Makes › Napier-Campbell › Blue Bird (1927–1931) · Historically significant · 1927–1931
Napier-Campbell
Blue Bird (1927–1931)
Campbell's Napier Lion-engined LSR car
Contents
01Overview
At a glance
- Built
- Not yet verified
- Years
- 1927–1931
- Engine
- Front-mounted 12-cylinder, three banks of four (Napier Lion) · 23,948 cc / 23.9 LFactory: 23,948 cc
- Power
- 652 kW / 887 PSFactory: 875 hp · converted
- Top speed
- 351 km/hFactory: 218 mph · converted
- Body
- Not yet verified
- Designer
- Amherst Villiers (original chassis), Joseph Maina (mechanical design); 1931 redesign by Reid Railton
- In this archive
- Not yet verified
- Surviving
- Not yet verified
Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.
Why it matters
The 1927 Campbell-Napier Blue Bird was the first car built specifically as a land speed record breaker, and over its rebuilds between 1927 and 1931 it carried Malcolm Campbell's record from about 175 mph to 246 mph.
How rare is it?
Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.
Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.
02Production & history
Production
Every figure says what it counts.
No production figures recorded yet.
History
The first Blue Bird used a 450 hp Napier Lion engine; its chassis was initially by Amherst Villiers, with Joseph Maina later taking over the mechanical design. It was tried in January 1927 and took its first record at Pendine Sands on 4 February 1927 at 174.88 mph. For 1928 a 900 hp Napier engine developed for the Schneider Trophy was fitted, with a new low body by Mulliners and surface radiators, and the car set 206.95 mph at Daytona Beach on 19 February 1928.
In 1929 the same engine went into a more streamlined body built by Arrol Aster and was taken to Verneuk Pan in South Africa, where the car reached 218 mph in April 1929 and took the five- and ten-mile records. In 1931 the car was redesigned by Reid Railton with a supercharged engine of 1,450 hp, an offset propeller shaft and a Gurney Nutting body, and set 246.09 mph at Daytona on 5 February 1931 and 253.97 mph there in February 1932.
Variants
How each version differs from the standard Blue Bird (1927–1931).
No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
03Specifications
Technical specifications
Engine
| Engine manufacturer | Napier1 Independently researched |
|---|---|
| Engine family | Not yet verified |
| Engine code | Not yet verified |
| Layout | Front-mounted 12-cylinder, three banks of four (Napier Lion)1 Independently researched1928 (Blue Bird III) configuration; the 1927 car used the 450 hp Lion, and the 1931 car a supercharged 900 hp engine developing 1,450 hp per the Racing Campbells page. |
| Cylinders | 121 Independently researched |
| Displacement | 23,948 cc / 23.9 LFactory: 23,948 cc1 Independently researched1928 configuration. |
| Bore | Not yet verified |
| Stroke | Not yet verified |
| Compression ratio | Not yet verified |
| Fuel system | Not yet verified |
| Power | 652 kW / 887 PSFactory: 875 hp · converted1,2 Independently researchedSource writes "875 bhp at 3,300rpm" for the 1928 car; Racing Campbells says 900 hp for the same engine. |
| Power at | 3,300 rpm1 Independently researched |
| Torque | Not yet verified |
Transmission & drivetrain
| Gearbox | FBM 3-speed planetary gearbox, 16-plate dry clutch1 Independently researched |
|---|---|
| Gears | 31 Independently researched |
| Gear ratios | 0.333, 0.666, 1 (final drive 1.5:1)1 Independently researched |
| Driven wheels | Not yet verified |
Chassis, body & dimensions
| Chassis | Vickers chassis, underslung beneath the rear axle1 Independently researched |
|---|---|
| Front suspension | Woodhead self-shock-absorbing springs1 Independently researched |
| Rear suspension | Not yet verified |
| Brakes | Not yet verified |
| Steering | Marles, duplicated1 Independently researched |
| Body construction | Mulliner body in 18-gauge aluminium1 Independently researched |
| Wheelbase | Not yet verified |
| Length | 5,490 mmFactory: 18 ft · converted1 Independently researched |
| Width | Not yet verified |
| Height | Not yet verified |
| Front track | Not yet verified |
| Rear track | Not yet verified |
| Kerb weight | Not yet verified |
| Dry weight | Not yet verified |
Performance
| Maximum speed | 351 km/hFactory: 218 mph · converted2,3 Independently researchedSpeed reached at Verneuk Pan in 1929; the Supporters Club gives a 212 mph five-mile record there. |
|---|---|
| 0–100 km/h | Not yet verified |
| Fuel tank | Not yet verified |
“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.
04Colours & options
Factory colours & interiors
Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Factory options & codes
Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
05Individual cars
Chassis register
Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Competition history
Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Auction & sale history
Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
See one in person
Museums where an example of this car can be seen.
No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
06Reference
Identification guide
How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.
Being verified against factory or registry sources before it is published. Have a source? Contribute it.
Sources
Each number links to the exact facts it supports.
-
1
1928 Napier-Campbell Blue Bird III Level C Bluebird Supporters Club (archived 2008) · 2008-10-01
- Napier sprint Lion VII Schneider Cup aircraft engine
- 12 - 3 banks of 4
- Cylinders 12
- Cubic Capacity 23,948cc
- Max. Power 875 bhp at 3,300rpm
- 875 bhp at 3,300rpm
- FBM 3 speed planetary
- 16no. 11 1/4in. dry plates
- .333, .666, 1. Final drive ratio 1.5 to 1
- Vickers - underslung beneath rear axle
- Woodhead self-shock-absorbing springs
- Marles duplicated
- Mulliner ... 18-gauge aluminium
- Length 18ft
-
2
Racing Campbells: Cars Level C racingcampbells.com (archived 2011) · 2011-07-15
- Napier 900-hp unit
- speed reached on the record attempt was 218 mph
-
3
Record Breaking Places: Verneuk Pan Level C Bluebird Supporters Club (archived 2007) · 2007-06-28
- new 5 mile record at 212mph
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