A Tribute build Bugatti P100 racer. MMM2023 Finished

[Heavens Eagle]

I am using photos from the one time I saw the plane, and photos I got off of the Facebook site quite a while back. The model is so tiny, but the detail is so very nice. Some parts like the rudder peddles are those from the vintage plane as is the instrument panel. Scotty really did a very close replica of the vintage plane so much of it is very much the same. I really didn't like the "all red" cockpit in the vintage plane, but basically they were the same parts, just differences due to newer materials and such.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

I have finished this little beastie with some time to spare. It was nice not having to deal with a bunch of decals for a change, though the glossy paint was hard to keep nice and shiny. This one is now dine and here is the final post.

The fat lady is singing!

I did add one part that was not in the kit and that is the pitot tube on the left wing just outboard from the wheel well. I used some fine steel wire and added paint to thicken it back from the tip.

 

[moon puppy]

Excellent finish Paul!

 

[Sharkmouth]

Wow...

 

[Rhino]

Lookee there! Paul built a model! One a year, if memory serves. It's very pointy & blue!

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Lookee there! Paul built a model! One a year, if memory serves. It's very pointy & blue!

I have been working on some much bigger stuff the last year, and now back to that for a little while longer. Dealing with 20 and 30 years of stuff being in limbo and finally getting sorted out. Will be making another trip soon and getting more done. Hopefully I will finally be getting rid of a long term bill very soon.

 

[jeaton01]

Outstanding, Paul! The cockpit is a real highlight. The running photo is great, getting both props to turn is not easy.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Outstanding, Paul! The cockpit is a real highlight. The running photo is great, getting both props to turn is not easy.

Thanks and you are right John. I used fine steel wire for the front prop, some 1/32 OD brass tubing for the second and some .47 OD brass tubing for the sleeve in the fuselage. They just each smoothly slipped in each other. The rear prop not only has a larger tube than the front, but it is spinning against the front and against the tube in the fuselage. The rear prop probably has 3 or 4 times the amount of friction that the front prop has. A light puff of breath will easily spin the front prop. It takes a fair amount more to spin them both.

I was quite surprised that the cockpit was so accurate. It matched up with the original in the Oshkosh museum extremely well. I did very little to it other than turn a smaller stick and add the seatbelts. I chose the replica cockpit over the original as 1. I was doing a tribute build, and 2. It had a lot more color differentiation. In this small a scale anything that can make the detail pop is a plus. The canopy was also quite good for a 1/72 scale model.

The model overall, fit reasonably well, and only needed care and fit checks when assembling. There were some simple issues with assembly and I changed the cockpit assembly to after the fuselage halves were together rather than put the parts in one half and then assemble. It made it easier to make everything fit properly and line up the parts for the props to work. It also made it possible to paint the cockpit up with good detailing.

 

[Duke Maddog]

Wow! Outstanding job Paul annd congrats on finishing! Stunning!

 

[razordws]

Beautiful Paul!

 

[Heavens Eagle]

@Flyingbabydoc
As you really like 1/72 scale aircraft Alex, thought you might like to see this one.