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The mighty Thrust SSC may well have broken the sound barrier on land in 1997 (with a speed of 763mph), but the golden age of land speed records was some 60 years earlier. With technology and engineering pushed to the extreme limits of their time, men on both sides of the Atlantic set new records every year, and the competition was fierce. Two tough and pioneering British champions stole the headlines of the 1920s and 30s – Sir Malcolm Campbell and Sir Henry Segrave. Their cars, Bluebird and Golden Arrow, became icons of the speed era.
Golden Arrow 1929 |
Bluebird IV 1931 |
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Length |
8.43 metres |
7.62 metres |
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Engine |
930-horsepower, |
1450-horsepower, |
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Record speed |
231.44mph |
246.09mph |
Both of these cars featured the most forward thinking aerodynamic designs in their body shells. Golden Arrow, conceived by masterful auto designer J S Irving, is often considered to be the most beautiful of land speed record cars with its Flash Gordon space age looks. It even featured a telescopic sight mounted on the long bonnet to help Segrave 'aim' the car at the finishing post.
Bluebird was the result of constant tweaking that started with lessons learned on Campbell's Sunbeam of 1922. By 1960, there were seven cars that bore the Bluebird name.
With the colossal power encased in these machines, the key is in keeping them in a straight line and on the ground. At such speeds the car is practically trying to take off, but with clever management of airflows, and an understanding of aerodynamic downward force, both Irving and Reid Railton (the designer of Bluebird) created dependable world beaters which offered an incredible ride for their thrill-seeking drivers. With this tremendous top speed, designers also had to think about stopping the cars. Both featured robust 18-inch servo-assisted disc brakes.
The massive 24-litre power plants used by both Bluebird and Golden Arrow signalled the latest thinking in land speed record chasing and set the standard for others to follow. The use of super powerful aircraft engines put an end to serious attempts by others who were struggling to gain horsepower out of the oversized large car engines of the day.
Though both cars used the Napier aeroengine, Campbell had the Sprint version of the Lion power plant installed in his Bluebird. This 12-cylinder monster was originally designed for racing aircraft in the Schneider Cup. Its novel alignment of three banks of four cylinders, coupled to a centrifugal supercharger and a three-speed gearbox, proved a winning combination. Though Campbell went on to Rolls Royce for his later record-breaking engines, he still opted for the racing aeroengines to keep him top of his game.
Cutty Sark and the Great Clippers
Graphics version (includes layout and images)