New Land Speed Record Set By Donald Campbell - 403mph (1964) | Sporting History

Campbell was a British speed record breaker who is the only person to have set both world water and land speed records in the same year (1964). On 17 July 1964, Campbell set a new world land speed record of 403.10mph for a four-wheeled car (Class A) at Lake Eyre, Australia. He was however disappointed with the record as his Norris Brothers designed Bluebird-Proteus CN7 had been constructed to reach speeds of 500mph. Campbell went on that year to set another water speed record at 276.33mph. Campbell was killed whilst attempting to set his 8th water speed record in 1967.

Film ID: 1765.15


BRITISH PATHÉ'S STORY
Before television, people came to movie theatres to watch the news. British Pathé was at the forefront of cinematic journalism, blending information with entertainment to popular effect. Over the course of a century, it documented everything from major armed conflicts and seismic political crises to the curious hobbies and eccentric lives of ordinary people. If it happened, British Pathé filmed it.

Now considered to be the finest newsreel archive in the world, British Pathé is a treasure trove of 85,000 films unrivalled in their historical and cultural significance.

[nigelcarren]

This vehicle and its engineering never gets enough credit in my opinion for being powered at the wheels!! I will never forget peering at this gearbox on wheels at Beaulieu. What a magical combination of both engineering excellence and determination. 🏆

[grahamsowerby]

Nice to remember that my dad's firm had a small part to play in the engineering of Bluebird!

[johnarmstrong]

Met a tyre technician who worked on this attempt who said they wired the valves in place to stop them unscrewing because of centrifugal force. Is this feasible? Bluebird went on display that year at Melbourne Motor Show. Was amazed at how low it was!

[johnarmstrong]

Bluebird was on display at the Melbourne International Motor Show which I was privileged to attend and view this great piece of automotive engineering. In the early 1980s I spoke to a tyre technician involved in tbe Lake Eyre success. Told me of the valves unscrewing because of centrifugal force necessitating being wired in place. Meet lots of fascinating people as you go through life! Cheers to all

[altfactor]

Donald Campbell broke a record set the prior year by American Craig Breedlove, who was first to hit 400 miles per hour on land (Breedlove hit 401 in 1963).

Campbell only held the land speed record for a brief time.

Later in 1964, Craig Breedlove shattered it (and became the first man to travel on land at 500 miles per hour) at the Bonneville Salt Flats, but after completing the run, the parachute on his car failed, and the car crashed.

Breedlove survived with only minor injuries and with a new car, shattered his own record a year later, becoming first to hit 600 miles per hour on land.

With the land speed record spiking from 387 miles per hour to 601 miles per hour in a little more than two years' time, there was much interest in the land speed record during the 1960's since it appeared that someone would soon break the sound barrier on land.

Had Donald Campbell not been killed in an attempt to break the water speed record in 1967, perhaps he might have been the first to break the sound barrier on land. He and Breedlove certainly would have had quite a rivalry.

[Dragonblaster]

It was a terrifying run. The salt was still soft after the rains, and Bluebird was pitching up and down and side to side. That's why Donald only barely squeaked over 400mph.

[shaunbrodie]

I REMEMBER THIS SO WELL AND SO MANY YEARS AGO, IM WATCHING THE MOVIE RIGHT NOW AND IT BRINGS BACK THE VERY TRAGIC CIRCUMSTANCES ! He was amazing ……

[AlbertBuckinghamEllison]

for 1960's, that's pretty god damn impressive

[McLarenMercedes]

I agree.

Then I could also say that John Cobb's Railton Special reaching 369.70 mph (594.97 km/h) in 1939 (25 years before this) was more impressive still.

He raised the record to 394.19 mph (634.39 km/h) in 1947.

Another 9 mph on Cobb's 1947 record isn't that much of an improvement. Especially since the Railton Special used two Napier Lion aero engines first designed back in WW1.

The Railton Special had 2600 hp from the two engines. The Bluebird CN7 had over 4000hp from its gas-turbine.

[kfyk]

This really was when Britain was great

[mikefuller]

The comment I would make about this film is not so much about comparing the setting of a new World Record with previous records that have been set by other brave men, but more about the accuracy of the footage shown.
This footage appears to have been taken in 1963, which is apparent by the fact that the Bluebird CN7 has a camera mounted on its tail fin in this footage.
When Donald Campbell set the World Land Speed record on 17th July 1964 the camera had been removed and a speed sensing device had been fitted up higher, about level with the top of of the tail fin.
The unsuccessful attempt in 1963 was, however, still undertaken by a very brave man who was under enormous pressure to set a new record.  It was just unfortunate that an enormous downpour of rain delayed his success until 1964.

[robertcameron]

I was lucky enough to see the blue bird in person.

[therebals]

Unfortunately after the land speed record he never got to celebrate setting the water speed record, may you rest in peace with the bluebird, I go to Coniston every year and I must think of where you Parker your Jaguar F-Type to get into the boat, now it is where the owner lives and at the main campsite near bluebird café, I wasn’t around at the time but I can only imagine the trauma you went through, may you set the record for the bravest man alive, I think the cockpit could’ve been bigger, there needed to be room for those giant balls

[mariadelcarmenescott]

it may look slow but its going fast (403mph)

[froogsleegs]

Imagine what it would have been like to be there in this golden age of innovation and optimism. Everyone was excited for the future and everyone was having a great time building and discovering things, people were on a high after the trials and tribulations of the previous 20 years. It would have been really amazing to be a living witness to the middle part of the 20th century, to feel that spirit and really get stuck in with building the new world. In 2020 it's almost like we're living in the upside down- everyone is worried for the future, technology is scary, it's almost an accepted fact that the world is ending, people don't even talk to each other on the bus. It's a really weird time to be alive, I hope that soon we break out of this gloomy death cycle we're stuck in and focus on another age of possibility.

[louielouiepks]

Love the DeHavilland Otter in the background. Only reason I watched this video.

[TheWierdFish]

Insanity to think that Bloodhound is now going for 1000mph.. 300mph faster than the speed of sound, and if I remember correctly, faster than the _air_ speed record at the same altitude.

[DavidMagann-kyjj]

I had a die cast model of this car, i was a kid in hospital 1969.

[johnd]

Yet in 1965 some California hot rodders built Goldenrod with four Chrysler Hemi production engines and beat the Bluebird record for wheel driven cars.
A shoestring budget in their backyard fruit shed beating all the resources Campbell put together. An amazing achievement setting a record for wheel driven cars unsupercharged that lasted forty years.

[lulaflorentino]

Gostei do new land speed Record set by Donald Campbell