In Box Review of Lindberg 1/32nd Scale
Laird Turner "Meteor" Air Racer
Kit no. 70562
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1992
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1992
HISTORY:
The Laird-Turner RT-14 Meteor, also called the Turner TR-14, Ring Free Meteor, PESCO Special, Miss Champion, Turner Special and the Turner Meteor was the winning aircraft of the 1938 and 1939 Thompson Trophy races.
The aircraft was commissioned and designed by Roscoe Turner in 1936. The Meteor would be the last of the Matty Laird race planes as well as the last race plane flown by Roscoe Turner.
The aircraft is a conventional geared mid-wing monoplane with a radial engine built in California. It was modified in 1936 by Mattie Laird at the E. M. Laird Airplane Company in Chicago with three-foot longer wings, wing flaps, a longer fuselage and a 50 U.S. gallons (190 L; 42 imp gal) fuel tank.
In 1938 wheel pants were added for the Oakland races. The aircraft was known by many names. Initially the RT-14 for "Roscoe-Turner 14 cylinder".
The air commerce bureau labed it the Model No. LTR-14, Serial No. 11, Type 1 POLM. The first sponsor was the Ring-Free Oil company, naming the aircraft the Ring-Free Meteor.
The 1938 sponsor, Pump Engineering Service Corp renamed the aircraft "The PESCO SPECIAL". In 1939, the Champion Spark Plug Co borrowed the name from its 1931 Pitcairn PCA-2 autogyro, giving the aircraft the name "Miss Champion".
In the 1937 National Air Races - Turner placed third after missing a pylon in the sun at 253.802 mph (408 km/h). A fire from a leaking fuel tank prevented Turner from racing in the Bendix Trophy race and required the fabric to be recovered before competing.
1938 National Air Races - Turner won the Thompson Trophy Race at 283.416 mph (456 km/h), in the 1938 Oakland Air Race - Second place.
The original aircraft was put into storage at Weir Cook Airport for 29 years until it was restored, then donated to the Frederick G. Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum.
In December 1972 the plane along with many of Roscoe Turner's trophies were transferred to the Smithsonian.The aircraft retired with less than 30 hours flying time.
The Cook Islands minted a $2 Coin in 2008 featuring the Laird-Turner Meteor LTR-14 as part of its 1930s Air Racing Collection.
The Laird-Turner RT-14 Meteor, also called the Turner TR-14, Ring Free Meteor, PESCO Special, Miss Champion, Turner Special and the Turner Meteor was the winning aircraft of the 1938 and 1939 Thompson Trophy races.
The aircraft was commissioned and designed by Roscoe Turner in 1936. The Meteor would be the last of the Matty Laird race planes as well as the last race plane flown by Roscoe Turner.
The aircraft is a conventional geared mid-wing monoplane with a radial engine built in California. It was modified in 1936 by Mattie Laird at the E. M. Laird Airplane Company in Chicago with three-foot longer wings, wing flaps, a longer fuselage and a 50 U.S. gallons (190 L; 42 imp gal) fuel tank.
In 1938 wheel pants were added for the Oakland races. The aircraft was known by many names. Initially the RT-14 for "Roscoe-Turner 14 cylinder".
The air commerce bureau labed it the Model No. LTR-14, Serial No. 11, Type 1 POLM. The first sponsor was the Ring-Free Oil company, naming the aircraft the Ring-Free Meteor.
The 1938 sponsor, Pump Engineering Service Corp renamed the aircraft "The PESCO SPECIAL". In 1939, the Champion Spark Plug Co borrowed the name from its 1931 Pitcairn PCA-2 autogyro, giving the aircraft the name "Miss Champion".
In the 1937 National Air Races - Turner placed third after missing a pylon in the sun at 253.802 mph (408 km/h). A fire from a leaking fuel tank prevented Turner from racing in the Bendix Trophy race and required the fabric to be recovered before competing.
1938 National Air Races - Turner won the Thompson Trophy Race at 283.416 mph (456 km/h), in the 1938 Oakland Air Race - Second place.
The original aircraft was put into storage at Weir Cook Airport for 29 years until it was restored, then donated to the Frederick G. Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum.
In December 1972 the plane along with many of Roscoe Turner's trophies were transferred to the Smithsonian.The aircraft retired with less than 30 hours flying time.
The Cook Islands minted a $2 Coin in 2008 featuring the Laird-Turner Meteor LTR-14 as part of its 1930s Air Racing Collection.
THE BOX:
Lindberg was an old prolific model company based in Toledo, OH back in the 90's. I believe they have gone out of business however some of their kits (but not this one) can be found at Round 2.
The kit came in tha shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art is all red on the left and white on the right with a color photo of the Meteor posed in front. It is overall silver with a black fuselage number 29 followed by the Champion Spark Plugs logo. It has a black serial no. NX 263Y on the rudder. There is a white circle with a red and yellow symbol with ETHYL printed on it in white on the side of the cowling and before it also on the cowling is TWIN ROW WASP in black. The black 29 is large above one wing and large black X263Y is above the other wing.
One side panel lists features of the kit: pilot figure, detailed cockpit, movable ailerons, elevators and rudder, finely detailed engine, authentic decals - in English and French. Paint and cement not included.
The kit came in tha shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art is all red on the left and white on the right with a color photo of the Meteor posed in front. It is overall silver with a black fuselage number 29 followed by the Champion Spark Plugs logo. It has a black serial no. NX 263Y on the rudder. There is a white circle with a red and yellow symbol with ETHYL printed on it in white on the side of the cowling and before it also on the cowling is TWIN ROW WASP in black. The black 29 is large above one wing and large black X263Y is above the other wing.
One side panel lists features of the kit: pilot figure, detailed cockpit, movable ailerons, elevators and rudder, finely detailed engine, authentic decals - in English and French. Paint and cement not included.
The other side panel has the history of the Meteor in English and French and mentions skill levels. This kit is level 2.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX
The instructions consist of a single-sheet that is folded in the center to create 4 pages in 8 1/2" x 11" format.
Page 1 IMPORTANT, READ THIS instructions, over international assembly symbol explanations and Lindberg's customer assistance P.O. Box number in Toledo, OH in French and English.
Page 2 to the top of page 4 gives 8 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 4 has a 2-view for painting and marking guide.
The aircraft, as said earlier, is overall silver with brown propeller blades.
Page 1 IMPORTANT, READ THIS instructions, over international assembly symbol explanations and Lindberg's customer assistance P.O. Box number in Toledo, OH in French and English.
Page 2 to the top of page 4 gives 8 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 4 has a 2-view for painting and marking guide.
The aircraft, as said earlier, is overall silver with brown propeller blades.
The trees are molded in silver and are not alphabetized and a lot of parts are loose inside a sealed clear cello bag.
The first tree holds wing halves and the propeller (3 parts)
The second tree holds the elevators, tail wheel and its strut, outer wing flaps, joystick (7 parts)
The third tree holds the other wing haves, a main wheel and the dashboard with foot pedals attached (4 parts)
The fourth tree holds the cowling, engine, wheel legs and covers (6 parts)
Loose parts are the fuselage halves, pilot, wing inner flaps, other main wheel, fuselage top panel, seat, cockpit floor, elevator flaps, rudder flap.
The clear tree holds the canopy and windshield (2 parts)
The decal sheet completes the kit's contents. It includes the dashboard instruments. Along with this is a flyer to order a catalog. These complete the kit contents.
The aircraft, as said earlier, is overall silver with brown propeller blades.
Detail is the raised variety.
Detail is the raised variety.
Recommended.