Donald Campbell

DONALD CAMPBELL d1967. British speed pioneer who after attending Uppingham School in Rutland carried on his father's Bluebird Dynasty along with his chief engineer (Leo Villa) following the death of Sir Malcolm Campbell in 1948. He went onto break eight world speed records (during the 1950-1960s) and became the only person ever to simultaneously hold both the water and land-speed records in 1964. He set seven water speed records in Bluebird K4 and K7 (between 1955-1964) and then achieved a new land-speed record at Lake Eyre on July 17th 1964 at 403mph. A superstitious man, Donald battled for much of his life supposedly always in the shadow of his famous father. He was tragically killed aged just 45 on January 4th 1967 whilst attempting to break kis own World Water Speed Record on Coniston Water. Bluebird K7 famously flipped and disintegrated at a speed in excess of 300mph. The accident was most likely caused by him too soon and hurriedly undertaking his return pass (in order to break the record) and hitting his own water-wake. His lucky teddy-bear mascot Mr Whoppit (which he took with him on all record attempts) was found floating on the surface soon after the accident. Mr Whoppit returned to Coniston (with his daughter Gina) and attended the funeral of Donald Campbell in 2001 after his body was recovered from the lake and finally laid to rest in the local cemetery. The wreckage of Bluebird was also recovered from the lake in 2001 and is currently undergoing a full restoration .........