Warbird Information Exchange

Scotty Wilson's Bugatti 100p replica currently taxiing...can't imagine that he's not trying to make OSH 2015.

Video on their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/TheBugatti100pProject

The original must have seemed like a spaceship back in 1940.

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

Fantastic project, but I can't help thinking that it will be a pale imitation with much less power than the original.

Has anyone ever done any wind tunnel (back when it was designed) or modern computer simulation on the thing?

Call me a cynic, it looks like it could be one of those designs that looks great but is a less than ideal aeroplane to fly.

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.
Note political free signature.
I figure if you wanted my opinion on items unrelated to this forum, you'd ask for it.

Here is the analysis performed on the design:
http://www.bugatti100p.com/articles-papers.html

Its complexity and weirdness gives me the willies. I mean, if all of the stuff it features really were better, wouldn't every plane be like that now? I wish those guys who built and will operate it all the best, and I hope it gives them a lifetime of trouble-free hours in the air.

Anyone know what the long-term goal is for this replica?

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Keep 'em Flying.

My understanding is that it will be shown here, then taken to Europe to a few airshows, and then parked in a museum in Europe somewhere, possibly one that features Bugatti.
kevin

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FOUND the elusive DT-built B-24! Woo-hoo!!!

To have a "long term"?

The Bugatti site has the structural analysis, but I was wondering if some had done some work to check out its flying qualities.

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.
Note political free signature.
I figure if you wanted my opinion on items unrelated to this forum, you'd ask for it.

Bugatti 100p: Study of Low Speed Flight

My thoughts are that the vertical fins are two small. Maybe they thought there wouldn't be any torque with the contra-rotating props. Also, it would have been "okay" to stick a tiny nose gear on the replica, a la Rutan Varieze, to make the pilot's life a whole lot easier. Also, designers frequently made the wings too small or the airplane overweight back then. LIke the H-1 racer and the Travelair Mystery Ship, I would've built a longer set of wings and changed out the smaller ones after the pilot gets some flight hours in it.
Hopefully it will fy well and they will be able to display it occasionally.

Closer!
https://www.facebook.com/TheBugatti100pProject

Second flight a success. Just one circuit of the pattern but no problems encountered. On flight number one(just as straight ahead hop) they lost a brake and the plane went off the runway and tipped over on its nose in the damp sod at low speed damaging the props.

I watched the video of Flight 2 and I had a stupid grin on my face, which got bigger as the flight progressed. What a truly inspirational project!

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Zac in NZ
#avgeek, modelbuilder, photographer, writer. Callsign: "HANDBAG".
https://linktr.ee/zacyates

"It's his plane, he spent the money to restore it, he can do with it what he wants. I will never understand what's hard to comprehend about this." - kalamazookid, 20/08/2013
"The more time you spend around warbirds the sooner you learn nothing, is simple." - JohnB, 24/02/22

Very nice achievement. Nice to see this very old design having its long awaited first flight. I always liked this beautifull and very pure line of the Belgian Louis de Monge (bornt not so far where I live)

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Sorry for my bad English:-(

Looking forward to seeing some some good air to air footage with the gear tucked up. I'm assuming more flights are forthcoming.

Unfortunately Mr. Wilson and the Bugatti replica have been lost in an accident. My condolences to the family and friends of Scotty Wilson, what a tragedy.

http://m.news9.com/story.aspx?story=327 ... tId=112032