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Lake Mead |
After Donald Campbell's water speed record of 202.32 mph on July 23rd 1955, he was invited to the United States to Lake Mead near Las Vegas, by the American Power Boat Association (A. P. B. A.). Campbell and Bluebird attended the 1955 Lake Mead regatta, which was held annually.
Campbell especially liked the idea as there was the possibility of television coverage all over the States, free accommodation and even sponsorship from Mobil Oil was mentioned in the negotiations.
Lake Mead is a man-made reservoir, which also provides hydro-electric power for a vast area and made the development of Las Vegas possible, as the land previously had been desert. There is a dam on the lake originally called Boulder Dam, and was re-named for Herbert Hoover, the 31st President of the United States. As a conservationist, he believed in the preservation of our natural resources and protecting the nation's lands. President Hoover stated that the Boulder Canyon Project had to be self-supporting, financed entirely through the sale of hydroelectric power generated at the dam. He was personally involved in the entire project from its idea on a drawing board to seeing it through to its construction. Construction began in 1931, and the last concrete was poured in 1935 , two years ahead of schedule. The power plant structures were completed in 1936, and the first generator began commercial operation in October of that year. The 17th and final generator went into operation in 1961.
Bluebird was transported to London Airport, where Donald had laid on a DC10 freighter. The size of the boat caused problems, and his team had to remove the sponsons and the spars and whatever could be removed to reduce the boat’s width. The DC10 landed in Las Vegas the next afternoon, and the boat was re-assembled at a Mobil gas station. On October 12th, she was transported to Lake Mead.
Campbell had been contracted to make a run live on television on October 16th, where it would be relayed by NBC to no less than 160 other television stations and viewed by an estimated 50 million viewers.
Several trial runs were made, and on October 16th, the wind had sprung up but Campbell was committed, he made a run of 160 mph, and on her return run the rough water extinguished the engine flame and the boat came to a standstill. Unfortunately, Bluebird did not carry her own starting apparatus. Before his team could reach him for a re-start, hundreds of pleasure craft converged on Bluebird and created a wash which swamped the boats stern and water poured into her tailpipe. When Bluebird was being towed in, she sank nose first in fifty feet of water. American divers located her, and the boat was lifted back to base.
Her tailpipe was missing, the cockpit canopy broken and the rear of the jet engine was severely damaged. Water was streaming out of holes that once held rivets, and the boat resembled a huge watering can. The boats rudder and forward planing shoes had turned black, due to the lakes high mineral content. The boat looked a sorry state, and would take many weeks to repair the damage.
Peter Carr, an Englishman at the local Air Force base who had helped Campbell since he had first arrived, approached General Roberts, his chief, and obtained permission for Donald to bring the boat to Nellis Air Field, offering to supply assistance should the Bluebird team require it.
Within three weeks the boat was back in the water, they had been working non-stop. Waterlogged instruments, the damaged wind screen and tail pipe had been repaired, sections of the hull re-riveted and the spare engine was installed. The air speed indicator on the front of the boat was replaced with a circular metal plaque, which said Nellis on it.
Several trials were still hampered by strong winds, and further modifications were made to the air intakes and spray deflectors.
On 16th November 1955, the timekeepers were in place and set for the record run. But even this attempt was delayed by three hours when the timekeepers discovered that the one mile of timing apparatus had been severed and stolen. This had fortunately been retrieved by the National Service Park and re-laid.
Campbell’s first run came by at a terrific speed and a second or two later, his agitated voice came over the radio and exclaimed ‘God, I’ve accelerated too fast through the Kilo. I don’t think I’ve enough room to pull up before I hit the bank’
His timed speed for that run was 239.5mph. He told Leo afterwards ‘that on reaching the start of the mile, he spotted the air speed indicator reading just over 200mph. He banged his foot down and the boat leapt forward. Within seconds he managed to take another peep at the instruments and got one hell of a shock to see it reading over 280mph.
Within 15 minutes, he was making his return run, the conditions on the water had deteriorated and he was getting a rough ride, with the boat leaping out of the water and he only reached 192.2mph, bringing his average down to 216.2 mph.
The A.P.B.A. official, radioed Donald and told him that his second run was not so hot and would he like to make another run? Campbell retorted ’Not me old boy, but you are welcome to have a bash if you want to!’
Donald later showed Leo the abrasions and bruises on his shoulders from the safety harness where it had dug in, and commented, ‘Unc, the bloody bashing about I got was out of this world. But I could have sworn I was doing 300!’
After the record attempt, K7 was washed down and polished and put on display by the swimming pool at the Sahara hotel, Las Vegas. Campbell was entertained by Charles Russell – the Governor of Nevada and presented with a very large gold cup. Over dinner one evening it was put to Campbell that he should go for the unique double of breaking the land and water speed record in one calendar year. Donald gave this some thought as they returned back to England on the Queen Mary.
John Bullivant 2002
‘Bluebirds- The Story Of The Campbell Dynasty’ by Gina Campbell & Michael Meach
‘The Water Speed Record’ by Kevin Desmond & Leo Villa
‘The Record Breakers – Sir Malcolm and Donald Campbell Land And Water Speed Kings Of The 20th Century’ by Leo Villa & Tony Gray