1/18 Bluebird-Proteus CN7

[360spider]

The design concept was certainly simple. Take a jet engine - run drive shafts out of each end to the front and rear axles and build a steel frame to house the engine driver and wheels. Well, that's how it started. But hundreds of drawings later and £1,000,000 spent, the vehicle sported an aluminum honeycomb chassis, with huge wheels all covered in a voluptuous ally body.

Powered by a Bristol Siddeley Proteus free turbine engine developing in excess of 5,000-hp, this revolutionary car was designed by the Norris Brothers and built by Motor Panels, Ltd, of Coventry. Driven by Donald Campbell, Bluebird CN7 set world land speed record at 403.10 mph at Lake Eyre on 17th July, 1964.

This is a rather simple, but very big model. Very heavy too. I had to make a special stand to paint this bad boy!



















Thanks!

[CrateCruncher]

Interesting subject. Someone kitted this in 1/43 a few years ago and I recall it was big. This one must be huge! The rock salted surface you posed it on kinda looks like a salt flat too.

I was curious about the Australian flag on the nose and that name Eyres so I googled it. Turns out the same Englishman that discovered the rock also found an enormous dry lake bed in Southern Australia around 1840. Thanks for sharing.

[CFarias]

Very nice and a great finish! I wish more of these types of subjects were made in kit form.

[BVC500]

Nice job. Its a very beautiful, functional design!

[da_ashman]

Awesome work as per usual, good to see a different subject. Go the Aussie flag on the front! How big is it? do you have a photo of it against a euro or dollar or matchstick?

Edit: Never mind just noticed the coin on top. "open your eyes MAN!!"

[360spider]

Yeah, it is HUGE. Weights a ton too, cause it is just one sold piece of resin!
Thanks!

PS: The coin is a quarter btw.

[klutz_100]

Very cool model, Alex!

A great bit of motoring history from when men were men...and obviously didn't need windscreens and 6-point safety harnesses LOL
The sort of kit I wish I had in my stash.

[stu_davros]

Beautiful build of a beautiful car. The original is in a museum near where I live, and man, is it big up close.
Can I ask who produced the kit? I have a 20th scale vacformed version, but didn't know anyone made it in 18th.
Stuart.

[jmesawitz]

COOL!
I'll have to break out pics of my 1/24 bluebird k7. Yea it a water craft but I think you would dig it.

[360spider]

Stuart, unfortunately, I don't even know who made the kit, as it was shipped to me just in a cardboard box, no instructions or anything.
Thanks all, here are few pictures with the canopy, and as a size comparison, with few other models, just to prove my point that this thing is enormous!
1:18 Ferrari 57 TR, 1:24 Porsche GT3, 1:43 Ferrari 250 MM

[Viccario]

Wow! That definitely is not a Datsun Bluebird is it! The last photo's with the canopy in place seems to really show how large it was, Campbell was a very brave man! Brilliant work as usual by the way!

[das_auto]

Definitely something you don´t see every day!

Terrific work!