1/48 Piaggio XSP-2 “Super Veloce” (1938)
Piaggio started in the aeronautics field in 1915. As with most Italians, racing was in the blood. The 1920s served as an important time in the company's history when, Piaggio Aero brought on Giovanni Pegna and Giuseppe Gabrielli, two aeronautical engineers, to help develop Piaggio's aeronautic line. Together they created modern technical solutions for aviation, that brought forth the well known, Piaggio design. It was an exciting era of aircraft racing and development. The XSP-2 was under construction when Rinaldo Piaggio died in 1938, at 71 years old. Little was known of this aircraft as WWII left the company in ruins. Here it is in it's completed form, ready to set world speed records, powered by 4, massive (8 liter+), V-8 engines . It is rumored that it's design was later used by an American design team, and bears some resemblance to later record breaking aircraft. Perhaps, in the eye of the beholder...
Looks as if Kelly Johnson may have found some "inspiration" in this design, huh...?
Nice work, Joe...I don't think I've ever seen this particular aircraft before.
Nice lookin' build, my friend.
Hey Joe, is that thing carbureted or fuel injected, and was this the one with the Yugo engines? I think I see a little Castoldi design influence in there somewhere...
Lovely
I like it very much.
What kit did you use to make it?
Thanks
I used an old Revell 1/72 SR-71. There were quite a few parts added, and/or, made.
Oh, mamma!
cool as a goosed moose
You've done it again! Fantastico!
Nicely done Joe, excellent Wiffer. I really like your creativity on this one.
Very creative - love the calliope poking out of the engine nacelles.
Looks...temperamental. Maybe using a SR-71 as a base is a new sub-genre in the Whif world. Nice one.
That is really cool.
A very nice what if Joe.
Nice build sir.
Very interesting model and history, congrats.
Fantactico! Great imagination and that sure is a great & sleek looking racer!
Well done, Joe!
Nicely done Joe. Would sound good with four V8s.
Just beautiful, Joe, your imagination knows no bounds.
Very imaginative, and nicely executed!
I think air racers would be a really cool topic for a group build you know. There would be a whole world of different liveries for us to all put our own personal stamp on...
Richard, I couldn't agree more...fun stuff !
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.