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Model photo courtesy of Jason Ferns
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Sir Malcolm broke the world water speed record four times, the last on Coniston Water, in Great Britain, in this Bluebird K4. His speed was 141.740 miles per hour. The date was Aug. 19, 1939.
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From The Motor
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Campbell's first water speed record was set on Lake Maggiore in Switzerland on Sept. 1, 1937, at 126.320 miles per hour. The next day, commemorated in this Castrol advertisement, he raised the speed to 129.500 miles per hour.
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From The Illustrated London News, Sept. 11, 1937
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On Lake Maggiore, Switzerland, 1937
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From: The Racing Campbells -- Donald & Malcolm Campbell
In 1947 the K4 was converted to jet power with the installation of a Goblin II jet engine and modified substantially by Vosper's. The new configuration had first trials at Coniston Water on 13th June 1947, but proved unstable and uncontrollable at speeds approaching 90 mph. K4 was returned to Vosper's for further modifications, then taken down to Poole, in Dorset where further trials were carried out, these trials proved favourable. Returning to Coniston a week later for trials and an attempt on the record, its was found that the boat had now developed a tendency to porpoise at speeds over 100 mph with such violence that Sir Malcolm was nearly thrown from the cockpit. A record attempt was made on the following day and while Sir Malcolm gave it his best, he was unable to get the boat up to record speed because of the handling problems.
(Sir Malcolm died the following year. Donald Campbell tried unsuccessfully to break his father's record with the K4. The boat sank in 1951 at Coniston Water, and Donald moved on to the faster Bluebird K7.) He set new records seven times between 1955 and 1964.
Watch a Newsreel Clip
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