Water speed record disaster - video

[Altair]

On January 4th 1967, British speed record breaker Donald Campbell tragically died aboard the Bluebird K7 while trying to beat his previous water speed record. 1:45 video.

Previously:

1955 Le Mans disaster; worst accident in motorsports history - video
Sknyliv air show disaster - GIF
The Hindenburg disaster - video

[Toolmaker51]

Pic on email, knew exactly what this led to.
Worse than unfortunate, at a time 'math proved' speeds in excess of so and so were not possible. There are aerodynamics in air that counter desired effects on water. Equivalent at that time to Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986, and a blow to speed record attempts for quite awhile.
Hull designers went back to work. Now a guy working in his garage can do this; sort of.

[Gadgeteer]

Just another pointless death.

[hemmjo]

Just another pointless death.

TRAGIC yes!!!

Donald Malcolm Campbell, CBE (23 March 1921 – 4 January 1967) was a British speed record breaker who broke eight absolute world speed records on water and on land in the 1950s and 1960s. He remains the only person to set both world land and water speed records in the same year (1964). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Campbell)

Pointless, open for debate. Through out history men and women have pushed limits, explored, discovered, and yes have died. They continue to push limits. More will die.

We all will die someday. Some will leave behind newly discovered information for others to build upon. Others will only leave behind only foot prints, on the paths cleared by others.

[Gadgeteer]

TRAGIC yes!!!

Donald Malcolm Campbell, CBE (23 March 1921 – 4 January 1967) was a British speed record breaker who broke eight absolute world speed records on water and on land in the 1950s and 1960s. He remains the only person to set both world land and water speed records in the same year (1964). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Campbell)

Pointless, open for debate. Through out history men and women have pushed limits, explored, discovered, and yes have died. They continue to push limits. More will die.

We all will die someday. Some will leave behind newly discovered information for others to build upon. Others will only leave behind only foot prints, on the paths cleared by others.

Give all of the heroes Darwin Awards. Might be of interest to learn of the valued information that was gleaned by speed demons like Campbell.

[hemmjo]

The Darwin Awards are for those to do foolish things, with no regard for the safety of themselves or others. In contrast, those, like Donald, who pursue activities such as these do research. They do testing. They design. They engineer. They test. They gather data. They analyze data. They modify. They test. They repeat.

Were it not for people like Donald, Mr Darwin's theory would be invalid, as we would not have evolved at all.

If one can see no value in this type of endeavor, that is ok. The the exploration will continue despite the skeptics. The skeptics will continue benefit anyway.

[Gadgeteer]

The Darwin Awards are for those to do foolish things, with no regard for the safety of themselves or others. In contrast, those, like Donald, who pursue activities such as these do research. They do testing. They design. They engineer. They test. They gather data. They analyze data. They modify. They test. They repeat.

Were it not for people like Donald, Mr Darwin's theory would be invalid, as we would not have evolved at all.

If one can see no value in this type of endeavor, that is ok. The the exploration will continue despite the skeptics. The skeptics will continue benefit anyway.

What are any of the benefits that Campbell provided by pursuing speed records? Thanks!

[Toolmaker51]

It's not just 'pursuing speed records'. He exceeded on water what any car and many planes could do. He crossed the fuzzy threshold between hydro and aerodynamics, fatally. Speeding boats still launch, a bit less often, by not duplicating his symmetrical profile. The best personification of that mindset is in "World's Fastest Indian", Burt Munro of New Zealand. His record, set 26 August 1967, still stands. He was 68, riding a 47-year-old machine, passing away of natural causes at 78.

The real pioneers take risks, that might be incorrect calculations, like supposed impossibility to exceed 100 mph. The results [better term than benefits] can produce effects elsewhere. Explorers. Astronauts. Chemists. Navigators. Pilots. Electricians...where might it end?
Even if one considers only racing; helmets, fire suits, drogue chutes, roll cages, fire suppression, fuel cells, high speed tires, suspension geometry and components, ground effects, brake linings, high strength materials...where might it end?
A few of those, and fact someone tried, did not improve auto safety in passenger cars?