Lockheed Vega Golden Eagle Dole racer, modified 1/72nd RarePlane vac

 A Golden Eagle flies yonder

The base for this model was a vintage RarePlane vacuform kit, rather basic and with a problematic "clear" acetate fuselage that gave more than one headache. Fortunately a beautiful set from Arctic Decals helped with the build. Much had to be improved on and added to the basic vac, and for those curious here is the step-by-step building post:

https://wingsofintent.blogspot.com/2020/10/172nd-scale-vacuformed-rareplane.html

The first ever built Lockheed Vega was presumed lost at sea on its way to Hawaii during the Dole air race.

This competition attracted many pilots and designers, many of which had ad-hoc machines created for this event, not always blessed with sound engineering or aerodynamic qualities*.

The news of the time tended to minimize the ill fate of many of the competitors and a number of the planes, centering in the achievements of the winners. Many of the participants paid a heavy price, and some of them the ultimate price.

It's interesting that this very public setback did not affect the career of the Lockheed Vega, nor Lockheed's name, both on their way to fame, recognition, and achievements.

In an era of clumsy biplanes (and even a few stubborn triplanes**) the elegant, refined, and harmonious lines of the Vega easily overshadowed almost all contemporary planes. The aesthetic qualities of the design are evident, even today.

Aviation wasn't then mature enough to accomplish the feat of a completely safe flight in mass to an archipelago situated in the middle of the Pacific, something Dole shamelessly ignored -or chose to ignore- (too much money and power almost invariably produce selective blindness) so many participants ended up paying with their lives.

But times were rapidly changing, and records, competitions and extraordinary feats of design, piloting and navigation will eventually open the world to the wings of mankind.

Here is a photo of the race start lineup:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dole_Air_Race#/media/File:Dole_Air_Race_-_8091692321.jpg

*Among them the Bryant Monoplane, something I would very much like to scratch:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/8091680924

**One of them, the Catron & Fisk "Pride of Los Angeles", notoriously trying to participate in the race:

https://live.staticflickr.com/8055/8091682458_37e13478ec_b.jpg