Fly back in time – or into space

Taking place on 2-4 June 2015, this free-to-attend conference, will run alongside the Subcon, the Advanced Manufacturing and the Engineer Design & Innovation shows, and will feature special showcase sessions on the Bugatti 100p plane and the Rosetta mission to catch a comet.

The Bugatti 100p was an iconic art deco masterpiece, years ahead of its time, an engineering marvel and thing of beauty – but, thanks to WW2, the plane never flew.

On Tuesday 2 June, John Lawson will be telling the fascinating story of how an Anglo-American team is recreating the legendary aircraft – the only one built by car-maker Ettore Bugatti.

John, who is Engineering Director for the company set up to build and market the aircraft, said: “The Bugatti 100p is quite unlike anything that flew before or since and is one of the most sublime, influential and awe-inspiring aircraft the world has ever seen. The onset of WW2 prevented it from flying, and we wanted to let the world see what a remarkable aircraft the Bugatti was. I have no doubt it would have set records had it flown – some of which may well have stood until this day.”