shoe at the front, or a reverse three pointer, which with the exception of Cobb's trial runs, has never succeeded.
Hi, was searching for info re. my father's water speed record when i was a kid and saw this site, Tony Fahey is alive and well and still as passionnate about speed as he always was. He has 6 kids i'm his only daughter and would love to get him back involved with this sport - he is alway so busy with business/commercial activities aged 64 we all call him "peter pan". If he had the time i'm sure he would have and still (knowing him) try and beat the current records - simply said you will never meet a more interesting character in your life. would be interested to know if there is some forum for a veteren like Mr Fahey??
By: mike currill
- 26th April 2008 at 06:15Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I very much doubt he'd be regarded as an unwelcome addition here. If only for the reason we'll talk to anyone, if they have something interesting to say it's a bonus.
By: Bluebird Mike
- 27th April 2008 at 09:25Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
What a superb set of pictures- I've never seen those before! Any chance the original poster could grant permission for me to put those on the Speed Record Group that I've linked to above?
By: mike currill
- 27th April 2008 at 09:52Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I see they are post crash. IIRC it was the only crash she had and led to the addition of the tailfin. Does anyone know what the fin was from or was it specially built for the car?
By: keithnewsome
- 27th April 2008 at 10:07Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Excellent photos, I remember the event as a little boy ! but I think i would doubt the year mentioned, I seem to think it was a lot earlier, I know one of you out there will confirm actual date.
My father and I drove there again the next day and she was still in the cornfield, being looked at by many people !
Keith.
By: f1steveuk
- 28th May 2008 at 15:47Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I see they are post crash. IIRC it was the only crash she had and led to the addition of the tailfin. Does anyone know what the fin was from or was it specially built for the car?
The fin was fitted post the Bonneville crash in 1960, this accident was post the "double" records in 1964, a demo' at RAF Debden, when Donald Campbell's stand in drove with his feet on both the brake AND the loud pedal!
The 1960 crash was during the initial record trials, and occurred at approx'360 mph. The tailfin was added and was purpose designed for CN7, and could be partially dismantled to give a fin of various sizes and shapes. The Debden accident all but put paid to CN7 ever running again, the damage being estimated at some £55,000 even then!
By: XL391
- 28th May 2008 at 19:22Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
A slightly unusual twist to the normal aviation art that's available, Rob Evan's new aviation art print pays tribute to record setter Donald Campbell who was killed while attempting to become the first person to go over 300mph on water.
This pencil print features a ghostly Avro Vulcan jet bomber over Campbell's Bluebird, representing a hitherto mystery Vulcan which reportedly flew over the lake in tribute the day after the accident. The RAF denied it was "one of their's" and as no one else flew the magnificent Vulcan, the story largely became part of the Bluebird legend, known only to a few.
Thanks to research by Rob it now transpires that the salute was a personal tribute by one Don Dale, Vulcan pilot with 12 Squadron. Having diverted from his flight plan to make the tribute he was in a certain amount of 'hot water' with his superiors in the RAF!
4 years ago I tried to trace the Vulcan used for the flypast through the Vulcan Forum. Imagine my surprise when on May 6th 2004, the pilot of the Vulcan (XM657, the last Vulcan ever built), Mr Don Dale, gave me this response via PM:
The Vulcan in question was XM657, Cottesmore Wing, 12(B)Sqdn Crew.
Briefed for 2 Low Levels, entering in the West Country. Gin clear day. We could see Hilpsford Point (Barrow) coasting out of North Wales. Radar and plotting gear was switched off. Began a climb to 2000'. Nav plotter went to the bomb aimers window for back up map reading.
We flew over Coniston and dipped our wings in tribute to a very brave man who had just lost his life. We re-entered the Low Level route at the next radar significant point and completed a successful RBS delivery on West Freugh, then back to the West Country for another Low Level run along the same route. This time there was no deviation and we returned to base.
Then it became exciting...
It had been on the radio at lunchtime, it was in all the evenings newspapers and headlines in the National Press the next morning, quote "Bomber Command, on being approached, said it was not one of ours".
Poingnantly, on recovery of Bluebird and of Donald Campbell, his internment ceremony was planned to have a flypast of 4 Tornado's, sadly, the weather was too bad for the flypast.
Perhaps I was 25 years too early, but I had given him an appropriate salute. I was not off track and I was 2000' feet over the surface of the lake, so not illegally low flying off the Low Level route but flying safely and with due consideration to normal decent convention to the family and to the deceased.
Had I asked for formal permission, I guess it would have took months to get a negative answer. They finally got me for leaving the Low Level route when not authorised to do so. When I asked for clarification of this I recall that I received the "GET OUT" response!!
Posts: 8,195
By: JDK - 30th March 2008 at 09:02 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
He was, it seems, referring to his own post. Breathe.
Enjoy the forum, all welcome.
Posts: 2,446
By: Bluebird Mike - 30th March 2008 at 10:27 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
You're kidding Steve- if it's not K7, CN7, Thrust 2 or Thrust SSC, I know absolutely NOTHING about it!!!
Posts: 6
By: f1steveuk - 30th March 2008 at 17:29 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Ah breathing, one of my favourite hobbies, fair enough! Mike, I'm sure you know more than you let on!
White Hawk was a strange one. Ken Norris arrived at the Hanning-Lees to design the spaceframe, onlt to find the whole design was a chalk out line on the wall, and as such had to fill in ALL the gaps, this is while his brother Lew was working for Donald Campbell re-designing Blue Bird K4 into a prop rider.
K5 was a hydro-foil, and as such had a well defined top speed, governed by the break down in lift created by the underwater foils. She did her high speed submarine impression three times, although I have never heard she had twin seats?!
Her whereabouts are something of a mystery, either broke up as scrap, or locked in a customs warehouse as payment against unpaid import duty...........:eek:
Posts: 1,179
By: BIGVERN1966 - 30th March 2008 at 19:13 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
A bit of topic this..
I remember there was a British K8 boat that was going to do an attempt on the WSR, years back powered by a Viper if memroy serves and named Alton Towers after the sponser. What happened to it?? (Googling don't get any hits).
Posts: 6
By: f1steveuk - 31st March 2008 at 14:02 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
K8 British Pursuit/Miss Alton Towers was owned and run by businessman Tony Fahey. She simply failed to plane due to balance and weight issues. Attempts to locate Mr Fahey, K8's hull or the mock up for Noel Edmonds Excalibur have all failed, indeed Noel goes quite a funny colour when that name is mentioned!
K8 followed the trend set by John Cobb/Reid Railton, in having the single shoe at the front, or a reverse three pointer, which with the exception of Cobb's trial runs, has never succeeded.
Posts: 2,446
By: Bluebird Mike - 31st March 2008 at 17:30 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
It's a shame that Noel won't talk about it these days- back in his old Top Gear/airshow presenter days, he'd have made a good sort to have had a bash at the record.
Posts: 2,446
By: Bluebird Mike - 20th April 2008 at 23:15 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Just bumping my own thread here, regarding that damn gauge we're after again- today while idly adding new aircraft to my flight sim, I added an Armstrong Whitworth Argosy, and blow me if there weren't four of the pesky EXH gauges on it's panel! I quickly found pictures of real Argosy panels online, and sure enough, they had four of a very close match to the gauge we're after fitted.
Now, I know nothing about the type at all...so, are any left? Do any fly? Who's got one? Who might have parts for one? Etc etc, any help gratefully received, etc!
Posts: 1,179
By: BIGVERN1966 - 20th April 2008 at 23:51 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I remember Excalibur, prop driven hydrofoil if memory serves, First time I saw it I though "That isn't going to work, Hydrofoils suffer from cavitation at about 80 MPH and fall back the water' and I was a teenager at the time. I'm not surprised that Noel goes a funny colour. He lost quite a bit of money on it if memory serves.
As for reverse three pointer's, I wouldn't say that seeing that Lee Taylor's Discovery II was a reverse three pointer and was able to plane at almost 300 MPH up to the point where it broke up and killed him, However no boat of that configuration has broken the record.
Posts: 1
By: lucyfahey - 26th April 2008 at 00:33 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Hi, was searching for info re. my father's water speed record when i was a kid and saw this site, Tony Fahey is alive and well and still as passionnate about speed as he always was. He has 6 kids i'm his only daughter and would love to get him back involved with this sport - he is alway so busy with business/commercial activities aged 64 we all call him "peter pan". If he had the time i'm sure he would have and still (knowing him) try and beat the current records - simply said you will never meet a more interesting character in your life. would be interested to know if there is some forum for a veteren like Mr Fahey??
Posts: 8,505
By: mike currill - 26th April 2008 at 06:15 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I very much doubt he'd be regarded as an unwelcome addition here. If only for the reason we'll talk to anyone, if they have something interesting to say it's a bonus.
Posts: 2,446
By: Bluebird Mike - 26th April 2008 at 08:52 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
It's only in the old Yahoo Groups format, but you could try here-
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Speedrecordgroup/
-where you'll find authors, experts, armchair experts, even Ken Warby himself from time to time!
Posts: 763
By: REF - 27th April 2008 at 08:44 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Someone has very kindly posted some great photos of Campbells Bluebird at RAF Debden on our fourm here;
http://airfieldinformationexchange.freeforums.org/r-a-f-debden-t156.html
Richard
Posts: 2,446
By: Bluebird Mike - 27th April 2008 at 09:25 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
What a superb set of pictures- I've never seen those before! Any chance the original poster could grant permission for me to put those on the Speed Record Group that I've linked to above?
Posts: 8,505
By: mike currill - 27th April 2008 at 09:52 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I see they are post crash. IIRC it was the only crash she had and led to the addition of the tailfin. Does anyone know what the fin was from or was it specially built for the car?
Posts: 2,322
By: keithnewsome - 27th April 2008 at 10:07 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Excellent photos, I remember the event as a little boy ! but I think i would doubt the year mentioned, I seem to think it was a lot earlier, I know one of you out there will confirm actual date.
My father and I drove there again the next day and she was still in the cornfield, being looked at by many people !
Keith.
Posts: 6
By: f1steveuk - 28th May 2008 at 15:47 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The fin was fitted post the Bonneville crash in 1960, this accident was post the "double" records in 1964, a demo' at RAF Debden, when Donald Campbell's stand in drove with his feet on both the brake AND the loud pedal!
The 1960 crash was during the initial record trials, and occurred at approx'360 mph. The tailfin was added and was purpose designed for CN7, and could be partially dismantled to give a fin of various sizes and shapes. The Debden accident all but put paid to CN7 ever running again, the damage being estimated at some £55,000 even then!
Posts: 8,505
By: mike currill - 28th May 2008 at 18:17 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
So, if the fin could be changed to suit various requirements, I take it it was actually special build for the car?
Posts: 549
By: XL391 - 28th May 2008 at 19:22 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
4 years ago I tried to trace the Vulcan used for the flypast through the Vulcan Forum. Imagine my surprise when on May 6th 2004, the pilot of the Vulcan (XM657, the last Vulcan ever built), Mr Don Dale, gave me this response via PM:
Posts: 2,446
By: Bluebird Mike - 28th May 2008 at 19:23 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Yup, that's what Steve said!
Posts: 3,214
By: Nashio966 - 28th May 2008 at 19:29 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
XL391, just out of interest, did they discharge the chap from the Raf for doing it?! (excuse me for being thick)