BLUEBIRD, the legendary hydroplane speedboat in which Donald Campbell was killed while bidding for his eighth water speed record on Coniston Water in 1967, is coming to York.
The restored boat will be featuring - on its trailer - at the Straightliners Speed show at Elvington Airfield next weekend.
Event organiser Trevor Duckworth of Straightliners Ltd said it would be the first time the boat has been seen by the general public since it was restored by Bill Smith of the Bluebird Project.
The boat's jet engine will be fired up at 2pm on each day of the two-day event, Trevor said. "This has not been seen or heard by the general public since 1966. It will be fantastic."
Campbell had already set seven world water speed records in an earlier version of the Bluebird K7 speedboat when he went for that eighth record attempt on Coniston Water in 1967 in a modified version of the boat.
His aim was to do raise the world water speed record to above 300mph.
He actually reached speeds of about 320mph in the boat on his second run on Coniston Water on January 4, 1967. But then the boat started to bounce out of the water, lifted and somersaulted. Campbell was killed instantly.
The wreckage of Bluebird was discovered on the lake bed the next day but, with Campbell's body not being recovered, was not raised.
It was not until 34 years later that the wreckage of the boat was finally recovered, by a diving team led by Smith. Campbell's body was also recovered in 2001.
initial restoration on Bluebird was completed in August 2018. She was transported to Loch Fad, where she was refloated and completed a series of test runs.
Last year's Straightliners Speed show at Elvington featured a model of Bluebird, Trevor said.
But this year, it will be the genuine article.
"The boat is the actual one raised by Bill Smith from Coniston Water," he said.
Next weekend's event will also feature drag racing demo runs, a flame and thunder show - and a huge range of vehicles on display.
The event runs on February 25 and 26 from 9.30am to 5.30pm.
Tickets £10 for adults, children free.
Find out more at straightliners.events/
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