Donald Campbell’s restored Bluebird K7 is to be piloted by the son of a world-record holder when it returns to the water.
The hydroplane was destroyed in 1967 when Campbell crashed in the Lake District as he attempted to push his own water speed record past 300mph (480km/h).
Having been recovered from the bottom of Coniston Water 34 years later, it was rebuilt by a team of engineers on Tyneside.
After a long-running ownership row, it was handed over to the Ruskin Museum, and now bosses say Australian Dave Warby, son of the late-water speed world-record holder Ken Warby, will be in the cockpit when it returns to the lake in 2026.
Mr Warby, a current world water speed record challenger, described it as a “tremendous honour”.
Calling Bluebird “the most iconic water speed record boat in the world”, he said its exploits with Campbell at the controls had been the “inspiration” for his father to set his own world records in 1977 and 1978.
His latter mark of 317mph (510km/h) still stands.
Mr Warby’s reserve will be RAF Flt Lt David-John Gibbs, from Grantham, Lincolnshire, who is the designated pilot for the Longbow speed record attempt being led by Dave Aldred.
Two Orpheus jet engines are to be refurbished as part of the plans to get Bluebird running again.
Setting seven world water speed records between 1955 and 1964, it was last on water in 2018 at Loch Fad, on Scotland’s Isle of Bute, following a restoration led by North Shields engineer Bill Smith.
A legal row then ensued after Mr Smith claimed part-ownership due to the work he and his Bluebird Project (BBP) team had carried out.
In the settlement agreed in January, when he relinquished his claim, Mr Smith paid £25,000 towards the Ruskin Museum’s legal costs.
It was also agreed he would have no “further right, title or interest” in the craft.
However, since then the BBP’s social media account has repeatedly called for the museum to put aside those terms and enlist the group’s volunteers to help with maintenance and any future running.
