BUGATTI MODEL 100 PLANE PROJECT
We tackle a lot of interesting cooling projects here at Wizard Cooling. We've custom made high performance radiators and cooling packages for super computer servers, souped-up off road go karts, and all sorts of interesting modified car and truck applications for vehicles around the world. We've even made radiators for proto-type planes before, but we've never been involved with a project to bring one of the legendary Ettore Bugatti's original designs to fruition. Let a lone a concept plane that had never seen the sky.
We're very excited to announce our support and partnership with THE BLUE DREAM (LE RÊVE BLEU), a project to recreate the Bugatti 100 Plane. The BLUE DREAM project's mission is to build and fly a replica of the Bugatti 100P, the most elegant and technologically-advanced airplane of its time
The Bugatti Model 100 Plane was designed by famed car designer and manufacturer Ettore Bugatti throughout the 20's and 30's. The plane was developed to be a purpose built air racer designed to compete in the 1939 Deutsch de la Meurthe Cup Race. The aircraft was not completed by the September 1939 deadline and was put in storage prior to the German invasion of France. Eltorre Bugatti, who decided to become a French citizen after WW1, had a fervent distaste for Germany and the Nazi regime. Worried that the Nazis would seize the plane and adapt the design to make better fighter planes, Ettore decided to hide the incomplete proto-type plane from the Germans in the French country side during WWII.
THE BLUE DREAM (LE RÊVE BLEU)
That's where Scott Wilson and his team of enthusiasts come in. They decided to follow Ettore Bugatti's designs and build a functioning replica of this engineering wonder. There project, named THE BLUE DREAM is using the original design plan, materials and some added modern equipment. The Bugatti 100 team has been carefully hand crafting and fine tuning the design and components of the plane, to make a fully function replica.
Great view of the plane during it's final stages of construction by Scott and his team
The original Bugatti Model 100 would have been powered by two eight-cylinder DOHC Bugatti Type 50C motors. These motors were the most powerful Bugatti-designed engines at the time. Though physically smaller because of a decreased bore and stroke when compared with the Type 46, they were capable of producing over 200 horsepower with its Roots-type supercharger and dual Zenith carburetors. These motor would have provided enough thrust for the Model 100 to exceed 500MPH, which would have made the plane the fastest vehicle in existence in the late 30's. Rather than use the classic Buggati Type 50C motors, Scott Wilson and his team have decided to upgrade the Model 100's engines by using two Suzuki Hayabusa-1300CC Motorcycle engines. The Hayabusa engine are the most powerful, street legal, motorcycle engines available. The Hayabusa engines produce 197 Horsepower each and can individually reach 248 miles per hour (397 km/h). These two small engine are not only the proper size, but will give some additional speed, power and reliability to THE BLUE DREAM's Model 100.
Essential to the dual engine plane is a reliable and powerful cooling system. The Model 100 requires a small, high performance radiator that can handle cooling both of the powerful Hayabusa engines. This highly customized radiator features a baffled design, allowing each side of the radiator to cool each engine independently. With dual inlet and outlet hose connections for each of the plane's engines, The radiator will sit behind the wings of the concept plane and will let the natural air flow over the body of the plane provide the essential air flow for engine cooling.
Notice the placement of the radiators behind the wings and dual engines. The wings have vents that take in air and provide the air pressure to cool the engine while the plane is in flight
When Scott Wilson, the The Blue Dream's project director, started searching for the best option to create the "never seen before" custom radiator he knew he'd need a high performance custom radiator with a solid "no shortcuts" construction. It's no surprise that he contacted us here at Wizard Cooling to discuss his need for the Model 100's cooling system. The radiator was carefully designed based of off the specs Scott Wilson Team provided. Featuring Wizard Cooling signature fully TIG welded,100% aluminum radiator design. This small but powerful radiator is more than up to the task of cooling the dual Hayabusa engines.
The dual Inlet and Outlet connection and split core design allows this radiator to cool each engine independently. Notice the weld on the tank that indicated where the core is split to allow double cooling
This view really allows you to see the split core design. The extra bunge connections are for measuring important metrics like temperture and coolant volume
That's where the journey begins. If you're interested in this project, make sure to visit THE BLUE DREAM website to stay up to date on the project.
