Bluebird CN7 - The Inside Story of Donald Campbell's Last Land Speed Record Car

By: Donald Stevens .

Description

The development, construction and operation of the last wheel-driven land speed record-breaking car that the UK produced, and how the tragic demise of Donald Campbell precluded it from reaching its full potential.

This is also the personal story of one of the design team, how he became involved, and his incredible experiences in doing so. With many previously unpublished photographs, drawings, and illustrations, this is a unique account of a legendary feat of British engineering.

Synopsis

The story of the design and construction of the fastest of the Bluebirds, the Campbell-Norris 7 (CN7). This car, now resident in the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu in England, is the most sophisticated design ever produced for a wheel-driven record-breaker. In 1960, using methods and materials developed for the aircraft industry, the CN7, given suitable running conditions, was capable of a speed in excess of that produced by the present wheel-driven record holder some 20 years later.

The author was first employed by design consultancy Norris Brothers Ltd as a design draughtsman on the Bluebird K7 hydroplane. After completing his National Service in the RAF, Donald rejoined the company to work with the two chief designers developing the specification for CN7, and later became project co-ordinator for its construction.

Bluebird CN7 Contents

• Acknowledgements
• Foreword
• An appreciation
• Introduction
  • 1 - My early background
  • 2 - My other enginnering experience
  • 3 - Design of the Campbell-Norris 7 (CN7)
• Analysis of project 18D
  • 4 - Construction
  • 5 - Goodwood trials
  • 6 - Utah runs and crash
  • 7 - Rebuild and Australia
  • 8 - Unlucky Friday the 13th
  • 9 - What could have been
  • 10 - What happened to the design team?
• Donald Stevens
• Hugh Standing
• Fred Wooding
• Jerzy Orlowski
• Henry Thwaites
• Alan Lucas
• Gordon Dale-Smith
• Appendix 1 - CN7 weight analysis
• Appendix 2 - List of 50 companies associated with CN7
• Appendix 3 - Copy of CIBA booklet
• Appendix 4 - Copy of Dunlop booklet
• Appendix 5 - The Land Speed Record since its inception
• Index

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