In May 2026 Bluebird K7 returned to Coniston Water again 60yrs after Campbell's fatal accident there

Added: 2026-05-31

[00:00:00]Well, welcome to a new Harry's Garage video. And I will say from the outset that this is not a 100% new video, but this video is about Bluebird K7 going back to Connissson water. It was called the Bluebird Festival and it was the 11th and 17th of May and we went up there actually in that Porsche 928 and I've done a video on it. But this particular video, this is purely on that moment of Bluebird K7 going back to concert 60 years after the fateful accident of Donald Campbell in January 1967.

[00:00:35]Now you'll see Bluebird hit the lake the for the first time. It's first time it's fired up on the lake. And then I talked to Neil Shepard and done a book on the final run. What happened? Why did it all go horribly wrong in the final run when Donald Campbell was about to break the water world record? I also then talked to Dave Wulby who was the pilot for this Bluebird festival. And there was so much detail there. I just thought this needed a dedicated video for history purposes so people can reference what happened during that bluebird festival. The the boat you remember a little bit of history. It was extracted from the late in 2001 by Bill Smith. He he then rebuilt the boat um Bluebird into the condition you see it now. It's then under control at Ruskin Museum. I'm not going to go into any of that detail. I don't quite understand the process, how it swapped over, but it was just a magic few days on Connissson water seeing basically history repeated in front of your eyes as you saw the Bluebird K7 and K3 going across the lake. Now, those who have already watched the previous Harry's garage video on this, there is about eight, nine minutes of extra content on this with Neil Sheepard just taking us around more details on K7 and also a look around K3 as well. So, I hope you enjoy the video. You'll join me now on the side of Conniston Water about to witness the first run of Bluebird K7 some 60 years after it was last on Connistan water in quite a wait. We waited about three bit hours on the pontoon but it was worth every moment because they backed Bluebird K7 into the water. some divers sort of held the boat in position and just seeing it hit the water in Conniston again. It's almost 70 years since it was last in the when the terrible accident 1967. Now it's back full working order and I just wanted to be there for this. And what they're doing now is going out to the pontoon over there to start the jet engine. And they've got a compressed air starter for the jet engine. and they'll plug that in and then we're going to see it charge up and down this lake. Gina Campbell is out on the toeboat. That's the daughter of Donald Campbell. And what we're going to do is there's a driver from coming in from Australia. His dad held the uh speed record, water speed record at 300 mph. He's come over from Australia to drive this boat cuz he's having a go at the speed record. I mean, he must that must be pretty magic as well. So anyway, all about to happen. It's all about to get very noisy.

[00:03:36]>> You go. There's your pollution start.

[00:04:03]Wow.

[00:04:18]Heat.

[00:04:34]Heat. Heat.

[00:05:10]Heat up here.

[00:05:47]Heat up here.

[00:06:07]Well, I met up with Neil Shepard who I went to a talk last night. My goodness, I learned a lot of that talk. It was two hours of uber amount of information and you've done a book basically on that final run and dissected it >> and actually found out that it wasn't the wash going over wash that did it stuff.

[00:06:26]>> This is actually older than I realized.

[00:06:28]It's in first 7 originally >> was built in 54, launched in 55, was much modified throughout its life to try and extend its performance envelope, it safe performance envelope.

[00:06:41]>> So these sponssons originally, this is the water line of K7 when it's stationary.

[00:06:46]>> These sponssons originally just came up to there.

[00:06:49]>> Yeah.

[00:06:49]>> And they tended to cause quite a lot of aerodynamic lift because this boat's effectively subject to two sorts of lift. hydrodnamic to lift it out of the water so it can plain. Yeah. But also hydro aerodynamic suction lift which of course they don't want because it's relying totally on the static weight of boat to keep it on the water.

[00:07:06]>> Right.

[00:07:06]>> So these sponssons were much modified and as you see they get deeper as we go to the back to try and introduce a level of downforce or less lift at least on this main loadbearing uh spar.

[00:07:19]>> Yeah.

[00:07:20]>> This is where K7 actually planes on these billet steels. And they're painting wedges. There's two at the front, one at either side, and then one at the back. They're solid billet steel.

[00:07:31]And as the boat goes faster, >> is that flat?

[00:07:34]>> Yes, it's flat at the bottom.

[00:07:35]>> Totally flat. Yeah.

[00:07:37]>> As the boat goes faster, less and less of this uh planing wedge is in contact with the water until it basically optimum planing conditions. It's only the final inch.

[00:07:48]>> No, cuz that's what we saw. You had photographs and literally it's just touching the water about there, isn't it? So it it it it tended to what was called which is like almost sponsson walk and as it did that more of the planing wedge would be in contact with the water on this side less on the other side and then vice versa and it did that very quickly at sort of six cycles per second.

[00:08:09]>> So just like that. Wow.

[00:08:11]>> So, but in optimal conditions when that tramping's damped out, which intended to do north of 200 mph, it's just the last inch of that in terms of length >> and the immersion depth is about the thickness of the cigarette paper.

[00:08:25]>> Wow, that is extraordinary. I didn't realize it was just touching there.

[00:08:30]>> Right at the back of the wedge, >> you'll see the stabilizing fins which you can shave on.

[00:08:35]>> Oh, there. Oh, right. So that's that's like another little mini rudder keeping it straight when it's in the >> straight. It's just to give directional stability.

[00:08:43]>> Now I won't go through all the runs cuz you have so much noise in it. But that fateful day, that fourth of June, he went up the lake and he was quick, wasn't he, on that first quickest he'd ever done in terms of a time run.

[00:08:56]>> And I didn't realize they' upgraded the engine with this super new fuel pump and given it extra revs, didn't they? So, Bristol Sidley had devised a fuel boost pump to allow the the engine to run at 110% of its stated maximum. It stated maximum was 4,800, this allowed it to run at 5,250 just for short periods, it meant that the jetpipe temperature was up a little bit, but because each run was over within the space of a minute, >> Yeah.

[00:09:25]>> they weren't worried about engine life.

[00:09:27]>> Right.

[00:09:28]>> I see. And he did that final first up the lake. Yeah.

[00:09:32]>> Tell me the speed. What was it?

[00:09:34]>> 296.7.

[00:09:35]>> 296. And that was a world record.

[00:09:38]>> Well, that's the fastest at that time.

[00:09:40]It was the fastest speed ever recorded for a measured kilometer.

[00:09:44]>> Right.

[00:09:44]>> But to break the record, you have to do a return run within the space of 1 hour.

[00:09:48]>> And this is the fateful run in the return.

[00:09:50]>> Correct.

[00:09:51]>> And you told me an amazing number last night for what speed he was doing as he came into the flying.

[00:09:57]>> What's the measure? The kilometer. a kilometer >> on this lake because it's quite short.

[00:10:02]They want to get away with as short a distance at maximum speed as possible.

[00:10:06]And that's a kilometer. They could use a mile, but >> they'd rather not keep his foot in for that long. The run back.

[00:10:11]>> Yes.

[00:10:12]>> Because he'd gone so far down to the bottom of the lake, he had a much longer run up for his second run.

[00:10:17]>> So he actually peaked at 328.

[00:10:19]>> So fast. I mean, how fast this had ever absolutely >> 328 m.

[00:10:25]at least 35 mph quicker than this boat had ever traveled >> with these engine upgrades.

[00:10:31]>> And then you have now dissected the fill >> and you this bounce you were talking about >> phenomena called tramping which K7 always suffered from which was this slight roll but that was always at six times per second.

[00:10:46]>> The bouncing was at a much lower amplitude and much greater. So we had alter mainly this sponsson here. Yeah, >> but also that sponsor in the run started bouncing out of the water, >> right?

[00:10:59]>> So, it would bounce out of the water >> and be clear of the water by between 6 and 10 in >> scary.

[00:11:07]>> And in a short space of time, in about 5 seconds, there were four bounces.

[00:11:13]>> And on the third bounce, which was after the peak speed had been achieved, >> right, >> that's when Campbell lost the engine.

[00:11:21]Now that was the bit I had no knowledge of. People talk about it was wake.

[00:11:26]>> You have it and it's the engine stalled on it.

[00:11:29]>> The Yeah. Fuel supply stopped >> either because the intakes were masked by the bouncing because the intakes have got this ramp.

[00:11:38]>> Yeah.

[00:11:38]>> It means that when the nose pitches up, >> they get masked by the nose and therefore there's potential for the intakes to store. It's because the engine is cut. Campbell no longer has any in any ability to control the boat.

[00:11:53]>> So even though the boat is slowing down, the engine because the thrust line on a jet boat means that when full thrust is applied, it tends to push the nose down.

[00:12:04]>> When thrust is cut, all of the things being equal, the nose will tend to lift.

[00:12:08]Now judicious use of a throttle in a normal run would mean that it could come off the throttle gradually.

[00:12:14]expect the nose to go light but not as light >> rise off the water >> because he'd lost the engine. He had no ability to control that moment >> and he was just a passenger.

[00:12:26]>> So it's effectively just a passenger lifted up >> and over time lifted up further and further and once it was past 5° caught the air and flipped.

[00:12:37]>> And at what speed did he do that?

[00:12:40]>> He actually started to take off. The boat left the water for the final time at a speed actually lower than the average of his first run. But this bouncing motion had totally broken down K7 stability. And that happened seven or eight seconds before the actual takeoff of the boat.

[00:13:00]>> So he was starting to control an accident before the accident really got going as it were >> effectively. Yeah. I mean >> he'd lost control of the ability to control what was happening with the engine going. That was the final It's almost the straw that rode the camel's back, >> but he was in trouble long before that happened purely because of the speed that he had reached at 328.

[00:13:20]>> Wow.

[00:13:21]>> And you were saying that I think during the loop it slowed.

[00:13:25]>> Yeah. What was it? 214 mph. You reckon >> it slowed probably not far short of another 100 miles an hour during the loop?

[00:13:33]>> So by the time it impacted the water, >> it was doing probably about 185.

[00:13:38]>> 185. So he was at 285 when that first thing did that.

[00:13:42]>> Oh my goodness me.

[00:13:43]>> And when it stood on its tail, of course, >> that was the clue that the jet had stopped producing any thrust because as it stood on its tail, if the engine was still producing thrust, >> the water, >> you would have seen a massive cataract of water below the jet pipe and it was totally clear.

[00:13:59]>> That was fascinating. Yeah.

[00:14:01]>> God, I'm going to have to get your book, get learn all this stuff cuz it I' I'd love the dissection of it. I and and you know putting that simple myth that will get spread around wasn't actually right.

[00:14:13]>> The myth was kind of born out of you know as Keith said >> Campbell was dead and therefore you could potentially say well he'd been a bit reckless and if he hadn't turned around and come back so quickly he wouldn't have run into his own wash. But this boat creates very little wash >> and in the section that he was in the really high speed section the water was flat calm.

[00:14:35]>> Yeah. And Campbell's worry about not returning quickly was the weather conditions could have changed.

[00:14:42]>> Yeah.

[00:14:43]>> So you've got effectively two ways you can make a run. Wait half an hour down the far end and then come back >> during which time the weather can change >> or you turn around immediately because you know the course that you're going to run on again is still quite hard.

[00:14:57]>> Looking at the body weight, what's original on it?

[00:15:00]>> So pretty much everything after here is original. The air intakes were blown out due to the accident. So they were replaced.

[00:15:08]>> And that's the fuel tank. You were saying the fuel tank >> is basically a donut that sits under here. So it doesn't affect weight distribution as it's depleted. The center of gravity of the boat is approximately here. So the fuel tank being very close to the center of gravity means as fuel is burnt off, it doesn't affect the weight distribution of the boat.

[00:15:26]>> I suppose I can tell that's original because of there there's the corrosion.

[00:15:29]It's a pity. Uh, and when Bill Smith rebuilt it, >> he was determined to use as much original fabric as possible.

[00:15:39]>> There are many se sections of the boat where there are doublers behind >> to add strength, >> but it's still the original fabric >> as is. Yeah, I can see it there as well.

[00:15:51]>> And then I suppose the most famous bit is the tail fin.

[00:15:53]>> This is the tail fin. And you can if we go around the other side, you'll see that it still wears some of the damage that was caused in the accident. There's a nice big dent.

[00:16:02]>> Oh, there >> in the lower part of the tail fin.

[00:16:04]>> I see.

[00:16:04]>> Which was caused by the accident.

[00:16:08]>> Yeah. So, and the whole front basically was lost.

[00:16:11]>> The front was lost, but a lot of it was recovered by Bill from the lake bed and incorporated in the new build.

[00:16:18]>> Right. So in terms of the structural elements, the spar that was still intact and attached to the boat >> on the bottom. That spar was recovered.

[00:16:27]That spar ricocheted off when the boat broke up. The sponssons were recovered at the time.

[00:16:32]>> Yeah.

[00:16:32]>> And then subsequently disposed of. So these were rebuilt based on the original drawings.

[00:16:39]>> Extraordinary.

[00:16:39]>> Those dials and things like that.

[00:16:41]>> Yes. Those dials are original.

[00:16:42]>> They're original.

[00:16:43]>> Yeah.

[00:16:44]>> God.

[00:16:45]>> What about in the cockpit? And it's >> suppose that's all gone, isn't it? All the dials >> rebuilt.

[00:16:51]>> Yes.

[00:16:51]>> But it incorporates some of the original material. And the cockpit gives the impression >> of sort of sitting in a Mark 1 Land Rover in terms of lots of bare aluminium, but it's really tight.

[00:17:04]>> And it's the most intimidating place you can possibly hope to sit.

[00:17:07]>> Yeah. It's upright back.

[00:17:08]>> It's very upright.

[00:17:10]>> Yeah.

[00:17:10]>> And your backside feels it after about 2 minutes.

[00:17:13]>> And he's got a crazy speedo, isn't he?

[00:17:16]So he does roughly know what speed.

[00:17:18]>> Yes, indeed. Yeah, >> that goes up to 600 miles an hour. I see. So that's quite optimistic, isn't it?

[00:17:23]>> A pilot can't open that.

[00:17:25]>> You can open it from inside.

[00:17:26]>> Oh, you can open it.

[00:17:28]>> And that is pretty close to the original. Is it?

[00:17:30]>> Yes. In terms of the shape, it's it's very close shape like that in 56.

[00:17:35]>> Never changed.

[00:17:37]>> It's not clear, is it? Quite a curve.

[00:17:40]>> No. I mean, no. In ter No, no.

[00:17:42]>> It's sort of a bit you've got sort of foggy glasses on. Yes.

[00:17:45]>> God, how did Dave WBY find it yesterday?

[00:17:49]>> I think he found it, you know, obviously quite intimidating, but it handled basically as he expected it to handle.

[00:17:55]Remember, you've got this enormous fin which is to provide >> great stability in your but if you're traveling at low speed and there's a little bit of a wind >> that's moving against you and then you've got the fixed fin at the back.

[00:18:09]>> He has got little rudders to steer it with. All it's got >> that's the original rudder, >> right?

[00:18:16]>> And prior to it sinking at Lake Me in 55, that was bright stainless steel, >> right?

[00:18:22]>> Because it sank at Lake me and stayed on the bottom of Lake me for 24 hours.

[00:18:26]>> Yeah.

[00:18:26]>> It basically turned like that and it never went >> That's the original >> went back. That's the original ruler. So if you wanted to have a shave >> Yeah. That's sharp, is it?

[00:18:35]>> Right.

[00:18:35]>> And then this is the fixed fin which was fitted in 58.

[00:18:40]>> Right. Because throughout Bluebird's life, as the speeds got higher, its tendency to lift the boughs increased, >> right?

[00:18:50]>> So, they had to constantly make modifications to it to try and keep the bows in. So, because this fixed fin is behind the center of gravity, it provides drag and it provides a down movement at the bows. So, it tends to push the bows down. And if you look at the sponssons, sponssons aren't level.

[00:19:09]They're sort of upward sloping. So at the top of the Swanson, >> you've got downforce or a an element of downforce if you like or less lift should we say right on the planing shoe.

[00:19:22]>> Right.

[00:19:22]>> On the after of the planing shoe. So these are planing shoes. They're metal billet.

[00:19:27]>> Yeah.

[00:19:27]>> There's three of them. Two at the front.

[00:19:29]>> Okay.

[00:19:30]>> Two at the back.

[00:19:31]>> And as the boat goes faster, less and less of that is in contact with the water.

[00:19:35]>> So maximum speed.

[00:19:37]>> Yeah. It's just the final inch.

[00:19:40]>> Good lord.

[00:19:41]>> And the immersion depth.

[00:19:42]>> Yeah.

[00:19:43]>> Is the thickness of a cigarette paper.

[00:19:45]>> God, it's absolutely skiing on the water. Yes. This is the brake, isn't it?

[00:19:49]I didn't know this. So, this is a ram, isn't it?

[00:19:51]>> This is ram. It's hydraulic. And it just pushes that >> ram down slowly >> to about that level.

[00:19:58]>> Right. Is that all?

[00:19:59]>> Yeah.

[00:20:00]>> And that will take you saying 100 miles an hour off.

[00:20:02]>> That'll rob 100 miles an hour off pretty quickly.

[00:20:05]>> Yeah.

[00:20:06]>> Yeah. Seconds.

[00:20:06]>> Yeah. Yeah. Because Campbell is always afraid as the speed's got higher, he likes this runway because he knows it.

[00:20:12]>> Yeah.

[00:20:13]>> But he's afraid he's just going to run out of space.

[00:20:15]>> Yeah. You want some way of breaking it.

[00:20:18]>> There's no way. They tried in 58 when it had a smaller tail fin. They tried a parachute break in there >> and all it did was just get messed up with the with the spray coming off the back.

[00:20:30]>> So, originally, prior to the fment of a water break, this stabilizing fin was in the center.

[00:20:38]Right. So >> even in ' 66 they experimented because >> they had a long sort of struggle to get the boat handling properly >> and they weren't sure if it was basically the refitment that the replacement of the fin to this side that was causing handling problems.

[00:20:54]>> And so when he was making runs at 200 he wasn't too worried about not having a break.

[00:20:59]>> So he just wanted to do a compare and contrast.

[00:21:02]>> But eventually he got comfortable with it.

[00:21:04]this boat because the Orpheus is a lot lighter, the barrel engine was really heavy and it tended to damp the boat.

[00:21:11]>> So it provided almost like a nice >> because it had extra all of weight damping effect which >> was lost on the Orus.

[00:21:21]>> And how much difference in weight in kilos?

[00:21:24]>> About not far short of a ton about 800 kilos properly cuz the whole thing doesn't weigh much anyway.

[00:21:30]>> 2 and 12 tons.

[00:21:31]>> Oh god. So this is 2 and 1/2 and it was near 3 and a half tons.

[00:21:35]>> Well, there's a lot of ancillaries have been fitted that weren't on. And then of course the transom was ballasted. So underneath this jet actually put that on, didn't he?

[00:21:45]>> Here underneath the jet plate >> is a whole bunch of lead.

[00:21:48]>> Yes.

[00:21:49]>> That's right.

[00:21:50]>> 35 kilos each side or something.

[00:21:52]>> Well, it's it's literally the frame under there. It's a series of bulk all the way down to the front. Right.

[00:21:57]>> And it's just bolted to these bulkheads.

[00:21:59]So when he's maneuvering that's got the turning circle oil tanker job, isn't it?

[00:22:04]I would have thought it's not the most maneuverable. Is it a little is it? Cuz he doesn't.

[00:22:08]>> But it's the fact that he was able to do the loop.

[00:22:12]>> The bottom end of the lake's reasonably narrow. And Campbell on his final two runs didn't stop. He just made a loop and then came straight back.

[00:22:19]>> Right.

[00:22:20]>> Stands for unlimited.

[00:22:21]>> Yes.

[00:22:22]>> And K are British boats. And this is the seventh boat in the unlimited series.

[00:22:28]Right. So they're not just necessarily bluebirds. K3 was a bluebird. K4 was a bluebird.

[00:22:33]>> Okay.

[00:22:33]>> K5 was a boat called White Hawk and K6 was John Cobb's Crusader.

[00:22:39]>> Right. I Yeah.

[00:22:40]>> And then K8 has been built. That was an unsuccessful boat in the 1980s and there hasn't been a subsequent K after K8.

[00:22:47]>> And we have K3 at the back there that might well go today. So Malcolm Campbell's first hydroplane, but he broke the record three times with it in 1937 and 1938. One record at 126, a record the next day at just short around about 127, and then a record the year after at 130 >> with lots of cooperation of Rolls-Royce telling them exactly how fast they could hope the boat would go based on the power of the Rolls-Royce RT type engine.

[00:23:17]>> Yeah. So this is prop driven. That's the >> it's a single step hydro.

[00:23:21]>> So there's a lot more of the hull in contact with the water in this boat than there was threepoint hydro.

[00:23:28]>> So when Campbell built K4 in 1939, he used the same engine that was in K3, but because the boat had a lot less hydronic drag, suddenly the speed went up 10 mph just with the same power.

[00:23:40]>> Just slightly. It's it's wooden. It's woody.

[00:23:43]>> And then construction top. We've got doped fabric. Is it for like >> an aluminum tail?

[00:23:49]>> I just have to do a shot of that engine because that is quite something, isn't it?

[00:23:53]>> That's a Rolls-Royce Meteor engine.

[00:23:56]>> Yeah.

[00:23:56]>> Which is out of a tank. It's not supercharged. The original engine that would have been in here was Rolls-Royce RT type supercharged Schneider Trophy Rolls-Royce Aero engine that had around about 2,200 horsepower.

[00:24:12]>> That's impressive.

[00:24:14]>> Yeah.

[00:24:15]>> And then you've got a V drive. So the boat uh the engine drives down forward to a gearbox basically almost at the front of the cockpit >> and then the >> all the way back here.

[00:24:27]>> Propeller shaft comes back to the two bladed prop.

[00:24:31]>> Not the biggest prop in the world. I'm surpris I suppose it's a combination of drag, isn't it? So >> it's 140 R now.

[00:24:41]>> Very impressive. And what year is this?

[00:24:43]This is 1937 and 38.

[00:24:46]>> Just before >> I can't Yeah. be interested to see that go. I bet that sounds pretty good actually, isn't it?

[00:24:54]>> Very nice. Sound like a nice Rolls-Royce Aero Engine V12.

[00:24:58]>> Yeah, they've got K3 out. They just added a little tank at the back to suck up cooling water for the engine. And they're going to do a startup. And we're getting a lot of warnings about it being very loud. I bet it is with that V12 in the back.

[00:25:34]>> All station is all stationing north now.

[00:26:01]I've just caught up with Dave Wby who you're the pilot of this, aren't you? K7 from And you've come all the way from Australia.

[00:26:08]>> Yeah, I have. It's a an iconic world record breaking boat. So, it's been an absolute honor to come over and pilot her.

[00:26:14]>> Yeah. And you there's a little bit of record breaking in the family, isn't there?

[00:26:18]>> Yeah. My father holds the current unlimited world water speed record. Uh he broke two world water speed records, one in 77 and 78, and he holds the current world water speed record of 317 mph.

[00:26:30]>> So fast. This is incredible time for this. So, you know, obviously the family know the cams and everything.

[00:26:36]>> So, I saw you out on the lake yesterday.

[00:26:38]How was it first time on the lake?

[00:26:41]>> Uh the way the engine operated and the systems we it's got a new engine in it and uh it's got um you know the it's been overhauled. Uh the starting system is new so really good. It's it operated beautifully. So it was a matter of the guys getting used to the start system, myself getting used to operating the boat.

[00:26:59]>> But no, it was very surreal, very very um spiritual experience.

[00:27:03]>> I think everybody really enjoyed it. It was just a magic moment. But one of the shops for me when they started up, there was no pause. You were off.

[00:27:12]>> What's that?

[00:27:12]>> Well, because it's got a um it's jet powered. It's not like a car.

[00:27:18]You've got a neutral gear you can put it in or a brake.

[00:27:21]>> You've only got a throttle and as soon as that engine's spinning, the boat's moving.

[00:27:26]>> Right. So, you they untie it, start the engine, and then you literally you've got no choice.

[00:27:30]>> Once that engine's uh got fly to idle, it's going.

[00:27:34]>> Yeah. I haven't can't actually see. It's quite hard to see into the cockpit, but what have you got in there? It >> is a steering wheel and it's a foot throttle just like in a car, but it's got a lot of aircraft gauges in it for operating the engine like exhaust gas temperature, um percentage, and thrust.

[00:27:48]So, it's a lot of aircraft gauges in it.

[00:27:50]>> Right. So, it's not a dead throttle. If you take your foot off, the engine goes.

[00:27:55]>> No. No. You got to pull a lever. Uh same in my boat that you got to pull a lever to to shut it right down.

[00:28:00]>> Uh once it's running, there's nothing electrical that's that's running the engine like spark plugs in the car.

[00:28:05]fuel. So, you just got to shut the fuel system down.

[00:28:08]>> And yeah, you I saw you do that on the lake just Yeah. the first run, wasn't it? And it's quite >> It just stops, doesn't it?

[00:28:14]>> It does.

[00:28:31]>> Once the fuel's not there, it'll stop.

[00:28:33]>> It's not interested.

[00:28:34]>> Yeah. And I I don't know how how what's it sort of rev can you have a sort of rev counter? I'm trying to think how it >> that the RPM is measured in percent. So it idles at um just a little under 50%.

[00:28:47]So yeah, it doesn't it's like a turbo.

[00:28:48]It doesn't really make all its power until it gets going. Probably around 80 to 90% thrust it'll start to really go.

[00:28:54]>> Right. And you were nowhere near that.

[00:28:56]>> No, just idling >> all the time. Idling.

[00:28:59]>> Just idling. Ensuring the uh steering and the the engine was operating all right. talking to the engineers that look after the engine and everything worked out well.

[00:29:07]>> Yeah. No, as I say, expectable to see. I can't imagine what the sound is like.

[00:29:12]Sort of the intakes are right there.

[00:29:14]>> Yeah. It's actually noisier than my boat, which is understandable. It's a it's it's a metal boat. You're not confined in like a modern cockpit or anything like that. So, uh you do get a lot of noise through and a lot of vibration, but uh the boat tells you it's alive. It lets you know what's going on.

[00:29:29]>> I bet I bet it does. Yeah. What's the plan for the next few days? What's your aim then?

[00:29:34]>> So, we've we've got a safety plan that we're working to um because you know it's it's a museum piece so we give it a tremendous amount of respect. Uh what we're looking at doing is um when when we get some good weather and the okay to go we'll we'll go up and down the uh the lake a few times going on and off the plane and so I can get used to that and then we'll start doing runs going up and down.

[00:29:56]>> Right. And with a target of about 150.

[00:29:59]>> Yeah, around 150 it'll do it comfortably.

[00:30:01]>> Yeah, comfortably. What's the highest speed you've ever done in a boat then?

[00:30:04]>> Uh 280 mph.

[00:30:06]>> All right. So 150 is just mucking about.

[00:30:09]>> Oh yeah. Well, not really, but you still you still got to pay attention and pay respect.

[00:30:14]>> Well, it is spectacular location. When I do >> it is the location, especially the community, the people uh that you know, you got to think the community supported Donald Campbell. They were here when the accident was on >> and you know, they've had to deal with all that. So I I I could understand it being quite emotional yesterday when it when it when it took off and was on the water again alive.

[00:30:36]>> Yeah. Brilliant. Well, I'll be watching online YouTube and things like that, but thanks for your time. Look forward to it.

[00:30:41]>> Thanks for your time. Appreciate it.

[00:30:44]>> Yeah, we just see see the wake starting up. Here he goes.

[00:30:50]K7 is go.

[00:31:00]Right, he's going to go behind that course boat. We're on course.

[00:31:08]>> He's adding throttle again.

[00:31:16]The outriggers should drag it out of the water. There's a slope on them to bring the nose out.

[00:31:26]Please That was fantastic to see it there.

[00:32:08]Almost got up in the plane. I think it was on the plane further away. Whe he's going to do another one. I don't know.

[00:32:13]We've got this rain coming in and there's a bit of a squall coming across.

[00:32:16]But you can smell the jet fuel from out here on the lake. Just seeing it so close by just feels like history passing you by. just magic to see. But I'd love to see it really up on the plane. And I think Dave, the driver, he's so keen to get this uh bluebird singing on this lake.

[00:32:37]It's about three or four more days.

[00:32:38]Whether we're going to see it today, who knows?

[00:33:01]Heat.

[00:33:03]Heat.