Interesting... I wonder if the rules for air transportation changed between 55 and 60 - or whether the pressure testing of the tank and air travel is a total red-herring. Yet the test sticker clearly says 59 and we know the tank was in there from 54. It's a bitch of a thing to get at so there must have been a good reason to dig it out and get a ticket on it.
By the way - what's the ideal size to upload pics? I can add the one of the 54 build sticker on the tank.
Bluebird Archive Photos & Films
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Renegadenemo
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Re: A Picture paints a thousand words....
I'm only a plumber from Cannock...
"As to reward, my profession is its own reward;" Sherlock Holmes.
'It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.' W.C. Fields.
"As to reward, my profession is its own reward;" Sherlock Holmes.
'It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.' W.C. Fields.
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sheppane
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Re: A Picture paints a thousand words....
Ideal pic size seems to be no more than 250 kb's. Would be interested to see the sticker.... Wonder if it needed checking before her public run at Ruislip Lido in the summer of 59. That's the only other non standard event i'm aware of K7 undertaking around that time.
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'When you go down into the arena, you know that sometimes, you're likely to get your nose punched. You do it with your eyes open. You take the risks'
Donald Campbell, Bluebird and The Final Record Attempt. https://www.facebook.com/bluebirdk7/
Donald Campbell, Bluebird and The Final Record Attempt. https://www.facebook.com/bluebirdk7/
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Renegadenemo
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Re: A Picture paints a thousand words....
Here's the main sticker. The Henderson company is in recruitment these days if memory serves.
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I'm only a plumber from Cannock...
"As to reward, my profession is its own reward;" Sherlock Holmes.
'It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.' W.C. Fields.
"As to reward, my profession is its own reward;" Sherlock Holmes.
'It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.' W.C. Fields.
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sheppane
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Re: A Picture paints a thousand words....
K7 stripped and ready for loading onto the DC9 cargo plane for her trip to the USA. Note the wooden formers for the intake ramp.
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'When you go down into the arena, you know that sometimes, you're likely to get your nose punched. You do it with your eyes open. You take the risks'
Donald Campbell, Bluebird and The Final Record Attempt. https://www.facebook.com/bluebirdk7/
Donald Campbell, Bluebird and The Final Record Attempt. https://www.facebook.com/bluebirdk7/
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sheppane
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Re: A Picture paints a thousand words....
The 1st run on the 4th. Heading south...Speed > 300mph K7's trim appears perfect... Is it? Also note the blanked off Jet Pipe air coolant duct below the fin mid away along the tail fairing.
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Last edited by sheppane on Mon Mar 16, 2009 11:26 pm, edited 2 times in total.
'When you go down into the arena, you know that sometimes, you're likely to get your nose punched. You do it with your eyes open. You take the risks'
Donald Campbell, Bluebird and The Final Record Attempt. https://www.facebook.com/bluebirdk7/
Donald Campbell, Bluebird and The Final Record Attempt. https://www.facebook.com/bluebirdk7/
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jonwrightk7
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Re: A Picture paints a thousand words....
looks like the fins on the front planing shoes are on the verge of becoming visible to me, evidence of what was to come?
The world is full of Kings and Queens; who blind your eyes, then steal your dreams..
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jonwrightk7
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Re: A Picture paints a thousand words....
just been watching footage of craig breedloves run in "sonic 1" when his front wheels lifted off. he said he thought it was due to the tail fin acting as a "teeter totter" and the wind resistance was levering up the front end and making it pivot over the rear wheels. could the same thing have been happening to k7 to a lesser degree, given it was into unexplored speed ranges?
The world is full of Kings and Queens; who blind your eyes, then steal your dreams..
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KW Mitchell
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Re: A Picture paints a thousand words....
On Nov 22nd, 1966, the 'sandbag experiment' was performed. BB had steadfastly refused to plane and 2 sandbags were attached on the rear transom to reduce nose heaviness. Success!
Lead weights were then permanently installed in the rear end and the problem was cured. But on Nov 22nd, only speeds up to 100mph were tested -------------!
My question is, how precisely was this done? Arthur Knowles reports in 'The Blubird Year's' that it was '--- all a case of trial and error ---------.'
Now my expertise is in aircraft and Centre of Gravity (CoG) location is very critical for stable flight and needs to be accurately determined. I'm not a boat expert but I would have thought a priori that it would be the same.
Ken Norris' involvement in such determination would be very important, but there appears to be no record of it and one is left with the distinct impression that it was just 'suck it and see'!
Now if it is speculated that the aforementioned photo' suggests that a nose light trim is evident - and I'm not knowledgeable enough to do that - then I would have to say that a possible rearwards CoG must be considered as contributory to the fateful events that followed.
Keith
PS I also have views on the effect of the damaged port (front) spar on the crash but that's for another thread -------!
Lead weights were then permanently installed in the rear end and the problem was cured. But on Nov 22nd, only speeds up to 100mph were tested -------------!
My question is, how precisely was this done? Arthur Knowles reports in 'The Blubird Year's' that it was '--- all a case of trial and error ---------.'
Now my expertise is in aircraft and Centre of Gravity (CoG) location is very critical for stable flight and needs to be accurately determined. I'm not a boat expert but I would have thought a priori that it would be the same.
Ken Norris' involvement in such determination would be very important, but there appears to be no record of it and one is left with the distinct impression that it was just 'suck it and see'!
Now if it is speculated that the aforementioned photo' suggests that a nose light trim is evident - and I'm not knowledgeable enough to do that - then I would have to say that a possible rearwards CoG must be considered as contributory to the fateful events that followed.
Keith
PS I also have views on the effect of the damaged port (front) spar on the crash but that's for another thread -------!
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Renegadenemo
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Re: A Picture paints a thousand words....
I reckon Keith is absolutely right, in my opinion, the whole adding of lead ballast was very much 'suck it and see'. There were other ways the balance could have been tweaked. Moving the batteries aft would have been one way and was arguably easier than fitting the ingots in the stern. But, I suppose, you have to consider that the team were a tad despondent by then and such conditons are not always conducive to clear thought.
I've always considered any influence of the damaged spar fairing to be so small as to be insignificant but small things become big things at high speed. Measuring the spar fairing the damaged area was approximately fifteen inches by threeand its centre lay 36 inches outboard of the boat centreline. Perhaps Keith will be kind enough to do the numbers for us. No doubt it will have created extra drag on that side but then there was a rudder and a stabilising fin at the rear with completely different dimensions and profiles running in a much denser medium yet no one seemed to mind that. Any thoughts?
I've always considered any influence of the damaged spar fairing to be so small as to be insignificant but small things become big things at high speed. Measuring the spar fairing the damaged area was approximately fifteen inches by threeand its centre lay 36 inches outboard of the boat centreline. Perhaps Keith will be kind enough to do the numbers for us. No doubt it will have created extra drag on that side but then there was a rudder and a stabilising fin at the rear with completely different dimensions and profiles running in a much denser medium yet no one seemed to mind that. Any thoughts?
I'm only a plumber from Cannock...
"As to reward, my profession is its own reward;" Sherlock Holmes.
'It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.' W.C. Fields.
"As to reward, my profession is its own reward;" Sherlock Holmes.
'It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.' W.C. Fields.
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Ernie Lazenby
Re: A Picture paints a thousand words....
I dont think the damaged sponson had any effect on stability. The rudder and stabalising fin being of different dimensions and form would not in my opinion produce any adverse effects. I have done a lot of testing of high speed models fitted with rudders to the left and turn fins on the right these being of vastly different dimensions and had no stability problems.
There is an excellent book ' High speed small craft' By Commander Peter Du Cane that covers in depth water flow over rudders etc . It is a highly technical book full of equations I dont understand however the theory and practical aspects of the design of surfaces running in or on the water are understandable and have helped me in my model building. First published in 1951 copies can still be found albeit they can be a little expensive. My first edition cost me £80
Going back to Bills discussion with Ken re rudder design Du Cane concluded( Back in the late 1940's that the wedge shaped rudder was optimum design for high speed boats. This knowledge is something well known in my field of high speed model boats including racing boats.Experience has shown the wedge to be the best although flat plate has also been successfull.
There is an excellent book ' High speed small craft' By Commander Peter Du Cane that covers in depth water flow over rudders etc . It is a highly technical book full of equations I dont understand however the theory and practical aspects of the design of surfaces running in or on the water are understandable and have helped me in my model building. First published in 1951 copies can still be found albeit they can be a little expensive. My first edition cost me £80
Going back to Bills discussion with Ken re rudder design Du Cane concluded( Back in the late 1940's that the wedge shaped rudder was optimum design for high speed boats. This knowledge is something well known in my field of high speed model boats including racing boats.Experience has shown the wedge to be the best although flat plate has also been successfull.