1-193-041 - National Motor Museum/Heritage Images

The 1961 Bluebird. Donald Campbell set a new World Land Speed Record of 403.10 mph (648.783 kph) in this car on 17 July 1964. Bluebird cost £1 million to make and was powered by a Bristol-Siddeley Proteus 4100 hp gas turbine engine. The tail fin was a late addition, after a disastrous crash at Bonneville, Utah in 1960. Lake Eyre, South Australia was then chosen because it was a desolate, flat, salt plain. However, untypical rain became one of a series of frustrating delays that dragged the record attempt for two years. When the record was finally attained, Campbell returned to water speed record breaking, but was killed on Coniston Water in 1967.