Bugatti 100P

Ettore Bugatti is best known for his cars designed during the 1930s. Perhaps best known of all, is the 1931 Bugatti Type 51 grand prix car.


Credit: http://hdwpics.com/

1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic.


Credit: TheCoolist

Almost no-one is aware of the sole Bugatti aircraft — the most beautiful aircraft never to fly — the Bugatti 100P — "... an antique that seems like it somehow came from the future." — Preston Lerner


Note the forward-swept wings & the gearbox (seen through the canopy, in front of the cockpit), which delivers power from the twin engines to the contra-rotating propellers.
Credit: Reve Bleu/Kickstarter

http://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/Aviations-Sexiest-Racer-180952406/?no-ist


Bugatti 100P — showing more clearly, the contra-rotating propellers
Credit: Wikipedia

Kickstarter project to complete the replica
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/525000827/reve-bleu-bugattis-blue-dream-will-finally-fly?ref=nav_search

http://www.theverge.com/2015/8/8/9118119/bugatti-100p-reve-blue-kickstarter-first-flight

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3192289/The-Blue-Dream-finally-fly-Beautiful-Bugatti-plane-designed-75-years-ago-just-weeks-maiden-flight.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugatti_Model_100 / Bugatti Reve Bleu Blue Dream fly global volunteer group recreates Bugatti'sBlue Dream unfinished plane hidden behind enemy lines Bugatti's only aeroplane Ettore Bugatti master fusing art and technology built eight-thousand exquisite automobiles built only one aeroplane Bugatti 100P designed by Belgian engineer Louis de Monge art-deco classic most technologically-advanced airplane of its time elegant solution to flying very fast innovative Bugatti 100P giant leap forward late 1930s featuring advanced systems cutting-edge aerodynamics record-setting 100P saved Bugatti's manufacturing empire restored de Monge's reputation world-class aeronautical engineer dream dreamed setting a new world air speed record plane Rue de Débarcadèr Paris 1940 under construction for three years Bugatti 100P nearly complete the war reached Paris German forces troops Nazi save plane secrets rapidly-approaching enemy Bugatti colleague Louis de Monge smuggled the plane out of Paris under cover of darkness hid it in a barn plane survived the war intact restored plane on display displayed EAA AirVenture Museum Oshkosh Wisconsin most popular exhibit plane never flew flyable compelling story wartime intrigue Bugatti's Blue Dream Tulsa 2013 build and fly reproduction Bugatti 100P very expensive no known structural drawings reverse-engineer 100P under construction Bugatti 100P nearly complete plane's timeless beauty advanced features Bugatti's and de Monge's vision creative genius crowd-powered global volunteer team project's volunteers contributing time materials technical expertise bring Bugatti's dream to life airframe propellers designed in Sweden made in Great Britain complex propeller gearbox aerodynamic studies underway in Brazil engineering consultants France Germany de Monge family Namur Belgium construction first flight Bugatti's only aeroplane complex expensive labor-intensive tasks completely self-funded debt-free corporate sponsors accelerate construction complete tests plane's airworthiness certification build transportation dolly first flight 40-hour flight test program project's selected ground tests high speed taxi runs test flights early engineering drawing Avion de Course drawing engineering drawing de Monge drawing final configuration swept-forward wings engine placement internal radiator plane de Monge single-purpose airplane designed set a world speed record Phil West original art war Bugatti 100P development first flight famed WWI fighter ace Maurice Arnoux Ettoré Bugatti Louis de Monge Bugatti 100P first flight Étampes Airfield noted aviation artist Phil West Bugatti team members EAA AirVenture Museum disassembled test flight stage project high-performance complex state-of-the-art aeroplane /