The Bluebird Project

Saw a bit of tonight's Antiques Roadshow from Brooklands. One of the people interviewed was Don Wales, who had a collection of paintings and a model of the 1935 (correct date I hope) car that Sir Malcolm Campbell drove.

I thought it was the 1928 Napier model with the radiaters at the back. Only other could be the Vernuekpan model in 1929

Could be. You're probably right though.

Here is the link to it on iPlayer. Its on around 12 minutes into the show;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... rooklands/

Though the St. Christopher would be worth more! Looked like a coupleo of other pieces there (a wallet?) that were not mentioned. Chris

Indeed the 1928 Napier Blue Bird! There at least three other silver models, Don's brother PJ took one to the Antiques Road Show at Beaulieu some years ago. There is a '35 one, with a clock in one wheel and a barometer in another, I wouldn't mind any of them!!

I was always puzzled by the various St Christopher's. I think DC had stopped using his father's one (hence the reason Gina has it, and used it on her Agfa Bluebirds), and Leo had the hinged one made for him, which he said was fitted on Jan 4th. He set off with Woppit, but not Whacko or Mr Tiki. Malcolm on the other hand hand elephant hair and all sorts on his dash!

I've often wondered whether there really was a St Christopher in K7's cockpit. I've never seen a pic of it but in Leo's book he says it was there. It wasn't on the dash panel and we've got pretty much everything else so was it really there?

Mike Bull wrote:A thought- there's one bit of the cockpit that you can't see in any of the photos- the right hand side, opposite to the fire panel. Maybe there was something mounted over there, in what would otherwise be a void under the bodywork?

But, as you know, we have all the structure from over there and there's not a single rivet hole to suggest anything other than a void. And surely, if it was there, someone would've grabbed a pic.

Here is a pic of the two medallion's before the 66 refit, on the left side of the dash, the bluebird and above it the St Christopher. it would appear they were not refitted in 66, even though their was plenty of room. I will hazard a guess this pic is vintage 1958, and the button to the left upper is for the parachute brake.

Renegadenemo wrote:

Mike Bull wrote:A thought- there's one bit of the cockpit that you can't see in any of the photos- the right hand side, opposite to the fire panel. Maybe there was something mounted over there, in what would otherwise be a void under the bodywork?

But, as you know, we have all the structure from over there and there's not a single rivet hole to suggest anything other than a void. And surely, if it was there, someone would've grabbed a pic.

So they weren't on the dash and as far as I know Gina hasn't got them so where did they go?

Could Donald have worn the St. Christopher around his neck after it was removed from the dashboard in '66, or was this another St. Christopher handed down to him from his father? Nonetheless, very interesting considering the superstitious nature of Donald. Chris