Donald Campbell's Bluebird K7

Read the forum code of contact

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 332

Just been on Sky news. Wonderful. What a day that will be. The hairs are up on the back of my neck just thinking about it!!
Congratulations to all involved.

Ivan

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 3,183

Currently third on the BBCs "most read".

I was't impressed when Bluebird came out of the lake, (we'll gloss over why, as I've been shown to be wrong) but Bill Smith and his crew have shown that they really do care about Bluebird and her "pilot".

I reckon it'll be standing room only on Coniston's shores. And I want to be there.

Adrian

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,446

I'm just back from the Lake District National Park Authority meeting, to which the whole team went, all in our best project team wear, to be there for the vote. It was 11-4 in favour, and the news crews were everywhere- BBC, Sky, ITN, locals etc. Exciting times- guess I'd better get back down to the workshop then- we've got a boat to finish!

Member for

18 years 2 months

Posts: 1,270

Currently third on the BBCs "most read".

I was't impressed when Bluebird came out of the lake, (we'll gloss over why, as I've been shown to be wrong) but Bill Smith and his crew have shown that they really do care about Bluebird and her "pilot".

I reckon it'll be standing room only on Coniston's shores. And I want to be there.

Adrian

Quite right, I met Bill a couple of times when the craft was still in the North East and I thought likewise.

I WILL be there!

Pete

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,446

She's still in the North East Pete- she's not finished yet! We're doing well, though.

Thanks to everyone for al the support via PMs- far too many to answer individually- but all very much appreciated!

Member for

18 years 2 months

Posts: 1,270

She's still in the North East Pete- she's not finished yet! We're doing well, though.

Thanks to everyone for al the support via PMs- far too many to answer individually- but all very much appreciated!

Sorry, I haven`t been following the project and I thought it had moved to Lancashire for some obscure reason!

Pete

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,446

Maybe you're thinking of when the boat's frame went to PDS Engineering, in Lancashire, to be put back together? That was in 2007.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 647

Just arrived back home yesterday from two weeks at Park Coppice, Coniston Water. Pleased to see the project coming on well, we had an idea of what Donald Campbell was doing as viewed from the Steam Yacht Gondola albeit some 300 MPH slower!

I saw the TV Camera Vans etc on the Pier Head but didn't know what was going on until I just read these posts, the third shot is taken from the S Y Gondola which apparently is the view of Coniston Water that Campbell had on his first run

http://inlinethumb26.webshots.com/42009/2718624780035970728S600x600Q85.jpg
http://inlinethumb06.webshots.com/44997/2987850510035970728S600x600Q85.jpg
http://inlinethumb62.webshots.com/39165/2966767080035970728S600x600Q85.jpg
http://inlinethumb36.webshots.com/43491/2333952940035970728S600x600Q85.jpg
http://inlinethumb16.webshots.com/43023/2307973540035970728S600x600Q85.jpg

Profile picture for user Phantom Phil

Member for

16 years 4 months

Posts: 1,067

Do they have any serial/part numbers on these components?

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,446

There were a few numbers here and there- I'll see if I can get them for you tomorrow.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,446

Okay, here are some part numbers.

The crank on the left has 'TAM 21' in a circle with 72790/1 next to it on one side, and S/A 72791/1 on the other side.

The end of the ball joint rod thingy has GR76947 on it.

We're not even 100% that these are aviation, but any help whatsoever will be very much appreciated. Types of aircraft, that kind of thing. The parts date from Bluebird being new, so that's 1954/55 kind of time.

Thanks! :)

Attachments

Member for

18 years 3 months

Posts: 11

These look like standard Bloctube parts - commonly used in aviation/marine in that era. After Harold Wilson persuaded me that there was no future in the aircraft industry with the cancellation of TSR2, I spent a few years at Vospers in Portsmouth where the high speed patrol boats and other products made extensive use of Bloctube linkages.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,446

Yes, we know that they are Bloctube parts, (see the link in my post above No.131) but what we're after is possibly some actual types of aircraft etc they were used in that we may then use as an enquiry line for getting some bits and pieces.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,446

Any takers?

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,446

A little 'bump', just in case anyone can help. :o

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,446

Okay, we now have reason to believe that Armstrong Whitworth used Bloctube controls- anyone familiar with an AW type or two from the mid fifties to suggest?

(See posts 131 and 139 above)

Member for

17 years

Posts: 1,656

Armstrong Whitworth Apollo (1949)
Armstrong Whitworth Argosy (AW.650 / 660) (1959)
Armstrong Whitworth AW.681 - proposed STOL military transport aircraft design
Armstrong Whitworth AW.169 - proposed design for Operational Requirement F.155 high altitude supersonic interceptor
Armstrong Whitworth AW.171 - supersonic VTOL flying wing
Hawker Sea Hawk - produced as part of Hawker Siddeley Aircraft
Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF.11 - redesign of the Gloster Meteor produced as part of Hawker Siddeley Aircraft

Good old Wiki....:D

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,446

Cheers, though I was rather hoping that someone might be able to say 'Oh yes, the AW Something-or-other used those link roads, and there's one at...' :)