The Blue Bird Record Car.

The restored Blue Bird at the British National Motor Museum at Beaulieu.

Starting in 1925, Malcolm Campbell had established himself as a notable record breaker, setting new absolute World Land Speed Records six times.

Malcolm Campbell in the Blue Bird’s cockpit.

The famous "Blue Bird" car's name originated when Malcolm Campbell, already a successful automobile racer, was inspired by Maeterlinck's play "The Blue Bird of Happiness". He went to his local hardware shop and bought up all the blue paint he could to paint his car. With paint still wet, the car won two races at Brooklands and a legend was born.

The Blue Bird arriving at Daytona Beach in 1933.

The early version of the car was finished in December 1932 and had “Campbell Special” written on the tail fin. It was powered by the Rolls-Royce V12 36.7L engine and produced 2350hp.

Campbell became the first driver to achieve 402 kilometers an hour, but this had made him set his heart on being the first 300 miles-an-hour man (482 kilometers an hour).

The newly completed Blue Bird making its debut on 9 January 1935.

This would require some radical changes be made to the "Blue Bird" so that he could find the extra 80 kilometers an hour needed.

Campbell in the Blue Bird speeding south along Daytona Beach on 7 March 1935. The thick, black line of diesel oil marked the center of the course.

The rebuilt car was unveiled in 1935, the main changes being a more rectangular body, widened to the full width of the wheels, improved traction through the addition of paired rear wheels, and the addition of air brakes. The twin rear wheels were used.

The Blue Bird after the test run at the Bonneville Salt Flats on 2 September 1935.

First trials were again at Daytona Beach in January 1935. This car first record was 445km/h at Daytona Beach on 7th March, 1935.

Subsequently this same year, this Blue Bird was taken to Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, where on the 3rd of September, 1935 Sir Malcolm Campbell set his last land speed record at 485km/h.

The Blue Bird.

The "Blue Bird" is currently displayed in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, located in Florida. A replica of the car is also displayed at the Lakeland Motor Museum in Cumbria, England.

After setting the record at 484.6km/h, the Blue Bird was displayed at the Scottish Motor Show in Glasgow, 1935.

4.75 tons – Blue Bird’s weight.
8.20 meters – the total length of the car.
6 – the number of wheels on the car as of the 1935 rebuild.
£9700 – the cost of building the original Blue Bird, an equivalent of £211000 today.
£16000 – the estimated additional expenditure on developing the 1935 version of the car. It is an equivalent of £350000 today.

The Blue Bird.

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