Designer Emil Matthew Laird | ||
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Manufacturer E. M. Laird Airplane Company | ||
The Laird Solution, also called the Laird LC-DW Solution, Laird LC-DW300 Super Solution and Laird LC-DW500 Super Solution, was touted as being the "solution" to the problem of the Travel Air Mystery Ship. The Solution won the 1930 Thompson Trophy race days.
Contents
Design and development
In 1930 Matty Laird was commissioned to build a racing plane based on the Laird Speedwing by B.F. Goodrich's Lee Schoenhair for the 1930 Thompson Trophy race. Schoenhair backed out of the project, believing the aircraft would not be tested in time. Laird entered the Solution himself in the 1930 Thompson Trophy with Charles "Speed" Holman as the pilot.
The Solution, (NR10538), was a biplane with conventional landing gear, having a welded steel fuselage and aircraft fabric covering. The aircraft kept the same registration number NR10538, and was repainted several times from black and gold, white and gold, to lavender and gold.
A second aircraft, (NR12048), powered by a 535 hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp was built as the LC-DW300 Super Solution, retaining the fixed undercarriage of the original, for the 1931 Bendix Trophy which it won, piloted by Jimmy Doolittle. This aircraft was modified with retractable landing gear for the 1932 Bendix Trophy but on a test flight the gear failed to lower and Doolittle was forced to belly land the aircraft, forcing withdrawal from the race.
Operational history
The Laird Solution was restored over a period of seven years and is on display in its Black and Gold paint scheme at the New England Air Museum.
Variants
Specifications (LC-DW300 Super Solution)
Data from Skyways,Race to the Wind
General characteristics
Performance