Admittedly, there are a lot of 'whatcouldabeens' surrounding The Bugatti 100P aircraft. by this point, this story should be familiar to Canadians and their own legendary plane The Arrow.
The 100P was the brainchild of legendary designer and engineer Ettore Bugatti known for his work in automobiles.
However, it wasn't uncommon for Italian designers - free-spirit, free-lancers - to branch out into other fields. Call it the Da Vinci effect. Still, it wasn't that far fetched an idea since Italy had by that time an interesting book of speedy air crafts on their books.
Bugatti's plan had a lot of ambition especially considering German aircraft engineering was considered ahead of its time. It was hoped the 100p would reach 500 mph thus surpassing the German Messerschmitt which hit 469 mph in 1939.
But it never got off the ground. And now, a group of European engineers - Reve Bleu - are looking to rebuild the 100P.
"The Bugatti 100P – an art-deco masterpiece – is arguably the most elegant airplane ever designed. It was also the most technologically-advanced airplane of its time. Designed initially to set a world speed record and to compete in the prestigious Coupe Deutsch air race, the plane also met the criteria for a light-weight fighter and might have been the first technology demonstrator. Had it flown in the summer of 1940, it would be seen today as an historically-significant aircraft; elements of the plane’s most notable features, well established by mid-1937, predate the development of the best Allied fighters of World War II."
Interestingly, they're not the only ones looking to do so. Scottish engineer and John Lawson (as well as Scotty Wilson) also has a Bugatti Project of his own.
As of yet, the plane has not been launched.
However, it wasn't uncommon for Italian designers - free-spirit, free-lancers - to branch out into other fields. Call it the Da Vinci effect. Still, it wasn't that far fetched an idea since Italy had by that time an interesting book of speedy air crafts on their books.
Bugatti's plan had a lot of ambition especially considering German aircraft engineering was considered ahead of its time. It was hoped the 100p would reach 500 mph thus surpassing the German Messerschmitt which hit 469 mph in 1939.
But it never got off the ground. And now, a group of European engineers - Reve Bleu - are looking to rebuild the 100P.
"The Bugatti 100P – an art-deco masterpiece – is arguably the most elegant airplane ever designed. It was also the most technologically-advanced airplane of its time. Designed initially to set a world speed record and to compete in the prestigious Coupe Deutsch air race, the plane also met the criteria for a light-weight fighter and might have been the first technology demonstrator. Had it flown in the summer of 1940, it would be seen today as an historically-significant aircraft; elements of the plane’s most notable features, well established by mid-1937, predate the development of the best Allied fighters of World War II."
Interestingly, they're not the only ones looking to do so. Scottish engineer and John Lawson (as well as Scotty Wilson) also has a Bugatti Project of his own.
As of yet, the plane has not been launched.
No comments:
Post a Comment