Before Thar were Flying Cars, it appears that the
idea of using automobile engines wasn't pioneered by the Pond Racer...
As Aviation and Motor Racing once again collide
spiritually this weekend at Mother Speedway. Which I've got ZERO clue if the
dates were purposely chosen for when the second edition of the Red Bull Air
Races at IMS would commence?
But it seemed Apropos to trot out this item I've
been sitting on awhile now, since if Y'all haven't figured out the Air Races
connection with History, it'll soon become apparent to Y'all.
Sometime last year when I was scouring thee
Internetz' for the story link 'bout Charles Lindbergh having dropped his pliers
in the Spirit of St Louis; Butterfingers! I somehow stumbled upon an article
for which I'd never heard of before, which naturally Peaked my Attenzione.
Huh? What's that all about my mind wondered,
before moving on to poond out other riveting No Fenders BLOB' stories...
Thus I've now come to learn that Ettore Bugatti
had planned to build an Aeroplane to contest the 1939 Deutsch de la
Meurthe Cup race, before the outbreak of war and
subsequent Invasion of France permanently scuttled those plans!
As the aircraft in Questione is the
relatively obscure Bugatti Model 100, or simply 100P, depending upon what
source you read...
It was a purpose built Aeroplane which was
designed to utilize two of Ettore's Straight-8 cylinder
50B engines inline, driving counter rotating propellers. With the motors apparently
rated at 450bhp @4,500 RPM's.
While apparently the plane's motive power were to
be two tandem 3.0-liter Supercharged units utilized in Grand Prix racing...
The unfinished 100P plane was carted off to
the French countryside to hide in a Barn during World War II and went largely unremembered
after Ettore's death in 1947, when some other 'lil 'Ol automobile company was
being launched in Modena.
The Model 100 then went thru several hands
before an American purchaser bought it solely in order to plunder it's 50B
engines! Before later efforts to restore it were successful, with the plane now
on static display in the EAA Museum in Osh Kosh, Wisconsin.
Yet this unique Aeroplane's lore saw the
pursuit of a replica being created, which finally flew, before sadly, it's
creator Scotty Wilson died upon what was to be the unique recreation's final
flight before being donated to an unspecified museum last August...
