Laird Super Solution

Last updated
Laird Super Solution
Laird Solution.jpg
Laird Super Solution
Role Racing aircraft
National origin United States of America
Manufacturer E. M. Laird Airplane Company
Designer E. M. Matty Laird, Raoul J. Hoffman
First flight22 August 1931
Statusunder restoration
Number built1
Developed from Laird Solution

The Laird LC-DW300 and LC-DW500 Super Solution aka "Sky Buzzard" was a racing biplane built in the early 1930s by Matty Laird for the Cleveland Speed Foundation, Laird was already famous in the air racing circuit. It had a large radial engine and an extremely faired windshield. Other than being a biplane, it was similar in appearance to the Gee Bee, a more famous racer from the period. It was an advanced design for the time because of the relatively clean aerodynamic construction and tight engine cowling. [1]

Contents

The Super Solution was the first winner of the Bendix Trophy race from Burbank to Cleveland where it was flown by Maj. James H. Doolittle.

Development

Construction of the Super Solution started on 8 July 1931. The aircraft was complete and test flown at Ashborn Field in Chicago by 22 August 1931. Further changes were made by the Christopher Bros. in Wichita, Kansas in 1932, such as raising the seat, installing a sliding canopy, and adding retractable landing gear. [2]

Design

Two engines were used in the Solution, the second being a geared variant that allowed a lower propeller rpm with a larger propeller. The engines ran with high-compression pistons and "doped" leaded fuel. Both produced over 500 hp from the standard 375 hp P&W R-985 Wasp Jr. S2A engine of the day.

Operational history

Initial flight tests proved the aircraft required more rudder area to maintain stability and the fixed pitch propeller needed to be adjusted to allow takeoffs under a mile in length.

On display

Specifications (Laird Super Solution)

Data from Sport Aviation

General characteristics

Performance

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lockheed Model 9 Orion</span> Type of aircraft

The Lockheed Model 9 Orion is a single-engined passenger aircraft built in 1931 for commercial airlines. It was the first airliner to have retractable landing gear and was faster than any military aircraft of that time. Designed by Richard A. von Hake, it was the last wooden monoplane design produced by the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cessna 182 Skylane</span> American light aircraft

The Cessna 182 Skylane is an American four-seat, single-engined light airplane built by Cessna of Wichita, Kansas. It has the option of adding two child seats in the baggage area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas Y1B-7</span> American bomber/observation aircraft

The Douglas Y1B-7 was a 1930s American bomber aircraft. It was the first US monoplane given the B- 'bomber' designation. The monoplane was more practical and less expensive than the biplane, and the United States Army Air Corps chose to experiment with monoplanes for this reason. At the time the XB-7 was ordered, it was being tested by Douglas Aircraft as an observational plane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beechcraft Musketeer</span> Family of light single engine aircraft

The Beechcraft Musketeer is a family of single-engined, low-wing, light aircraft that was produced by Beechcraft. The line includes the Model 19 Musketeer Sport, the Model 23 Musketeer, Custom and Sundowner, the Model 23-24 Musketeer Super III the retractable gear Model 24-R Sierra and the military CT-134 Musketeer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Granville Gee Bee Model R Super Sportster</span> American 1930s monoplane racer

The Gee Bee Model R Super Sportster was a special-purpose racing aircraft made by Granville Brothers Aircraft of Springfield, Massachusetts at the now-abandoned Springfield Airport. Gee Bee stands for Granville Brothers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northrop Gamma</span> Multi-role aircraft family by Northrop

The Northrop Gamma was a single-engine all-metal monoplane cargo aircraft used in the 1930s. Towards the end of its service life, it was developed into the A-17 light bomber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bellanca Viking</span> Type of aircraft

The Bellanca Viking and Super Viking are a series of single-engine, four-seat, high performance, retractable gear aircraft manufactured in the USA during the 1960s and 1970s. The aircraft developed through modifications of classic designs by the aviation pioneer Giuseppe Bellanca. A total of 1,356 Vikings have been produced with most production between 1968 and 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PZL.44 Wicher</span> Polish airliner prototype

The PZL.44 Wicher (gale) was a prototype of 14-seat, twin-engine Polish airliner, built in the Państwowe Zakłady Lotnicze (PZL) in 1938. It was to compete with the DC-2 and Lockheed Super Electra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PZL.5</span> Type of aircraft

The PZL-5 was a Polish two-seat touring and sports aircraft of 1930 constructed and produced by the PZL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BAT Baboon</span> Type of aircraft

The BAT F.K.24 Baboon was a British two-seat training biplane produced by British Aerial Transport Company Limited of London during World War I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bellanca 28-92</span> Type of aircraft

The Bellanca 28-92 Trimotor was a racing aircraft built to compete in the Istres-Damascus-Paris Air Race of 1937, and was paid for by popular subscription in Romania. Christened Alba Julia it was piloted by Captain Alexander Papana of the Romanian Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bartel BM 6</span> Type of aircraft

The Bartel BM 6 was a Polish biplane trainer fighter aircraft of 1930. It did not advance beyond the prototype stage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curtiss 18</span> Type of aircraft

The Curtiss 18T, unofficially known as the Wasp and by the United States Navy as the Kirkham, was an early American triplane fighter aircraft designed by Curtiss for the US Navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supermarine S.5</span> Type of aircraft

The Supermarine S.5 was a 1920s British single-engined single-seat racing seaplane built by Supermarine. Designed specifically for the Schneider Trophy competition, the S.5 was the progenitor of a line of racing aircraft that ultimately led to the Supermarine Spitfire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curtiss R3C</span> Type of aircraft

The Curtiss R3C is an American racing aircraft built in landplane and floatplane form. It was a single-seat biplane built by the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supermarine Sea King</span> 1920s British amphibious fighter aircraft

The Supermarine Sea King was a British single-seat amphibious biplane fighter designed by Supermarine in 1919. Developed from the Supermarine Baby and the Supermarine Sea Lion I, the Sea King was a single seater biplane powered by a pusher 160 horsepower (120 kW) Beardmore engine. It first flew in early 1920 and was exhibited by Supermarine at the 1920 Olympia Show in London. The company released drawings of the aircraft's design prior to the show; what it exhibited was probably a modified Supermarine Baby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gloster VI</span> Type of aircraft

The Gloster VI was a racing seaplane developed as a contestant for the 1929 Schneider Trophy by the Gloster Aircraft Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gloster III</span> Type of aircraft

The Gloster III was a British racing floatplane of the 1920s intended to compete for the Schneider Trophy air race. A single-engined, single-seat biplane, two were built, with one finishing second in the 1925 race.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laird LC-B</span> Type of aircraft

The Laird LC-B was a three seat, single-engined biplane, built for private owners in the U.S. in the late 1920s and offering a variety of engines. About 35 had been built before production ceased in the mid-1930s. Two have been restored to flight.

References

  1. Sport Aviation. February 1959.{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. "Laird Super Solution" . Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  3. "Laird Super Solution" . Retrieved 22 June 2011.
  4. "Laird Super Solution Replica" . Retrieved 20 June 2011.