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[jonwrightk7]

hi mike thats got to be a sure fire definate. i would love to watch that! all ive got is about five seconds of grainy black and white on board footage from the fiftys!

[Renegadenemo]

Ernie,

Good to talk today and the model is absolutely fantastic. What an amazing thing it would be to have it out pleasing the crowds while the rest of us spanner furiously at the bigger version in the hope of having it ready dance before the tourists get bored and go home. If our 1:1 scale model performs as well as yours I'll be well pleased.

Bill

[Ernie Lazenby]

Hi Bill. I am up for that!!! Nothing I would like better. If you think it would help I can do talks to the public on the history of the world water speed record to keep them focused. I do this quite regularly and I enjoy it. The folk listening always seem to find it interesting and I make it amusing. My health is a lot better and Elaine is happy for me to do this. History in the making as they say.

Roll on 2010.

[jonwrightk7]

hi ernie you have got your first listener a your proposed talk! just love to listen to anything campbell and wsr well done again on the model, FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!

[OptimalGT4]

Hi All

I'm andy from Bolton-le-sands i've scuba dived in coniston many times fasinated by the K7 story
keep up the awesome work guys!!! when can i come have a look at her?

Bill you should know who i am(i'm on your list of volunteers) and we've spoken various times on the phone!

[KW Mitchell]

Hello All,

My boyhood interest in Campbell and Bluebird was rekindled when my wife bought me the book ' The Bluebird Years' for Christmas. I was captivated and read it in two days!

Perhaps like many on this Forum, I can vividly remember where I was and what I was doing that fateful day, Jan 4th, 1967. As a 19 yr old student at Durham Technical College we were assembling for a Maths lecture when a friend rushed-in to announce the tragic news. It was felt by all in the room as, in those days, Donald Campbell was an Icon for all that was 'Great' in Britain. What we found particularly hard to take was the fact that we regarded him as not only phenomenally courageous, but indestructible -----------.

Campbell was a boyhood hero and the intrigues surrounding the disaster were never far from my thoughts but were brought into full and present focus by Arthur Knowles/Graham Beech's riveting account. The analyses triggered by the inquest were particularly illuminating.

My interests in the intervening 40 years or so have centred around aviation and in particular building and flying giant radio-controlled model aircraft (see http://www.largemodelassociation.com). My reason for mentioning what might appear to be an irrelevancy is that another of my boyhood heroes, Neville Duke, who held the world airspeed record is mentioned in the book and the 'bone dome' worn by Campbell in his speed records was presented to him by Duke. An intriguing - at least for me - conjunction of these two remarkable men's histories. The aircraft that Duke used for the record was the Hawker Hunter, a 1/3rd scale version of which I have built and currently fly (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtzD6Yykd9g).

The achievements by Bill Smith and his team have been quite remarkable and despite many problems along the way be they technical, financial or legal and the inevitable - yet understandable - misgivings of those both intimately and more widely involved as to how the restoration should proceed, I can only concur with the view that if Donald Campbell were alive he would wholley sanction the approach that is being taken.

I also find it particularly gratifying that not a little more than 10 miles from my Northumberland home a redoubtable Geordie and his equally committed band are bringing Bluebird back to life and the preservation of the craft, it's operator and it's history, in perpetuo .

I will be only too happy to help with my modest technical skills and in anyway related to the events planned for 2010.

Regards,

Keith
(Dr) KW Mitchell

[mtimney]

AFTER SPEAKING TO GEORGE AND PAULINE BLACKETT ( THEIR WAGON WAS USED TO TRANSPORT THE BLUEBIRD AFTER ITS RECOVERY), THEY SUGGESTED I CONTACT YOURSELVES. I AM LOOKING FOR A COLOUR PHOTOGRAPH OF DONALD CAMPBELL. I HAVE TRIED MANY MANY WEBSITES BUT HAVE HAD NO SUCCESS. IF ANYONE COULD HELP ME, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
MANY THANKS

IAIN TIMNEY
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE

[ace_chris]

Hi Ian, have you tried the speedrecordgroup on yahoo for a colour photograph of Donald? Probably the best collection of Donald Campbell and Bluebird pictures in the world! Here is the link http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Speedrecordgroup/ Chris

[sheppane]

PA472182.jpg

DMC... IN 1966

Does that help Iain?

[Ray F Warren]

Hello everyone. I am not used to forums so am not sure of what to do. I will learn as i go no doubt. Anyway i am here to say hello and how much i appreciate this site being created. Last year i had the privelidge of visiting Bill and Bluebird with a couple more of the rebuild team also present. What a moment that was. I will never forget the moment i walked round the corner of the workshop and saw Bluebird sitting there with so much of the original fabric there and looking so complete. A replacement engine was to one side and on a shelf i noticed an old radio communications system. As i was leaving Bill's workshop after he and the team locked up i was offered a lift to the nearby station to get my train back to York. I declined the lift however as i needed some time to walk alone and take in what i had just experienced. That day will never be forgotten. Hope to see all again soon.