Oxnard, Calif. (August 6, 2016) — Scotty Wilson, the builder, chief test pilot and leader of the Bugatti 100P Project, lost his life when his prototype airplane crashed during flight testing. We are deeply saddened at this loss, as Scotty was a passionate historian, engineer and fabricator who spent the past seven years meticulously recreating Ettore Bugatti’s 100P, considered one of the most beautiful aircraft ever designed.
Wilson was a former Air Force pilot and test pilot with 11,000 hours of flight time. He assembled an international team of engineers, fabricators and pilots to work on Le Rêve Bleu, or The Blue Dream, with the goal of proving Bugatti’s stunning aircraft – which was incredibly ahead of its time – could fly.
“This is a devastating loss,” said Peter Mullin, President of the American Bugatti Club and Chairman of both the Petersen and Mullin Automotive Museums. “Scotty dedicated years of his life to this aircraft and when it first took to the air with him at the controls in 2015, Ettore Bugatti’s dream was finally realized. He was a friend, a passionate aeronautical engineer and a great pilot. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Wilson family and to all of those that dedicated time and energy to the 100P.”
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The Mullin Automotive Museum is located at 1421 Emerson Avenue, Oxnard, CA 93033, in the building formerly occupied by the Otis Chandler Vintage Museum of Transportation and Wildlife. The museum is typically open to the public on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month from 10 AM to 3 PM. Tickets must be purchased in advance at www.MullinAutomotiveMuseum.com. Semi-Private tours are offered on Tuesdays at 10 AM and Thursdays at 11 AM for $40 per person. Other weekdays may be available by appointment. Reservations are required. For information on semi-private tours or on Mullin 1000 Club membership benefits, please call 805.385.5400.