Tribute Act

[DamienB]

I've had the live cam from Coniston on in the background most of this afternoon (it's actually quite relaxing as mostly there is naff all happening and the grey skies and howling wind make me glad to be in a warm office), and a few moments ago there was a glimpse of something blue on the lake. Looks like they are setting up for a run with "K777"...

[orgster1]

Like Damien i have been sitting here in the office watching Cumbria Live TV. Are the intentions to actually get this 777 thing on the plane anytime soon or is it just an exercise in parading it around and stealing the limelight, because up to now Ernie’s model has gone across water faster. Anyone any idea what exactly the intentions are apart from ego and upsetting an awful lot of people, one of whom is more important than anyone else and by the ladies comments she is certainly not a happy bunny.

[DamienB]

Faster than yesterday... to be fair they must be operating very much in the unknown so baby steps are no surprise.She was throwing a hell of a lot of water over the nose though - the water was far too rough to be getting any speed up really.

[orgster1]

Mike wrote “You're not wrong- while the actual area is hard to fathom, the shape of each inlet mouth is definitely way off-"

Depends what the intentions have been or are to be with this 777 insult. If it has purely been an exercise to do what it seems to have done and upset a lot of people in a very expensive point proving venture then why would the inlets need to be correct. If on the other hand they do intend to use the thing in anger then surely having gone to all the time and effort they have it would only be in their interests to get it right first time?

Unless they want to emulate the Orph blow up as well haaa.

Keep an eye out for people with screwdrivers

[ace_chris]

Ive had the web cam on and saw the last run this afternoon - sht loads of spray all over the cockpit and appeard to be a lot of forward/aft rocking. Any one would start off slow and build up the speed, which is exactly what these guys are doing...

[mtskull]

Some video of K777 making some noise on the lake:
http://www.cumbrialive.tv/

Now, was it my imagination or did I catch a glimpse of two spectral figures on the lake shore, and hear a snippet of a ghostly conversation? Something along the lines of:
"Water's putting the bloody fire out, Unc"!
Then, over the sound of a strangled gas turbine, a faint sound like that of two old friends laughing together

[Jordangbr]

According to the Type III that was near by yesterday Jim was going to attempt to get it on the plane just as dusk fell. Just a few turns then back alongside....

[bluebirdsback]

Well i must admit that when i first heard about a replica being built i was a bit sceptical but now ive seen the pics and footage, well done replica team. Only one thing that bemuses me, can anyone tell me what the set of allen keys after the "K" signifies

[Mike Bull]

Are the intentions to actually get this 777 thing on the plane anytime soon or is it just an exercise in parading it around

That's unfair. I'm sure the team must have intentions of getting it to plane and run at speed, but you can't expect them to go out there straight away and do just that. I'm sure even Donald Campbell's Bluebird K7 will wallow and flounder about a bit for a while as she re-finds her feet, so you can't expect anything different from a totally new craft either.

Regarding today's press release- which certain Type IIs and IIIs should be reminded has been instigated by the Campbells and not ourselves- I am very pleased that this statement has been made and released to the media at large, to make it emphatically clear that the Campbell family reject any and all implied association with this poor halfway house of a craft. If the owner's of it had any shred of decency now, they would retire from Coniston, take another year to get it working correctly, give the thing a whole new look and a proper identity of it's own, and try again.

[klingon]

Think the builders of this should go back to the Stores and ask for a large bucket of Tact-then use it--