Campbell's Bluebird (and Fairey Barracuda, too!

[Wyvernfan]

Fantastic news. Having seen the remains myself i realise it would be a big project.. but there is so much potential already there.

[Bluebird Mike]

Bruce- nothing will really happen until the big blue boat is finished, so it's all a while off yet and there won't be a lot to say in a new thread, but I thought that there's no harm in everyone here knowing about it now as it's all in the public domain on our own forum already. I have in fact just requested a tweak to this thread title from mod Peter, to raise the awareness.

So, anyone here who knows about/cares about the Fairey Barracuda, let's hear your views!

[Peter]

Title tweaked..

[Bluebird Mike]

Thanks Peter!

[RPSmith]

This is great news.

Looking at your forum I liked the bit about the Barracuda attracting a different type of anoraks Anyway what is a "type 3 idiot" I'm sure we can come up with some of those :diablo:

Also interested to see the Scottiah wreck - let's hope it can be retrieved.
http://www.scottishhills.com/html/mo...ewtopic&t=1633

Roger Smith.

[Bluebird Mike]

Anyway what is a "type 3 idiot" I'm sure we can come up with some of those :diablo:

Bill Smith, from an old BBP diary-

I spoke last week with someone senior in assessing our proposals who told me that once you sort out the NIMBYs, (not in my back yard) and the type 1 and 2 idiots all you need after that is common sense.

“Hang on a minute,” I said, “what’s the difference between type 1 and type 2 idiots?”

The explanation was a breath of fresh air… It seems type 1 idiots are just that – idiots – whereas type 2 idiots are ‘*******ing idiots’. We reckon we’ve also identified one or two type 3 idiots recognisable by an irrepressible urge to add to their CV in the most entertaining way at every opportunity.

Unfortunately on the BBP we've come across one or two spectacular examples of the Type 3, but luckily they tend to dig their own holes.

Anyhow, we hope for a somewhat smoother ride people-politics-wise when the time comes to do the Barra, good way off though that it is.

[Bluebird Mike]

Bill Smith-

I'd say there's an outside chance that, with a few dredging trips up Scottish and Norwegian hillsides, we could build a Barra using 100% original parts so let's keep developing the idea as we clash K7 back together. Any info on Barracudas will be most welcome...

[Bruce]

I think thats optimistic!

However, best of luck with it - be interested to learn a bit more when the time comes!

Incidentally, there's a good few on the Ark Royal - did you see the programme about is discovery?



Bruce

[Bluebird Mike]

I think thats optimistic!

Have you learnt nothing about the way we do things here?

Not seen the Ark Royal thing- will seek it out.

[Bluebird Mike]

For anyone who might not follow our 'picture of the day', I thought some folk here might appreciate a look at the current state of build on Bluebird, as seen last week-

[steve_p]

Incidentally, there's a good few on the Ark Royal - did you see the programme about is discovery?



Bruce

Are you sure? Ark Royal was sunk in 1941, while the Barra did not enter service until the end of 1943.

[WebPilot]

Correct, the Barracuda never operated from the Ark's flight deck. Wartime types operated by Ark Royal (II) were fairly limited - Blackburn Skua and Roc, Fairey Swordfish (obv) and Albacore and the Supermarine Walrus.

[Bruce]

Ooops - am I confusing it with something else?

THere was a documentary a couple of years ago, where Paul Allens ship was used to investigate the wreck of a Carrier. I'm fairly certain that the aircraft they found on the sea bed were not those mentioned above.

Anyone?



Bruce

[Discendo Duces]

The TV documentary that I saw showed the Ark Royal hangar deck to be a Fairey Fulmar graveyard.

DD

[WebPilot]

Fulmar, yes I forgot the Fulmar.

Paul Allen's yacht was used in the search for the Ark, but there are no Barra's - mainly Swordfish wrecks found in the debris field:

http://www.divetheworld.com/Library/...rk%20Royal.pdf

[Bruce]

Ah!

Fulmar, that was it - my apologies for confusing the issue.



Bruce

[Bluebird Mike]

No worries, 'tis all interesting stuff anyway. Us boys on the BBP will have a steep learning curve re. all things Fleet Air Arm!

[Pullman99]

Hi, was searching for info re. my father's water speed record when i was a kid and saw this site, Tony Fahey is alive and well and still as passionnate about speed as he always was. He has 6 kids i'm his only daughter and would love to get him back involved with this sport - he is alway so busy with business/commercial activities aged 64 we all call him "peter pan". If he had the time i'm sure he would have and still (knowing him) try and beat the current records - simply said you will never meet a more interesting character in your life. would be interested to know if there is some forum for a veteren like Mr Fahey??

Hi!

I found this post from a couple of years ago when looking for some further information on British Pursuit / Miss Alton Towers.

I am a supporter of the current rebuild of Donald Campbell's Bluebird K7 and was a member of the Thrust 2 team in 1983 and have a lifelong interest in record breaking and motorsport (as well as aircraft!). Some years ago, I wrote to your father to seek information on the jet boat and also Miss Windermere V. At that time, I was working with the Windermere Steamboat Museum (where Miss Windermere IV was housed) and knew Norman Buckley's engineer, Arthur Henderson, who was also keen to find out if his former charge was still in existence.

I would be fascinated to know if either or both boats are still with Mr Fahey and, if so, whether it would be possible to get in touch. In particular I would like, if possible, to produce an historical feature about K8 and your father's experiences at Coniston as this attempt was, of course, contemporary with the LSR of Thrust 2.

Please feel free to PM me if that is more convenient than posting.

Many thanks.

[Bluebird Mike]

Help!

We're looking for info and hopefully replacement parts for an air valve that came from Bluebird's air start system. We've been told that these Lucas Rotax valves were fitted in Vulcans, though a first search in one today proved fruitless.

So we're looking for clues about where to find one, RAF part No's, anything that would help us really. Here's some pics of the valve as recovered- the last shot is of the pressure regulating valve, which we think is a Lucas Rotax part also-

[Bluebird Mike]

Okay, we now know that this is definitely part of the Vulcan's rapid air start system, and the bit we really need- the pressure reg valve- is located above engine No.1 (I think it was)

So, any leads on any spare units..?

[Bruce]

Might be worth contacting TVOC - I bet they have spares!



Bruce

[Bluebird Mike]

Cheers Bruce- info and possible help is already coming from them- we're just networking for any other leads in the meantime.

[Bluebird Mike]

A small update on the Barracuda front, in that we're hoping to shortly receive the first parts in the workshop from the FAAM.

[Bluebird Mike]

...and indeed, today the first pallet load of Barracuda bits arrived to keep Bluebird company. How exciting!

[Bluebird Mike]

We're pleased to tell you that 'Bluebird- The Spirit Reborn' will be transmitted on the Sky News channel on Friday, December 24th, 7:30pm to 8:00pm.

From Sky's programme information release- 'We follow the team who recovered Donald Campbell's iconic Bluebird jetboat 34 years after its fatal crash, revealing what happened when Campbell lost control of his boat at over 300mph.'

Sky News is available to Sky customers as channel 501- it is also available to Freeview digital viewers as channel 82.

The programme will be shown simultaneously on the Sky News HD channel and then repeated several times after first transmission- here are the first couple of repeats-

Sky News December 25th at 4:30am
Sky News HD December 25th at 4:30am
Sky News December 26th at 1:30am
Sky News HD December 26th at 1:30am

Full repeat schedule here-

http://uk-tv-guide.com/show-times/39...luebird/Sport/

- The programme features a ground-breaking new CG animation of the crash and break up of Bluebird, showing for the first time how she became the pile of pieces that we are now reassembling- don't miss it!

[Bluebird Mike]

Sneak peek at the documentary-

http://tv.sky.com/bluebird-the-spirit-reborn

[MerlinPete]

Look forward to it.
It was nice to see the lasses teaching you a thing or two about welding on the news today. Strangely, I found the same thing, having taught two female employees at mine to weld, both picked it up very quickly but one was a natural. Doesn`t mean they get out of making the tea of course!

Pete

[Bluebird Mike]

Yeah, it was a good piece that Pete, we're all well pleased. Here's a link to it as we've now got it online-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIIbhEhmDEE

(That's me fiddling about in Bluebird's cockpit by the way!)

[Jack Ruskin]

Just a reminder, this airs tonight Ch.501 at 19.30 (also in HD)...

http://tv.sky.com/bluebird-the-spirit-reborn



.

[jeepman]

Yeah, it was a good piece that Pete, we're all well pleased. Here's a link to it as we've now got it online-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIIbhEhmDEE

(That's me fiddling about in Bluebird's cockpit by the way!)

..and a new Christmas message from His Royal Billness......