The Bugatti – De Monge 100P Record PlaneAviation History of Two Pioneersby Jaap HorstThe development of this extremely advanced airplane with many novel features was started in 1937. Ettore Bugatti hired the Belgian Louis de Monge as chief engineer to design the aerodynamics and airframe. The first version of the airplane was planned as a speed-record airplane, a military version was to follow later. Tragically the Bugatti 100P airplane never flew, the Germans invaded Paris where it was being built when there were only a few more months of construction work to go. The airplane surprisingly survived the war, and still exists in the EAA museum in Oshkosh, USA. A flying replica was constructed in the USA, aerodynamically identical to the original. This beauty tragically crashed less than a minute after take-off of the 3rd flight, killing the pilot and builder of the airplane, Scotty Wilson.
This book has a different focus compared to my first book on the subject published in 2013 and 2015 (2nd On all subjects, new, additional information was found over the last decade, most of which is included in this book. This includes more info on the replica project and the reason(s) behind it's crash, some more information on the original airplane and a lot of new photographic material especially on the Bugatti US-model 16 cylinder aero-engine. The history of Bugatti in aviation continues all the way to the current day, details of which are now included. On Louis de Monge we found more information as well, especially on his post-war activities in the USA. Included are drawings and details on his last airplane design of 1958. In all, the book is a must for any Bugatti enthousiast who has a broader interest than the automobiles alone. However, it will also attract aero-enthusiasts especially those with a passion for record aircraft, as well as those who are interested in the strange prototypes which were designed, built and sometimes successfully flew. Finally, there are a lot of technical details alongside the history often told through the key personalities themselves.
Ettore Bugatti is well-known through his race-,sports- and luxury automobiles from the years in between both worldwars, though he worked on a lot of other technical machinery as well. During the first world war he designed airplane-engines which were built by various companies in France and USA. The book describes these engines and derivatives in detail, showing also the airplanes which used these engines, including the world’s first fully functional “modern” helicopter. Louis de Monge built his first airplanes before WWI, during WWI he designed and produced modern propellers, sold under the name Lumière. After WWI many, often technically advanced, designs were made. The complete history of his many interesting inventions and lack of commercial success is described in detail, all the way from 1908 until 1958. Scotty Wilson was an Airforce pilot for thirty years, where he flew many airplanes, including the F16, with more than 10,000 hours flight experience. After retiring he worked in various companies in the aviation sector. In 2009 Scotty and a small team of enthusiasts started working on the Bugatti 100P replica, which he first flew in 2015.
The Author
29-4-2026 |
