This July, we heard about how a group of aviation enthusiasts were building a flying replica of the radical Bugatti 100P racing aircraft. Named Reve Bleu (Blue Dream), it was undergoing taxi and engine testing at the time. This Wednesday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, however, it made its first flight – and did a nose-plant at the end.
Ettore Bugatti began construction on the original 100P in 1937, but had to put the project on hold when the Second World War began. Among the aircraft's unique features were forward-swept wings, two slant-mounted Bugatti Type 50 engines located behind the cockpit, and two contra-rotating propellers. Unfortunately the aircraft never did fly, and although it has since been restored, its engineless shell is too fragile to be airworthy.
Reve Bleu is highly faithful to the size, power, and shape of the original, although it also incorporates modern amenities such as fiberglass construction and machined alloy fittings.
The flight that took place on Aug. 19th was si...
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