CAMPBELL’S NEW CAR

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 109, 1 February 1935, Page 15

CAMPBELL’S NEW CAR

Attempt to Do 300 m.p.h. DETAILS OF BLUE BIRD Sir Malcolm Campbell, holder of the world’s land speed, record of 272 m.p.h., has at last lifted the curtain and revealed some interesting features of his new Blue Bird, with which he is to make a further attempt on the record about February 18, at Daytona Beach, U.S.A. The outstanding changes to be incorporated in the contender for the record are twin driving wheels, dual crown wheels and pinions, a new streamlined body and fins in place of four-wheel brakes. Only the 12-cylin-der 2600 h.p. Rolls-Royce aero engine, gearbox and side members of the old Blue Bird are being used in the construction of the machine, everything else being new. Campbell and his designer had alternative designs to consider in regard to the important factor of efficient traction, among wffiich were front-wheel drive, four-wheel drive, a six-wheeler, or the orthodox single-tire type of rearwheel drive, but eventually all were ruled out in favour of twin wheels. These, it is thought, owing to spreading the weight over four driving tires (which will be run at a reduced pressure as compared with the single tires carrying the same weight during the 1933 achievement at Daytona), will overcome the Wheel spin which lost Campbell many m.p.h. when he raised his own record figures from 254 to 272 m.p.h. Air-Resistance .Problems. As regards the new streamlined body, after nine months wind-tunnel tests with models, a design has been selected which wall materially lessen air-resistance as compared with the Blue Bird of 1933. The body on that machine had a frontal area of 15 sq. feet, or three feet more than the Golden Arrow with which the late Sir Henry Segrave recorded 231.4 at Daytona in 1929. Segrave, on that occasion, had the benefit of 910 b.h.p., whereas Campbell had 2600 b.h.p., much of which went to waste through wheel spin. The 3500 h.p. seaplane recently flown at a speed of 440 m.p.h. over Lake Garda (Italy) by Lieut. Angello has a frontal area of about four square feet only. The frontal area of Campbell’s new machine has not been disclosed. The radiator has been merged into the front of the 1935 machine, so that it offers the minimum of resistance. Tiros to Run 300 m.p.li.

A few years back when Segravo raised the record to 231 m.p.h., it was thought that the limit of tire endurance carrying such a weight at such terrific speed had about been reached, but tire technologists have tires ready for Campbell’s forthcoming big effort, tested to stand up to a speed of just over 300 m.p.h., or 5 miles a minute. The dual crown wheels and pinions have been incorporated to withstand better the tremendous tooth-pressure on the gears. When the 1933 Blue Bird was taken down and examined after its achievement, it was found that the conventional single crown wheel and pinion had been badly stressed. Needless to say, much interest will be focused on the use of fins instead of the orthodox brakes on the four wheels. In Che past, it has been found that at speeds exceeding 200 m.p.h., brakes were practically useless in stopping a 4-ton machine until the speed had dropped to under 100 m.p.h. Earlier application is dangerous and simply fuses the brakes,