Tribute Act

[Renegadenemo]

Anyone get a look at our tribute act today? I was sent a few pics and I have to say, I love it - that polished alloy nose is simply exquisite. There's no denying that it's a fabulous piece of work and when you look at the detailing it just gets better and better. The instrument panel is a good example - period instruments in a new setting, groups of cold-war switches arranged to nod at the craft's impeccable heritage whilst still performing their function...

So why the hell did they paint the outside to look like that piece of crap plastic thing from Holker Hall?

What a missed opportunity! It would have looked stunning in a bespoke paint scheme to match the creativity in the cockpit. Perhaps something streaking towards a union-flagged, blue tail to pay homage from the outside too but leaving the machine with it's own identity as a new British contender or at least a ‘money where your mouth is’ gesture that one is in the pipeline.
And, let's be honest boys and girls, that K777 thing is simply dreadful – sorry, but all this, trying to be K7 ,thing is so overdone it’s bordering on bad taste, which is the loudest whisper I'm hearing at the moment. It seems that the poor thing has managed to steal its own thunder by looking more like something from Across The Lake than anything new and exciting.

It reminds me of what Bruno said to Jason Donovan about his paso doble on Strictly last week,

"You tried to make a big meal out of this and you got indigestion."

It's early days though so a word to the wise - whip K777 back into the paint shop then make it go as well as it looks and it'll be a well deserved result.

[Richie]

Are there any Pics Bill ? am I right in thinking from what you have typed, she is a replica of the real K7 ? and they wish to contend with her ? was K7 not at her limits on the 67 attempt at 300mph if so how they going to beat or even get close to 317.something (or what ever it is now) or is it a half cock'd venture by which i mean they go for something like the fastest British record or fastest record set on a rainy day... if it is the latter that would be bad crack as i think Donald still holds the fastest British water speed record title does he not ? would be a shame to honour a mans memory by knocking him out of the record books.


just my own opinion here and nothing to do with the project..... if i am right in my hunch IMHO personally speaking that would be bad crack and i would imagine Gina would not be too pleased.


again just my own thoughts no offence intended to be caused

[Mike Bull]

Well after the years of (they thought!) secrecy, the ‘replica’ finally breaks cover; my overwhelming first impression? Bafflement! I mean…it’s not actually a ‘replica’ at all, is it? Nose, canopy, intakes, engine cover, tail cover, flutes, sponsons, all are shaped differently from Bluebird K7 and indeed, it does seem to be 1988 all over again and as if someone has made another ‘Across The Lake’ replica, smooth featureless fibreglass and all, only bigger this time. (Bill- what bloody detailing? It''s smooth as baby's bum!)

Definite points for getting it built- it’s nice to see that in a few short years, a large British jet powered hydroplane can still be built (even if it IS ripping off someone else’s 56 year old design work) but why the half-arsed identity? It’s big enough, blue enough and similar enough to confuse the general public, which in my opinion is the biggest shame in all of this, but ultimately not actually much of a copy of Bluebird, so what’s the point? Give the poor thing it's own identity!

Or as Don Wales put it on Facebook, ‘WHAT THE F>>> IS THAT?’ (He's since gone on to call it an 'outrage'.)

‘K777’?! That’s truly awful. Presumably God forbid if the driver crashes it he’ll shout ‘I’m Boeing!’

Wait for the real deal…her originality, her accuracy, her sheer bloody history and unquestionable provenance and presence…the one and ONLY Donald Campbell’s Bluebird K7.

[Renegadenemo]

Or as Don Wales put it on Facebook, ‘WHAT THE F>>> IS THAT?’ (He's since gone on to call it an 'outrage'.)

It's certainly an outrage when it comes to the memory of Donald Malcolm Campbell and it doesn't surprise me that Don and others feel that way but look on the bright side - it can only serve to raise the profile of the real thing in the fullness of time.

[mtskull]

Anyone get a look at our tribute act today?

Where can we get a look at it? Does anyone have some pics they can post?

[f1steveuk]

My only comment is;

The Oxford English Dictionary, definition

"A replica is a copy closely resembling the original concerning its shape and appearance" , and it does "closely resemble", no one ever said, "rivet for rivet, inch for inch, colour for colour".

No mean feat to say your going to build a working jet hydroplane, and then going and doing it?

[ace_chris]

Hi Steve, yes no mean feat to get it on the water. Thought I had read that in the fullness of time detailing would be added, they wanted to get her wet and get her going. I like that approach. Chris

[Renegadenemo]

Where can we get a look at it? Does anyone have some pics they can post?

You could try page 2 of the Mirror... The tribute act is upsetting our sponsors now. How to win friends and influence people but that's what happens when you work with Type IIIs.

[ace_chris]

Anyone get a look at our tribute act today?

Where can we get a look at it? Does anyone have some pics they can post?

Link to pics here;

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 3a4d171a9a

[mtskull]

You could try page 2 of the Mirror...

Clip from page 2 of the Daily Mirror duly posted.

Bill, were you aware that you had completed the rebuild?
Merely the standard of reporting to which we have become accustomed, alas.
Re. the tribute act itself, what is it for? Is someone really going to try to break records in that, or are they just planning to find a stretch of water somewhere to charge up and down and make a lot of noise?
As for raising the profile of the real thing, there are now 1,185,000 Daily Mirror readers who believe that the real thing is finished and ready to run. I trust you will be demanding an equally prominent correction in tomorrow's rag.....