THE BLUE BIRD
MECHANICAL DETAILS A full description of Malcolm Campbell ’s world's record-breaking NapierCampbell car, the Blue Bird, is contained in the latest Autocar to hand. Summed up, it states, the ear is a blend to a degree hitherto unknown of automobile and aeroplane practice, notably in the provision of a tail fin to give directional stability. The car has an immensely stiff frame, a special rear axle, a front axle with adjustment for castor and solid row of big shock absorbers, and the gear-box is of a special epicyclic type designed ,by Joseph, Maina, so arranged that' the trains of gears are positively locked when in operation. This feature is considered the most interesting mechanically of the whole chassis. The Napier Liop engine is of tho broad arrow type, with thsce banks of four Cylinders, and has been converted to the same type as that successfully used in. the winning aeroplan»» in the Schneider Cup. The compression been : raised materially, and the engine is more compact. Its more rigid crankcase makes it smoother at full throttle than previously. The three carburettors are placed in a more accessible position. To ensure a faster start, the first gear ratio has been . altered.
The body, however, attracts the most interest. A side view shows this to resemble a fish in some respects, but with ait immense tail. The body was specially designed after windtunnel experiments had been carried out to make the car run straight at over 200 miles an hoyr, and at the same time keep a firm grip on the sand. In place of the radiator there is a blunt nose, and under-screen blending into an oval section streamline, tapering away to a pointed tail, and the. driver's head, .which, of course, projects above the body, is separately stream-lined by a tapered swelling rising-above the body at the Tear of his - seat. -.As a protection against the wiqd blast, there is a dash bulkhead and a windscreen. On the tail of the car, rising like the Upper part of a shark’s tail, which prevents the car from deviating from its course or developing tail wag, while the body form tends to press the car down to the ground when it is at full speed. Stream-lined sections are carried fore and aft of the wheels, which, are in the open, and the most curious sight of all is that of the, two blocks of radiator on either side of the ~fin astern of the driver which position proved the most efficient in the experiments carried out in a/wind tunnel at Vickers’ experimental shop. There ore two separate steering gears with a drop arm on either side of the frame.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/SNEWS19280511.2.3
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
Shannon News, 11 May 1928, Page 1
Word count
Tapeke kupu
449THE BLUE BIRD Shannon News, 11 May 1928, Page 1
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Copyright undetermined – untraced rights owner. For advice on reproduction of material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.