Blue Bird or Bluebird is the name of various cars and boats used by Sir Malcolm Campbell, his son Donald and other family members to set land and water speed records.

Origins of the name The name Blue Bird was originally inspired by the play of that name by Maurice MaeterlinckScott A. G. M. Crawford, "Campbell, Sir Malcolm (1885–1948)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, May 2006 accessed 25 July 2008 and so the vehicles were painted a shade of azure blue.

Malcolm Campbell had a succession of Darracq racing cars in the 1920s, which in the fashion of the day he had named 'Flapper I' , 'Flapper II' and 'Flapper III' . It was 'Flapper III' which he renamed after seeing the play, famously and impetuously knocking up a paint shop owner at night, so as to purchase blue paint before racing at Brooklands the following day.

In 1925, he also raced an Itala at Brooklands with the name 'The Blue Bird' painted on the bonnet.

Bluebird or Blue Bird? Malcolm Campbell named them "Blue Bird", Donald "Bluebird".

The hydroplane K4 began life as Malcolm's "Blue Bird", but when Donald decided to use her in 1949, after his father's death, he renamed her "Bluebird".

Cars

Sir Malcolm Campbell Campbell broke nine land speed records between 1924 and 1935, with three at Pendine Sands and five at Daytona Beach. The final record was set at the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, in 1935. For completeness, earlier cars raced by Campbell and named 'Blue Bird' are also listed here. Dates are indicative only.

1906 Blue Bird; Darracq 10½ litre, originally named 'Flapper' 1911 Blue Bird II; Darracq "Four-inch" BJ-578 1912 Blue Bird; Lorraine-Dietrich (race number 5) 1913 Blue Bird III; Darracq "Four-inch" LN-870 (race number 2) 1922 The Blue Bird; Itala 2-litre (race number 5) 1923 Blue Bird; Sunbeam 350HP 1927 Blue Bird II; Napier-Campbell Blue Bird; Napier Lion V engine (ca 500hp) 1928 Blue Bird III; Napier-Campbell Blue Bird; rebuilt with Napier Lion VIIA engine (ca 900hp) 1931 Blue Bird IV; Campbell-Napier-Railton Blue Bird 1933 Blue Bird V; Campbell-Railton Blue Bird: rebuilt with Rolls-Royce R engine (#R37)

Chrysler Six Model B-70 1925

Donald Campbell

Bluebird-Proteus CN7 Bluebird Mach 1.1 (CMN-8) never built

Donald Wales

Donald Wales, grandson of Malcolm Campbell and nephew of Donald Campbell, has contested the world electric powered land speed record. He was also the test driver for the British Steam Car Inspiration,Steam car record tests completed BBC News, 1 April 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2021 which broke the steam-powered land speed record. He was also the driver for Project Runningblade,Lawn mower man eyes speed record BBC News, 1 December 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2021 setting the world land speed record for a lawnmower. Bluebird Electric 2

Boats

Sir Malcolm Campbell

Blue Bird K3 Blue Bird K4

Donald Campbell

Bluebird K4: renamed in 1949, destroyed in 1951 Bluebird K7: 1955–1967

Gina Campbell Gina Campbell, daughter of Donald Campbell, has contested the women's world water speed record. Agfa Bluebird

See also Bluebird of Chelsea Bluebird Garage List of vehicle speed records

References

External links Bluebird Electric Bluebird Project "Race For Higher Speed On Land and in Air" Popular Mechanics, March 1933