SPA Modeler

LAIRD SOLUTION RACER

Before I start the Tamiya Stringbag, I wanted to post this speculative project I have had on my kitchen table for awhile. The subject is wonderful, shiny and fast, the pilot Jimmy Doolittle is not an unknown quality to y’all, and the kit itself is possibly in the running for the oldest kit being built on the SPAM Forums, dating from 1949. It has been awhile since I posted here. The photos and descriptions are coming. Here is a look at the box art from the kit. First tooling!



About the Kit:

The original tooling has survived through many iterations, including a ten year Japanese production stint as the “Blue Racer” from IMAI + BANDAI followed by ARC EN CIEL. At the same time in the USA, Testors was popping out Ex-Hawk versions through the Eighties. The main reason I added the history of the kit here is because it is the only kit made of this aircraft at present. However, I am hopeful that a certain amazing Frenchman (“Callsign Glou”) releases his printed versions by the end of the year.

About the Craft:

Crew: one
Length: 17 ft 9 in (5.41 m)
Wingspan: 21 ft (6.4 m)
Empty weight: 1,380 lb (626 kg)
Powerplant: Pratt & Whitney Wasp Jr. radial, 470 hp
Propellers: 2-bladed variable-pitch propeller
Maximum speed: 176 kn (202 mph, 325 km/h) average achieved during races



A beaming Mr Doolittle with the 1930 LC-DW.

Ooh!

Preparing for

- Kari

Thank you! I will gladly make popcorn and melt butter to keep you on board, Kari!

Heh.... I wouldn’t want to build a kit from 1949. I’ve already got one from the 50s and attempted to build it. I stopped immediately due to the age and the primitive molds of the kit.

Either way, both are considered antiques, not vintage kits.

Aw, shucks, I like old kits! Perhaps the reason for this fondness is as an old friend indicated, “There is a certain streak of masochism about you,” I find myself drawn to old kits for the reasons you described—the age of the plastic and the simplicity of the molds. Never fear, BlackSheep, I am waiting for the very latest in super detailed engines to arrive from Armory Models! That should quell any model builder’s thirst for detailing.

Armory R-985 “Wasp Jr.”





There are more parts in the engine kit then the aircraft kit.

Intended look:

No cowling or custom painted spats, no aircraft ID, only factory “maker marks” on the tail fin.

An interesting subject choice Bruce.

Thanks, mate. I was wanting to do a biplane, but Aviattic has fallen a bit behind with their new kit, and I was looking at the remains of the Gee Bee project and hit upon this “solution.”

Oh I do like it! I love those old Hawk between the wars racer kits. The shapes are right, and I’ve seen them turned into some fantastic looking builds. I’m looking forward to seeing what you do with this one Bruce.

This will be fun. I like the old kits as well. I have the Bandai and Testors versions of the kit in the stash.

Stikpusher wrote: Oh I do like it! I love those old Hawk between the wars racer kits. The shapes are right, and I’ve seen them turned into some fantastic looking builds. I’m looking forward to seeing what you do with this one Bruce.

Thanks so much for writing, Carlos. Your comments are always appreciated, and I truly am grateful to you for sharing your insights into the historical perspectives - both the model building one as well as the aircraft one. I think I could write that a little better but for now let’s move to it he current quandary - looks like I will need a book to specifically address which model - 300/400/500 - is the one to build. I think this is going to be the 300 series version from 1930 and not the later version. I am pretty sure Doolittle flew both versions, but it is with the later version that he won the Bendix Speed Trophy in 1931. Besides the engines being different, there were numerous structural modifications done to increase speed. Basically the earlier version is the kit version, and is the one which features the Wasp Jr.