29 September 2022
Donal Campbell CBE was a British Speed Record breaker; he broke eight World Speed records on water and land in the 1950s and 1960s.
He is the first and so far the only person to hold both World Water and Land Speed Records.
His father, Sir Malcolm Campbell, held many similar National land and water speed records during the 1920s and 1930s.
Donald, like his father, both were highly superstitious people and frequently visited fortune tellers, spiritualists and mediums, so Donald adopted Mr Whoppit as his lucky talisman.
Mr Whoppit was a little bear who was provided with a Bluebird pin for his jacket. Bluebird was the name given to all vehicles, water and land that Donald raced.
On 4 January 1967, in an attempt to improve upon a previous personal record of 276mph, Donald lost control of his Bluebird K7 whilst travelling at over 300mph on Lake Coniston; both K7 and Donald Campbell sunk to the bottom of the lake.
Mr Whippet floated to the surface, but Donald’s body was not recovered until 2001, 34 years later.
Gina, Donald’s daughter, carried on the record-breaking tradition.
Mr Whoppit accompanied Gina Campbell’s power-boats during her various Record attempts.
