Comments by "TheThirdMan" (@thethirdman225) on "Bluebird: The Afterlife" video.

  1.  @ColinMill1  Estimates are not records.
    1
  2. The aerodynamic layout was probably the major contributing factor. A stable aerodynamic layout has the centre of pressure very slightly ahead of the centre of gravity. A hydroplane like this one has quite a bit of upper surface area ahead of the centre of gravity and because of the position of the heaviest component - the engine - the centre of gravity is quite a long way back. This means that the aerodynamic layout is grossly unstable and extremely prone to divergence and this appears to be true for all hydroplanes. It’s basically exactly the same thing that causes F1 cars to flip, only worse. Once the stability margin is exceeded, it will take off. While stability margins have improved in motorsport, they are very much harder to improve in craft like Bluebird K7. Too much downward pressure on the bow and she will struggle to get too a good speed. Insufficient downward pressure and she will take off and flip. The margin for error is incredibly small and the slightest ripple at 500 km/h could kill the driver. I examined Ken Warby’s ’Spirit of Australia’ up close, when it was in the National Maritime Museum in Sydney many years ago. I can only guess but I suspect Warby had her tail trimmed slightly light and I’m pretty sure I know how he did it. I notice nobody else has tried that idea. I suggest everyone find the three part documentary about Warby’s (successful) assault on the World Water Speed Record and watch how that thing moves. Even though I think Warby had the right answer, I’d have been shitting pumpkins.
    1