46 replies to this topic

[tombe]

In the entrylist for the '76 Belgian GP published in MOTOR SPORT june '76, there's an entry in the number 23 Ensign MN02 for one A.BERNARDIO.
I don't ever remember to have heared that name.
Please fill me in anyone....

Tom

[quintin cloud]

In all my data that I have, I have no details of A.Bernardio of been in the entry list. The Result to the 1976 Belgium GP is as follows with Qualifying times:

1976 Grand Prix of Belgium
16 May - Zolder: 70 laps x 4.262 km = 298.340 km


Pole Position: N Lauda Ferrari 1 m26.550s
Fastest Lap: 178.451 km/h N Lauda Ferrari 1 m25.980s

Results:

1 N Lauda Ferrari 1 h 42m 53.230s
2 C Regazzoni Ferrari 1 h 42m 56.690s
3 J Laffite Ligier 1 h 43m 28.610s
4 J Scheckter Tyrrell 1 h 44m 24.31Os
5 A Jones Surtees 69
6 J Mass McLaren 69
7 J Watson Penske 69
8 L Perkins Boro 69
9 J-P Jarier Shadow 69
10 T Pryce Shadow 68
11 M Leclere Wolf Williams 68
12 L Kessel Brabham 63

Did Not Finish:

B Lunger Surtees 62 electrics
C Pace Brabham 58 electrics
C Amon Ensign 51 wheel lost/ accident
J Hunt McLaren 35 transmission
H-J Stuck March 33 suspension
H Ertl Hesketh 31 engine
P Depailler Tyrrell 29 engine
M Andretti Lotus 28 cv joint
P Neve Brabham 24 cv joint
A Merzario March 21 engine
C Reutemann Brabham 17 engine
R Peterson March 16 accident
G Nilsson Lotus 7 accident
V Brambilla March 6 drive shaft

Did Not Qualify:

E Fittipaldi Copersucar
J Ickx Wolf Williams
G Edwards Hesketh

Qualifying Times:

1 1 Niki Lauda Ferrari 1'26.55
2 2 Clay Regazzoni Ferrari 1'26.60
3 11 James Hunt McLaren/Ford 1'26.74
4 4 P.Depailler Tyrrell/Ford 1'26.91
5 9 V.Brambilla March/Ford 1'26.93
6 26 Jacques Laffite Ligier/Matra 1'27.14
7 3 Jody Scheckter Tyrrell/Ford 1'27.19
8 22 Chris Amon Ensign/Ford 1'27.54
9 8 Carlos Pace Brabham/Alfa Romeo 1'27.66
10 10 Ronnie Peterson March/Ford 1'27.72
11 5 Mario Andretti Lotus/Ford 1'27.75
12 7 Carlos Reutemann Brabham/Alfa Romeo 1'28.30
13 16 Tom Pryce Shadow/Ford 1'28.37
14 17 J.P.Jarier Shadow/Ford 1'28.38
15 34 H.J.Stuck March/Ford 1'28.41
16 19 Alan Jones Surtees/Ford 1'28.44
17 28 John Watson Penske/Ford 1'28.44
18 12 Jochen Mass McLaren/Ford 1'28.50
19 33 Patrick Neve Brabham/Ford 1'28.80
20 37 Larry Perkins Boro/Ford 1'28.81
21 35 Arturo Merzario March/Ford 1'28.84
22 6 Gunnar Nilsson Lotus/Ford 1'28.99
23 32 Loris Kessel Brabham/Ford 1'29.09
24 24 Harald Ertl Hesketh/Ford 1'29.40
25 21 Michel Leclere Wolf-Williams/Ford 1'29.46
26 18 Brett Lunger Surtees/Ford 1'29.76
Not qualified
27 30 E.Fittipaldi Fittipaldi/Ford 1'29.89
28 20 Jacky Ickx Wolf-Williams/Ford 1'30.61
29 25 Guy Edwards Hesketh/Ford 1'30.77

and at FORIX you can see the entry list at the following URL: http://www.forix.com...&l=0&r=7605&c=0

[Rainer Nyberg]

There is one Antonio Bernardo appearing in certain entry lists. He was supposed to drive an Ensign N174 in Belgium 1976.
(He is also listed in the "black books".)

But this is a DNA (Did Not Appear) entry and they are sometimes disregarded.

I think Felix Muelas once gave me an explanation about this guy but it has slipped from my memory for the moment...

Think Bernardo was a pseudonym for some other driver.

[Frank de Jong]

If my memory serves me right, there was only 1 Ensign MN02 a.k.a. N174. This 1974 car was raced by the Ensign team itself at the start of the 1976 season - the MN05/N176 was not ready yet, and the MN04/N175 was moved to the Netherlands, to reappear as the Boro.
So, all we need to know is when and to whom the MN02 was sold in 1976? Anyone got information on that?
If there hasn't been a thread on obscure DNA's in the past, we sure should start one...

[Rainer Nyberg]

Thanks to Allen´s excellent site it seems like the MN02 aka N174 was in use by the 'works' equipe until the International Trophy at 11APR1976. Thereafter it appeared in the Shellsports/Aurora series...

http://www.oldracing....asp?CarID=MN02

Good idea Frank, there would sure be enough oddities out there to keep a thread going on for long.

Some like the infamous Bagration non-appearance have already been discussed here.

Some DNA's are more substantial than others.

Phil Hill was actually listed as 'alternate' driver for the 1976 US GP West at Long Beach...

[Allen Brown]

Hello! Did someone say OldRacingCars.com?

Actually, my site is in error here. Antonio Bernardo bought MN02 from the factory and did indeed enter it for the Belgian GP. My database should have a DNA for that event.

He then entered the car for Guy Edwards at Brands before moving the car to the PR Reilley team. He was entered at Snetterton in August (again my site should show a DNA here) and again at Brands where he let Wilds drive the car (I should be showing Bernardo with a DNS). Reilley then hired the Ensign and I believe Wilds drove it at Thruxton (although my site says he drove the team's Shadow DN3/5A) before the team ran out of money.

The Ensign then disappears for two years before "Smith & Jones" bought it.

Sorry - but my site's MN02 history appears to have one mistake and several omitted DNAs. Which is disappointing because I was actually at all these races with my notebook!

Allen

[tombe]

Thanks for the info so far.
I now find it established that there was someone with the name Antonio Bernardo (not Bernardio as MOTOR SPORT wrote) who bought and entered the Ensign in '76. But he seems never to have RACED it.
I'm still curious of who this guy was/is.
Could it, as Rainer indicates, be a pseudonym for someone more well known?
In 1976 I believe we're so far into the "modern times" that it should be impossible to get an entry to a F1 Grand Prix accepted without having any racing experience at all. (As his name appears in the entrylists, I take it as he was accepted.)
Does the entry-list indicate what nationality he was?


Tom

[tombe]

I'm bringing this topic back to the front page as I still got some hope that one of the "Human Encyclopedias" on this forum can throw some light on who this, for me, mysterious man is/was.

Tom.

[Boniver]

16 mei 1976
GP of Belgium to Zolder

first enter list : (1 mei 1976)
----------------------------
Team Ensign
1°-Chris Amon - NZ - Ensign MN176
2°-Antonio Bernardo - Tunesia - Ensign MN175
Team Ensign Boro
1° - Larry Perkins - NZ - Ensign MN175
2° - ??????? - ?? - Ensign MN175



second enter list (7 mei 1976)
-----------------------------
Team Ensign
1°-Chris Amon - NZ - Ensign N176
2°- no car

Team Ensign Boro
1° - Larry Perkins - NZ - Ensign MN175
2° - no car

-----------
info : Belga News Bron / Brussel

Auto Hebdo , L'Automobile, Sport 76 , Gazet van Antwerpen, Het Laatste Nieuws, Volksgazet, Auto Sprint (It) take this information over......


And yes who was Bernardo

(1) born: ??.??.????
(1) more info : ??????????
(1) other races : ??????


And for where was this info

[David McKinney]

My guess would be a mis-spelling for A Merzario
If they can convert Perkins from an Australian to a New Zealander they can surely change a couple of letters in Art's name

[Frank de Jong]

... and they mixed up Tunesia and Italy. I can´t imagine Arturo giving up his March seat for a 2 year old Ensign.
Any other misspelled Tunesians or Italians out there?

[Vitesse2]

Looks to me like this might be mixed up in the Mo Nunn/HB Bewaking dispute. HB paid for the construction of N175/MN04 and after they fell out HB took the car away.

If you check the dates on those entry lists from Boniver, you'll see that the first one is dated May 1st. On May 2nd, N175/MN04 was raced at the Spanish GP by Larry Perkins as the Boro. Therefore he could not possibly have been entered by Ensign in that car, since they no longer owned it!

And going back to N174/MN02, the car would not have been eligible to race at Belgium anyway, since it didn't comply with new airbox and roll-over bar regulations introduced before the Spanish GP. Amon raced it in early 1976, but it was replaced by N176/MN06 in Spain.

According to Doug Nye's Autocourse history, N174/MN02 was advertised for sale for £4000 during the winter of 1974/5.

Just a theory, but maybe Bernardio bought the car, then discovered it wasn't eligible (would Mo have told him??) and then tried to buy or hire N175/MN04 from HB.

Anyone got Mo Nunn's e-mail address?

[fines]

Originally posted by Boniver
16 mei 1976
GP of Belgium to Zolder

first enter list : (1 mei 1976)
----------------------------
Team Ensign
1°-Chris Amon - NZ - Ensign MN176
2°-Antonio Bernardo - Tunesia - Ensign MN175
Team Ensign Boro
1° - Larry Perkins - NZ - Ensign MN175
2° - ??????? - ?? - Ensign MN175

A little bit difficult to enter four drivers in two cars! There was ever only one N175 and N176 each!

[Barry Lake]

I have a contact who has some contact with Mo Nunn. He asked the question, and this was the reply.

I have sent a copy of this thread and asked for Mo Nunn to have a look at it some time when he is not so busy (on an aircraft flight perhaps?)

Perhaps this might be an opportunity to sort out the history of the Ensign cars, race by race, owner by owner.

____________

Morris has only a slight recollection of this.
He remembers that some driver approached him with
a sponsorship deal for the one race. It was strictly
a "rent a drive" but fell apart and Mr. Bernado was
never heard from again. Hope that helped.

_____________

[Rainer Nyberg]

The intrigue is getting thicker...
Now we just have to find out who he is/was....!

[Allen Brown]

How about asking Guy Edwards? Edwards drove the car for Bernardo in G8, so he should know something about him.

Anyone in touch with Guy?

Allen

[Barry Lake]

Well, fellow posters and historians, here is an ideal opportunity to put together the history of the Ensign F1 cars.

I have been in contact (indirectly) with Mo Nunn and it appears he is going to try to squeeze into his busy life the time to browse this thread and possibly add some information as it stirs his memories.

Does anyone here have the time to compile a list of events in which Ensign cars raced? If not one person, perhaps we could share it around, taking an era each. I could take on a segment of it, but not the whole lot. F1 is easy for me, but I don't have access to Group 8 and similar.

We should have a list of all Ensign entries - date/race/circuit/country/number/driver/entrant/car-model/chassis number/dna-dns-qual/pos or reason for retirement.

Also, we should have not just the world championship starts, but any other series (Group 8 etc), and Ensign-based cars like the Boro.

We might also try to learn the subsequent fate of each car.

Since there have been far fewer Ensigns than many other makes, this shouldn't be all that difficult a task.

Does anyone want to take up the challenge?

[Barry Lake]

Just had a thought about the possibility of getting Mo Nunn involved in this.

I was disappointed that Dan Gurney hasn't yet made a return visit to the 1967 Belgian GP thread. It occurred to me that it might be partly because of the volumes of excited welcoming posts that occurred.

We have to remember that these are people still active in the sport and therefore very busy - it is a business that consumes every waking moment.

If we fill the thread with pages of non-productive posts, they might simply run out of time and interest before they get to the serious stuff.

On the other hand, I believe that if such people realise that the majority of posters here are serious researchers, they will be more likely to provide information and comment.

Make them feel welcome and appreciated, certainly, but please let's not overwhelm them.

[Allen Brown]

Barry

There is a full list of all major events at which Ensigns appeared on OldRacingCars.com. You mention F1 and G8 - my database also includes Can-Am and Interserie! I haven't included club racing or post-1986 historic racing but you have to stop somewhere.

See http://www.oldracing...sp?MarqueID=ENS.

I also have a full ownership history of each car in my files.

Allen

[fines]

I would also be delighted to lend a helping hand! I always liked Ensign and Mo Nunn.

[Barry Lake]

Allen

I have done you a disservice!

I see you already had the job done.

You say you have a full ownership history "in my files". Does this mean in your private files, and not on your web site?

Among the questions Mo Nunn might be able to answer, if he drops in, is "What happened to the missing numbers MN03, MN10 and MN13?" (The last one might be for the obvious reason).

Also, I notice you have Larry Perkins listed in an Ensign and no sign of a "Boro". Should we assume from this that the car remained relatively unchanged from Ensign spec? I had thought at the time that it had been modified in some ways.

[Allen Brown]

Barry

The Boro was only a renamed Ensign so I ignored that.

My ownership files just take so long to transfer to a database. I have done about 300 of the 901 cars in my F1 database but I have no idea when I'll get time to do the rest.

MN03 was an N174 but was never completed by the works and was not known to exist until found by Graham Eccles amongst the bits acquired by Bobby Howlings from Mo when Mo had a clear out. It was later sold with MNO1 to Roger Andreason and Tim Coleman. In March 1984 it was bought by Steve Fitzsimmons for just £600, less even than MNO1, and sold by him to Roger Cowman two weeks later for a small profit. Cowman sold the car, via Royale MD Alan Cornock, to Martin Edgerton during the summer.

By the time Edgerton sold the two cars, MNO1 was being built around the MNO3 tub. Edgerton sold them to Lew Wright - in 1990 I think. Wright may now have sold them. The last time I checked was in January 1998 and he still had MN03 then.

MN10 - or should that be MNO10, let's ask Mo that - was a N179 and another of the chassis to be acquired by Bobby Howlings. The apparently unused tub was bought in July 1982 by Graham Eccles. On closer examination he found stress marks and strengthening which suggested the car had been used at some time. In May 1983 he sold the car to John Brannigan who later that year sold it to Norman Paine for use in libre racing. Paine entrusted the preparation to Roger Cowman who obviously had a lot of work to do as Eccles had only ever prepared the car as a show car.

Paine finally debuted the car at Silverstone in April 1985, in the second round of the LEP Group BRSCC Open Libre Championship. He was fifth in what was now called an Ensign N180B, and then third in the next race, but did not reappear that season. In late 1985 and early 1986, Paine was offering the car for sale. Paine later moved to the US and sold the car over there.

By August 1988, MN10 was advertised in Motor Sport by "Scuderia Prancing Teddy" in Ontario. It appeared again in their advert in Thoroughbred & Classic Cars in October 1988.

The car next appeared in 1990 when it was advertised by Nick Soprano’s Motor Classic and Competition Corporation of New York. Still "race ready", it was now bright red with REGAZZONI in large letters along the sides. In early 1991, it was sold to Robert “Bud” Moeller who raced it at the Livermore airport circuit near San Francisco, in a SCCA vintage meeting in July 1991.

I believe Moeller still has the car. He doesn't race it much as was working out in Singapore for much of the 90s.

MN13 - no such car.

Allen

[Barry Lake]

Thanks Allen. You obviously have a lot of these things well documented.

By the way, I found the odd error or two in your lists of Ensign results.

One was the common mispelling of "Giuseppe" (as "Guiseppe"). Another was an incorrect date (by about three months, looks like a loss of concentration while cutting and pasting) for the 1978 Argentine GP.

Also, quite a few of the other race dates seemed to be incorrect by one day - sometimes forward, sometimes back.

I didn't make notes on the latter as I went through, unfortunately, but if I come across any of them again, I will let you know.

[Allen Brown]

Barry

Does this mean I'm not perfect after all?

I'll correct Giuseppe - that's just me being stupid - apologies to Mr Castellano. I must have a problem with Us and Is as I also found Ignazio Guinti when looking for Guiseppe! This is why my site is OldRacingCars.com, not OldRacingDrivers.com. my focus is elsewhere.

But I can't find the problem with the Argentine GP date. I'm seeing 15 Jan 1978, which is right isn't it? The 1981 Argentine date was in April but, again, I think that's correct.

But I'm sure you're right that I have a few dates wrong here and there. Does anyone out there have a database of race dates they'd be willing to lend me so I can cross-check my dates against it - that would be a whole lot quicker than checking every one. I have 1307 races logged in total .

Allen

[Barry Lake]

Hmmm. That's strange! It looks like it might have been MY cutting and pasting mistake... I can't find it now.

But I am fairly confident you will find some of your other dates a day out.

[Allen Brown]

I didn't change anything. Honest!

Allen

[William Hunt]

This still doesn't solve the question who Tunesian (?) Antonio Bernardo was , how did his carreer look like ? Can't it be possible that he was just the owner, not the driver of the car. Maybe he never entered as a driver, just as an owner ?
What about the Bagration non-appearance, I never heard about it.
Or what about Phil Hill entering a 1976 event, how is that possible, he must have been much too old... Any answers ?

[fines]

Hill was still in his fourties in 1976, barely too old!;)

Jorge de Bagration entered the 1974 Spanish GP, but did not appear. The race organiser lost all the documents soon after the race, so this particular detail of information was lost to historians all over the world until our very own ;) Félix Muelas brought it to our attention a few months ago.

[William Hunt]

I guess Jorge de Bagration who entered the 1974 Spanish GP was Spanish , which team entered him and which team entered or tried to enter Phil Hill ? I'm curious.

[Felix Muelas]

William

I would be delighted to share my notes about Jorge, but I really think it´s a good idea if you first take a look at the Jorge de Bagration thread here at TNF

As per Phil Hill, Rainer´s comments are originated in page 175 of Sheldon´s black book (Vol 10) 1974-78. There, listed as alternative driver for car number 1 (Niki Lauda). Have no idea about details of such odd "entry" so maybe someone will expand on that...


Felix

[tombe]

Phil Hill did some demonstration-laps in Lauda's Ferrari at Long Beach in '76.
Maybe he had to be entered, because of local regulations, to be allowed to do that. (?)

[tombe]

Back on topic.

Somebody's got the race programme or an entry-list for the Shellsport G8 round at Brands Hatch the last week-end of August '76?

The report in Autosport says, as Allen Brown mentioned, that Mike Wilds was lent team-mate Bernardo's Ensign after his own Shadow failed in practice. As I understand it, Bernardo should appear in the entry-list for that race.
Then it should at least be possible to find out about his nationality.

BTW - Autosport names him 'Anthony', not 'Antonio'.

[William Hunt]

Great thread about "Jorge de Bagration"

Thanks for the info Mr. Muelas.

[Felix Muelas]

Allen,

Just a minor, sorry if it contributes to increase the number of messages in the thread, but I don´t think it´s reasonable to open a new one for this question

You mention in your site that Mike Wilds was driving the Shadow DN3/5 in the Thruxton round Sept-12-1976 of the Shellsport European F5000 Championship, and to a good result : fifth.

But with not too many sources available to me, I found in that MRP book for the 76 season, that lists the first six in each of those rounds that, curiously enough, that particular finish by Wilds was at the wheel of the "3.0 Ensign-Ford N174". Not that I intend to discuss the fact as you stated it , but it could be quite useful -at least in the context of this thread- taking this apparent discrepancy as an excuse, if we could discover more about the entry lists and results for those 1976 races.

I mean, the fact that Wilds might have driven the N174 at Thruxton that weekend and not the Shadow does not clash with the logic of the whereabouts of the car as you related a couple of days ago. But you now, when you find one of those things you want to know

Thanks,

Felix

[Allen Brown]

Felix

You are quite right. As I pointed out in my earlier post (post 6 above), my text (not yet published on my site but existing for 820 of the 900 F1 cars covered) says it was MN02 in use at Thruxton but my database days DN3/5A. The database is wrong and I've corrected it. I've taken the opportunity to add the DNAs and DNPs that form Antonio Bernardo's brief F1 career. I don't normally include DNAs as there are so many of them and most add little to our knowledge of history. But sometimes they are all there is to show for a car - or even a marque (Cosworth, Pearce, etc).

The update will be reflected on my site when I next update it - probably next week.

Allen

[Felix Muelas]

Originally posted by Allen Brown 16th Aug 2001
...I believe Wilds drove it at Thruxton (although my site says he drove the team's Shadow DN3/5A) ...

Allen,

If I could only learn to read properly...
Thanks

Felix

[Rainer Nyberg]

Phil Hill seen here in the T-car at Long Beach in 1976.

[ghinzani]

In May 1983 he sold the car to John Brannigan who later that year sold it

*shudder*

[ReWind]

Swiss magazine "motorsport aktuell" 18 May 1976, p. 8:

Even most people from Switzerland had never heard of Antonio Bernardo who was entered as Ensign’s second driver.
„He resides in Lugano“, Clay Regazzoni said. “About ten years ago he drove a Tecno F3 and a Porsche 917 partnered by Facetti”, Arturo Merzario recalled. Loris Kessel knew the nearly-40- year-old from Tessin as President of a Karting Club.
It is told that he owns a heating business and had to postpone the participation in the Spanish GP due to a traffic accident. He planned to take part in the Belgian GP with an Italian licence. But that licence was declared invalid at the last moment. According to Mo Nunn he is about to drive in Sweden.

[Dan Axelsson]

There is a Sig. Antonio Bernardo living in Bodio not so far from Lugano, but that gentleman is not the racing driver.

Maybe more interestingly there is (or at least were in March 2007) a Sig. Antonio Bernardo in the 'Commissione Stranieri' in the Comune di Paradiso (close to Lugano) web-site:
http://www.test-para...i...9&Itemid=33

Also the word is that the racing driver Antonio Bernardo was Italian and lived in Lugano.

[jadb1]

Antonio Bernardo & Mike Wilds Jnr 1976

Edited by jadb1, 03 July 2009 - 21:59.

[MCS]

Here he is:  https://www.ebay.co....e8AAOSwt7tcwaGF

[bschenker]

Publicato in Autodiva

 

Bravo Daniel W et Mustang réunis!
Il s'agit bien d'Antonio bernardo au volant d'une N 174 du team Riley avec sur ses genoux le fils de Mike Wilds.
Cette photo a été prise lors d'une manche du championnat ShellSport 1976. Laquelle?
Ce pilote est un véritable mystère. Venu de nul part et agé d'une quarantaine d'année ce tessinois est inscrit par Ensign pour le Grand Prix de Belgique 76 sur une N 174, puis désinscrit une semaine plus tard.
Il réapparait plus tard dans l'année, inscrit par Riley dans le championnat britanique de F1 mais ne fait aucun tour et est remplacé par Mike Wilds.[/quote]

Chef Scuderia Piccionaia di Lugano CH (Licenza Italiano)

Edited by bschenker, 28 April 2019 - 07:13.

[Michael Ferner]

Interesting stuff, thanks for posting, Beat

Great picture of the Ensign shop with MN05 behind MN02. Curious to see the mechanic still wearing HB colours!!

[bschenker]

Antonio Bernardo today: His residence would have to be in Bellinzona, where he also has or had a pizzeria.

 

Someware is a topic about an ex Rindt BT23, sold from Alan Rees ad Albi to Antonio Bernardo. For long time this car was in Italie bevore take fire. the car was rebuild by the new owner but it's not clear with the original frame number.

Edited by bschenker, 28 April 2019 - 07:20.

[Charlieman]

MN10 - or should that be MNO10, let's ask Mo that - was a N179 and another of the chassis to be acquired by Bobby Howlings. The apparently unused tub was bought in July 1982 by Graham Eccles. On closer examination he found stress marks and strengthening which suggested the car had been used at some time. In May 1983 he sold the car to John Brannigan who later that year sold it to Norman Paine for use in libre racing. Paine entrusted the preparation to Roger Cowman who obviously had a lot of work to do as Eccles had only ever prepared the car as a show car.

Paine finally debuted the car at Silverstone in April 1985, in the second round of the LEP Group BRSCC Open Libre Championship. He was fifth in what was now called an Ensign N180B, and then third in the next race, but did not reappear that season. In late 1985 and early 1986, Paine was offering the car for sale. Paine later moved to the US and sold the car over there.

By August 1988, MN10 was advertised in Motor Sport by "Scuderia Prancing Teddy" in Ontario. It appeared again in their advert in Thoroughbred & Classic Cars in October 1988.

The car next appeared in 1990 when it was advertised by Nick Soprano’s Motor Classic and Competition Corporation of New York. Still "race ready", it was now bright red with REGAZZONI in large letters along the sides. In early 1991, it was sold to Robert “Bud” Moeller who raced it at the Livermore airport circuit near San Francisco, in a SCCA vintage meeting in July 1991.

I believe Moeller still has the car. He doesn't race it much as was working out in Singapore for much of the 90s.

How did MN10 become an Ensign N180B? The N179 was a Dave Baldwin design, with features linking it back to the N176 and N177. The N180 was a clean sheet of paper design from Ralph Bellamy and Nigel Bennett.

[Allen Brown]

How did MN10 become an Ensign N180B? The N179 was a Dave Baldwin design, with features linking it back to the N176 and N177. The N180 was a clean sheet of paper design from Ralph Bellamy and Nigel Bennett.

 

It didn't become a N180B.  Paine entered it as one; that's all.