Bluebird-Proteus CN7

The "Bluebird-Proteus CN7" was a Land Speed Record-breaking car, driven by Donald Campbell.

Design

In 1956, Campbell began planning a car to break the land speed record, which then stood at 394 mph (630 km/h). The Norris brothers designed "Bluebird-Proteus CN7" with convert|500|mph|-1|abbr=on in mind. The "CN7" was completed by the spring of 1960, and was powered by a Bristol-Siddeley Proteus free-turbine (turboshaft) engine of 4,450 shp.

Engine

Bonneville, 1960

Following low-speed tests conducted at the Goodwood circuit in Sussex, England, the "CN7" was taken to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA, scene of his father's last LSR triumph in 1935. The attempt was unsuccessful and "CN7" was written off following a high-speed crash in September at Bonneville. Campbell was seriously hurt, suffering a fracture to his lower skull. His confidence was also severely shaken and for some time he doubted if he would ever return to record breaking. As part of his recuperation he learned to fly light aircraft and this boost to his confidence was an important factor in his recovery.cite book
title=My Speed King
author=Tonia Bern-Campbell
isbn=0750929316
publisher=Sutton Publishing
date=2002] By 1961 he was on the road to recovery and planning the rebuild of "CN7".

Lake Eyre, 1963

The rebuilt car was completed, with modifications including a large vertical stabilizer, in 1962. The omission of such a tail in the first place was unusual, as their necessity at such speeds had been recognised since the 1930s. By the end of the year she was shipped to Australia for a new attempt at Lake Eyre in 1963. The Lake Eyre location was chosen as it offered convert|450|sqmi|km2|-1 of dried salt lake, where rain had not fallen in the previous 20 years, and the surface of the convert|20|mi|km|0 long track was as hard as concrete. As Campbell arrived in late March, with a view to a May attempt, the first light rain fell. Campbell and Bluebird were running by early May but once again more rain fell, and low-speed test runs could not progress into the higher speed ranges. By late May, the rain became torrential, and the lake was flooded. Campbell had to move the "CN7" off the lake in the middle of the night to save the car from being submerged by the rising flood waters. The 1963 attempt was over.

Lake Eyre, 1964

Campbell and his team returned to Lake Eyre in 1964, but the surface never returned to the promise it had held in 1962 and Campbell had to battle with "CN7" to reach record speeds (over convert|400|mph|abbr=on|disp=s). After more light rain in June, the lake finally began to dry enough for an attempt to be made. On July 17, 1964, Campbell set a record of convert|403.10|mph|abbr=on for a four-wheeled vehicle (Class A). Campbell was disappointed with the record as the vehicle had been designed for much higher speeds. "CN7" covered the final third of the measured mile at an average of convert|429|mph|abbr=on, peaking as it left the measured distance at over convert|440|mph|-1|abbr=on.

ee also

* James Milner Phillips

References

cite book
title=The Land Speed Record
last=Holthusen
first=Peter J.R.
isbn=0854294996
date=1986]

* cite web
title=Bluebird, with earlier land speed record cars at Beaulieu
url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/twopsgoss/414632934/in/pool-79693942@N00/
publisher= [http://www.flickr.com/photos/twopsgoss/ twopsgoss] cite web
url=http://www.beaulieu.co.uk/motormuseum/collection.cfm
title=National Motor Museum collection
publisher=National Motor Museum ]