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Image Not Available for Hydroplane BLUE BIRD K3
Hydroplane BLUE BIRD K3
Image Not Available for Hydroplane BLUE BIRD K3

Hydroplane BLUE BIRD K3

Photographer
Date1937-1938
Object numberANMS1443[021]
NamePhotograph
MediumSilver gelatin print
DimensionsOverall: 158 × 208 × 1 mm
Copyright© The Times
ClassificationsPhotographs
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Graeme Andrews
DescriptionSir Malcolm Campbell's water speed record breaking hydroplane BLUE BIRD K3. The K3 broke the water speed record three times, twice on Lake Maggiore during September 1937 and again on Lake Hallwyl, Switzerland, on 17 August 1938 where it reached 130.91 mph (210.63 km/h).HistoryHydroplane powerboat BLUE BIRD K3 was commissioned in 1937 by Sir Malcolm Campbell to break the water speed record. On 1 September 1937, at Lake Maggiore on the border between Switzerland and Italy, K3 set a record of 126.32mph breaking the previous record. The next day it improved its time to 129.5mph. It broke its third record on 17 August 1938 at Lake Hallwyl in Switzerland when it reached 130.91 mph (210.63 km/h).SignificanceThis collection illustrates the boom era of speedboating in the decades after World War II. The increasing affordability and widespread use of cars, engines and the advent of mass production made speedboating affordable and the sport became a popular pastime.