Courageous Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 Hello everybody, here is my latest completed project, a Bugatti 100 Racer in 1/72 using the Projekts Models limited run kit. I knew nothing of this racer until I stumbled across this kit on 'that' auction site and just had to have it. The Bugatti racer was designed in the early 1930's with the view of racing it in the 1939 Deutsch de la Meurthe Cup Race but wasn't completed before the outbreak of WW2 and like the Caudron C.714R racer, was hidden away until after the war. As you will see, the Bugatti racer was a very futuristic design to achieve the highest possible speeds. Two 450hp Bugatti type 50B racing engines were mounted behind the cockpit, each driving a shaft either side of the pilot to drive two, two-bladed contra-rotating propellers. Cooling intakes were located on the leading edges of the tri-tail assembly. It wasn't until 1970 that the decaying aircraft was bought by an American, restored and on static display at the EAA Aviation Museum. Inspired by this image, having the racer aircraft, I needed to source the Bugatti 57SC Atlantic car and a few figures. Besides the obvious problems encountered when building limited run kits; no location points, fit issues, etc, extra work was needed with making the exhaust fairings which was rather tricky and making the undercarriage doors from thin brass. The headache of the whole build was the canopy as it was a mixture of metal frames and plexiglass reinforcing frames. Painted with Humbrol 48 enamel paint and...no decals. I found this at Shapeways but in the wrong scale but asking nicely, I acquired the model but at a cost. Enhancements to the kit were fitting windows using acetate, fitting a 5-port exhaust at the back and the 'chrome' trimming along the engine covers using thin wire. Internals were painted with a Vallejo leather colour paint that was 'swished' around and excess poured out. Humbrol 48 painted externally. Tyres and grills were painted Vallejo Panzer grey and grills were dry brushed with silver. Wheel hubs were painted silver and highlighted with a Molotow Chrome pen, as were the handles, hinges and fuel filler cap. And here they both are on a concrete strip with a pilot and and a 1930's gent figures. WIP here: I'd like to thank all those who encouraged me during the build but particular thanks need to go to Claudio @Moa for helping with images and supplying some suitable figures. Stuart 40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billn53 Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 That’s quite the pair! Excellent in all respects. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 Enjoyable thread and great build for both lane and car, they look exquisite, they really do and your extra detailing really makes them both a pair of Bobby dazzlers. Great work Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 Absolutely fantastic build of two challenging but spectacular Objets D'Art!! It was enthralling to follow the WiP and looking at your ability to find solutions for the many issues. Nail-biting build that ended up in delight! Well done, Maese Stuart! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry1954 Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 Great result Stuart, and a delightful combination! Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire31 Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 A superbly elegant pair of futuristic designs. The 100 racer still looks like something out of a science fiction comics magazine! Marvellous modelling! Kind regards, Joachim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapam Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 Very nice - amazing looking plane and an equally beautiful car! I haven't followed the WIP but the outcome is gorgeous! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 Great looking Bugatti. ... Ive been to the EAA Museum multiple times yet I don't recall ever seeing this plane, I wonder if its in storage ? I live only 200 miles away and go about once every 2-3 years on the way to my families home in Northern Wisconsin. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corsaircorp Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 Nicely done Stuart !! We will have a rocket fuel bottle or 2 on that one !! Congratulations !! Impressed CC 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted September 17, 2020 Author Share Posted September 17, 2020 @Spitfire31, @kapam, @Corsairfoxfouruncle & @corsaircorp, thanks for the comments guys. Both Bugattis were ahead of their time and would've been interesting to see how the racer performed. As for the 57SC car, three were definitely built, possibly a fourth and currently are the most expensive cars in the world with the last sale of one of the Bugatti cars selling for $30-$40 Million. Stuart 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 Excellent, Stuart. She looks so futuristic Martin 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted September 17, 2020 Author Share Posted September 17, 2020 4 hours ago, RidgeRunner said: Excellent, Stuart. She looks so futuristic Cheers Martin. Futuristic is good, difference is good, like your signature. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 You should be proud of that build, mate. Yes, difference is interesting always Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulfman Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 Beautiful looking builds ! Did it actually fly ? Wulfman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 Brilliant job on both models - nice little diorama! Regards, Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted September 17, 2020 Author Share Posted September 17, 2020 8 hours ago, Wulfman said: Beautiful looking builds ! Did it actually fly ? Thanks Wulfman. As far as I'm aware, the original was restored to static condition having never flown. A replica was built and made three flights but unfortunately crashed, killing the pilot on the third flight. 39 minutes ago, Learstang said: Brilliant job on both models - nice little diorama! Cheers Jason. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikolay Polyakov Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 Such a small beauties Stuart, bravo! 👏 Can’t believe it’s 1939 - it’s ahead of its time, undoubtedly. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMCS Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 Niiiice 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Smith Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 (edited) Corsairfoxfouruncle the original Bugatti Racing Aircraft is hanging on display in the foyer at EAA Oshkosh. Courageous, I built the little Projekts kit back in the seventies, and did an article for Scale Models Magazine I think in November 72. It is the only injection moulded kit of this aircraft so far and was developed by a guy named Matt Hargreaves in Seattle USA who supplied me with the review sample. The model is now in a private collection. Since then there have been a number of resin kits in 1/43rd and 1/72nd scales by Le Mans Miniatures, Toad Hall Models. Planet Models and Les Cooper. At present I am working on a 1/24th scale resin kit by Paul Fisher that is fully detailed with engines and cockpit interior detailing. A super limited run kit. There was a second iteration of the Paul Fisher kit that had no engine details and the engine cover moulded in the closed position on the fuselage. Tragically Paul Fisher lost his home and business due to the flash fires in California that swept through his home town of Paradise. Edited December 12, 2020 by Noel Smith 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Head in the clouds. Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 I absolutely love the look of that Bugatti racer and to think it was built in the 30's is amazing, it would not look out of place flying around today. A very nice and competent build. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceman 29 Posted November 7, 2021 Share Posted November 7, 2021 Great Stuart! Rare models. I was lucky enough to be able to take some pictures of this Bugatti in Paris at the Retromobile salon in 2017, it's a pretty incredible beautiful car and is a rare elegance. 1936 Bugatti Type 57 S Atlantic 57473 943 YUB (GB) As for the Bugatti Racer, its passionate owner/pilot did crash unfortunately. On Saturday, August 6, 2016, in Oklahoma, a crash killed Scotty Wilson. He had built a replica of the Bugatti 100P he wanted to fly to France in Alsace. It was aboard this plane he died in Clinton. Bugatti-Demonge 100P / 06-AUG-2016 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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