Bill, Kevin's frame section is very very short, I'd be surprised if it were longer than 2 or 3 inches with a very small section of ali' sheet hanging off it. I'm due to go and see him before we returnto the UK, I'll try and get a picture.
As for the damage on the shoe, it was noted in Lew's report, and proven to have matched an impact on the main hull as obviously the press instantly suggested K7 had hit something floating in the lake.
The Sponsons Thread
Re: Lakeland Motor Museum/'Across The Lake' Mock Up/Sponsons
Steve Holter, UK and France, and sometimes reality....................
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Renegadenemo
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Re: Lakeland Motor Museum/'Across The Lake' Mock Up/Sponsons
Hi Steve - I remember reading something about the ding on the shoe. I can't think of a corresponding ding on the main hull and the hull should have lost out big-time to the wedge. Seeing as they couldn't possibly have inspected more than half of the main hull after the accident due to it being deeply buried I wonder which injury they had in mind. But it could have been a chunk of cockpit frame or anything so I guess we'll likely not solve that one. There was a hole in the right-hand side that for a long time I thought was impact damage but it later proved to be water damage from the tumble over the surface.
As for missing frame there's only one cockpit crossmember unaccounted for at the top of F-19 so if you can get a pic I ought to be able to tell you exactly where it came from.
As for missing frame there's only one cockpit crossmember unaccounted for at the top of F-19 so if you can get a pic I ought to be able to tell you exactly where it came from.
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.
Re: Lakeland Motor Museum/'Across The Lake' Mock Up/Sponsons
Bill, I recall both Ken and Lew saying that the only thing that could have caused the damage was something harder than the shoe itself, and from that deduced that K7 had not hit anything in the water and that the damge had to have been caused by an impact with another part of the craft, though unlike Railton and Thomas' BABS wheel failure, they didn't actually have the evidence in their hands to test fit anything.
Camera packed for the Desmond trip!
Camera packed for the Desmond trip!
Steve Holter, UK and France, and sometimes reality....................
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quicksilver-wsr
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Re: Lakeland Motor Museum/'Across The Lake' Mock Up/Sponsons
That piece must have spent most of its life, post-crash, hanging from roof beams in one place or another.f1steveuk wrote:that's the bit Nigel, and for my sins it was me that affixed it to the roof beam in the museum
When I saw it, in Leo's garage, it was ... hanging from the roof beams ... but clearly on view when the garage doors were open.
Nowadays, you wouldn't dare.
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Renegadenemo
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Re: Lakeland Motor Museum/'Across The Lake' Mock Up/Sponsons
Steve, knowing what I know about the material and construction of the wedges I'd agree completely and looking at the shape of the damage it looks perfect for a chunk of 2" square box section to have whacked it. It's entirely possible that the of cockpit wall that fired out the side crashed off it on its way.I recall both Ken and Lew saying that the only thing that could have caused the damage was something harder than the shoe itself, and from that deduced that K7 had not hit anything in the water and that the damge had to have been caused by an impact with another part of the craft
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.
Re: Lakeland Motor Museum/'Across The Lake' Mock Up/Sponsons
Sorry to open old wounds but:
I was at the accident and the 'damage' on the sponson shoe was 'apparently' caused[conversations I overheard] by the piece of wood[tree log] that had a scar in it that was recovered and was near the sponsons when they were at the jetty.
Again I have said earlier I heard a large 'bang' before BB began the lift. [ see earlier submissions]
I am aware that wood shouldn't do the 'damage' BUT...thats what I heard and saw.
Ken Norris was originally AGAINST the raising of BB and Steve will back me on that. I am aware that he changed his mind later and having seen the BBP team in action he changed his mind completely and fully supported the restoration.
The sponsons were Ken's 'pride and joy' he believed they were as near perfect as could be designed and built, if he said he didn't know where they were, I will stick with that, he didn't. He would have loved to have seen them reunited with the hull.
Steve, The small bit of BB that Kevin has will have cut marks on it and will mainly have green paint on it with bit of blue on the other side. I arranged for him to get a bit[and Ron Wolbold] during the K8 trials. I went to the Ullswater school where the piece I recovered was and got it for him in return for Tony signing a load of autographed photos. At that time he told me he didn't have any part of BB which is why I did it. Leo had died by then so if he has another piece he either conned me or got it later.
I was at the accident and the 'damage' on the sponson shoe was 'apparently' caused[conversations I overheard] by the piece of wood[tree log] that had a scar in it that was recovered and was near the sponsons when they were at the jetty.
Again I have said earlier I heard a large 'bang' before BB began the lift. [ see earlier submissions]
I am aware that wood shouldn't do the 'damage' BUT...thats what I heard and saw.
Ken Norris was originally AGAINST the raising of BB and Steve will back me on that. I am aware that he changed his mind later and having seen the BBP team in action he changed his mind completely and fully supported the restoration.
The sponsons were Ken's 'pride and joy' he believed they were as near perfect as could be designed and built, if he said he didn't know where they were, I will stick with that, he didn't. He would have loved to have seen them reunited with the hull.
Steve, The small bit of BB that Kevin has will have cut marks on it and will mainly have green paint on it with bit of blue on the other side. I arranged for him to get a bit[and Ron Wolbold] during the K8 trials. I went to the Ullswater school where the piece I recovered was and got it for him in return for Tony signing a load of autographed photos. At that time he told me he didn't have any part of BB which is why I did it. Leo had died by then so if he has another piece he either conned me or got it later.
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Renegadenemo
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Re: Lakeland Motor Museum/'Across The Lake' Mock Up/Sponsons
Might've been the shovel falling over...I heard a large 'bang' before BB began the lift
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.
Re: Lakeland Motor Museum/'Across The Lake' Mock Up/Sponsons
Renegadenemo wrote:Might've been the shovel falling over...I heard a large 'bang' before BB began the lift
Bangers!
You must have known I was coming!
You must have known I was coming!
Re: Lakeland Motor Museum/'Across The Lake' Mock Up/Sponsons
Eh up Polo!
I don't think it's any secret that Ken, Lew, Tonia, Gina, Victor, Robbie, the people of Coniston, were against K7 being dived on or eventually recovered, but as you say time changes a great deal, as it most certainly has in this case. Both you and I spent some time trying to get the site mapped properly and then legally protected, but in the end I think Victor (Mischon) could only get as far as a notice lake side asking people not to.
As for hitting anything in the water, it was mentioned a lot at the time, as it was with Crusader (the monster in Loch Ness even being cited as one item that could have been struck), but I fear with a water bourne craft, it's the easiest thing to suggest.
I wasn't there, so I can't comment on the bang (someone once suggested to me it was ice cold water entering the engine), but I dealt with this when I started to investigate, and Ken agreed with my findings. Coniston was swept twice a day, and as I put in Leap into Legend, a piece of wood large enough to have caused the crash would have been found very quickly, and anything smaller would still have been spotted, and would in all likelyhood been ridden over, and the razor sharp fins would have cut straight through. It might have upset K7, but not tripped her up. Ken worked out it would have had to have been twice the size and density of a railway sleeper, so unlikely to have been missed before and after. The same goes for anything carrying the required slab of metal, it would have been quite big me thinks.
Last time I saw Kevin's piece of frame was when he was still in Cricklewood, so over fourteen years, and I can't recall what I did last week,but it may have some blue attached!!
I don't think it's any secret that Ken, Lew, Tonia, Gina, Victor, Robbie, the people of Coniston, were against K7 being dived on or eventually recovered, but as you say time changes a great deal, as it most certainly has in this case. Both you and I spent some time trying to get the site mapped properly and then legally protected, but in the end I think Victor (Mischon) could only get as far as a notice lake side asking people not to.
As for hitting anything in the water, it was mentioned a lot at the time, as it was with Crusader (the monster in Loch Ness even being cited as one item that could have been struck), but I fear with a water bourne craft, it's the easiest thing to suggest.
I wasn't there, so I can't comment on the bang (someone once suggested to me it was ice cold water entering the engine), but I dealt with this when I started to investigate, and Ken agreed with my findings. Coniston was swept twice a day, and as I put in Leap into Legend, a piece of wood large enough to have caused the crash would have been found very quickly, and anything smaller would still have been spotted, and would in all likelyhood been ridden over, and the razor sharp fins would have cut straight through. It might have upset K7, but not tripped her up. Ken worked out it would have had to have been twice the size and density of a railway sleeper, so unlikely to have been missed before and after. The same goes for anything carrying the required slab of metal, it would have been quite big me thinks.
Last time I saw Kevin's piece of frame was when he was still in Cricklewood, so over fourteen years, and I can't recall what I did last week,but it may have some blue attached!!
Steve Holter, UK and France, and sometimes reality....................
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StewDurham
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Original Sponsons /C-8
Hi - I'm a huge fan of the project based just down the road beside Darlington, been interested in speed records for years, recently been dragging my patient partner Sue to Pendine, and Coniston to take in some of the atmosphere. I know I'm about to ask a novice question, but I've read in a few places about the orginal sponsons being buried under concrete and people know where they are? - have you guys gone after them or am I missing something - were they earlier versions? - Also really tickled to hear that the CN8 mockup is in the same concrete, according to The Bluebird Years... Nothing like a bit of legend to keep the magic alive!!!
Keep up the good work, I'll be there at coniston, and as an engineer would love to visit the workshop, but I know it's a secret location !!! -- Off to spend some money in the shop....
Stewart,
Darlo
Keep up the good work, I'll be there at coniston, and as an engineer would love to visit the workshop, but I know it's a secret location !!! -- Off to spend some money in the shop....
Stewart,
Darlo
Good luck to the BBP team, makes me proud to be British (and a North-easterner to boot!). Damn fine work, chaps!