First flight for Bugatti 100P

The Bugatti 100P built by The Bugatti 100P Project flew for the first time today. The flight was only a short hop meant to confirm the aircraft’s characteristics and handling and was made by Scotty Wilson, who reported the aircraft handled well on all axis. It flew at an altitude of 100 ft and reached 110 knots.

Unfortunately, the aircraft floated quite a bit when he tried to put it down. When it finally settled back on the runway, a failure of the right brake brought it off the runway. The soil, made soft and muddy by recent rain, made the aircraft nose over, and damage was inflicted on the spinner and propellers. The Hayabusa motorcycle engines used on the Bugatti 100P were presumably not shock-damaged, as the aircraft is equipped with a clutch that would have taken most of the shock and preserved the engines.

The Bugatti 100P was an unusual aircraft design by Ettore Bugatti in 1938 to enter the 1939 Deutsch de la Meurthe Cup Race. It was not ready in time to enter the race and was abandoned prior to the German invasion of France in 1940.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2015/08/20/first-flight-for-bugatti-100p/

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