This is another model in my series of blue and gold Meccano models this model was first shown in the 1937 manual for sets 5A & 6 and I think it is a fairly good representation of the Bluebird record car that Sir Malcolm Campbell drove on September 3rd 1935 breaking the land speed record at Bonneville Salt Flats, at a speed of 301.33 mph (484.94 km/h). The car was the culmination of many years development this final version had a 33.7 litre Rolls Royce supercharged V12 aero engine developed for the Schneider 1931 Trophy sea plane races. The car was 27 feet (8.2m) long with twin rear wheels for added traction enabling an extra 50mph over an earlier version with single rear wheels.I am sure most Meccano Boys at the time of the manual’s publication would have know all about Malcolm Campbell and his record breaking cars from their Meccano Magazine. I am not sure though they would have been so pleased to bend 25 hole strip plate and other plates to form the body work and tail. This is one of very models where the tin plate Road Wheels closely resemble those of the prototype.The construction of this model was partly inspired by the kind gift by another blue & gold Meccano enthusiast of a selection of reproduction blue and gold plates. He printed them on near matching blue card these included never made triangular plates, used on the rear bodywork. I naturally deviated somewhat in the construction and used many more parts than contained in the No.6 outfit. I also added the double rear wheels again extra to the outfit.TRIVIAMeccano Dinky Toys in the 1930's made several models of record breaking cars but not Bluebird these included; Speed of the Wind, MG, Auto Union, Renault Nervasport and the Thunderbolt. The latter driven by George Eyston raised the record to 345.50 mph (556.03 km/h) on 27 August 1938. This car had two engines of the same type Campbell used in Bluebird. The instructions were also published post-war.Published September 20 2021
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Dramatic shot of Bluebird at Bonneville taken from the December 1935 Meccano Magazine