The National Air Races (also known as Pulitzer Trophy Races) are a series of pylon and cross-country races that have taken place in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

since 1920. The science of aviation, and the speed and reliability of aircraft and engines grew rapidly during this period; the National Air Races were both a proving ground and showcase for this.

History

In 1920, publisher

Ralph Pulitzer Ralph Pulitzer (June 11, 1879 – June 14, 1939) was an American heir, newspaper publisher and author. He served as the president of the Press Publishing Co., which published the ''New York World'' and the ''Evening World''. Early life Ralph Puli ...

sponsored the Pulitzer Trophy Race and the

Pulitzer Speed Trophy Pulitzer may refer to: *Joseph Pulitzer, a 20th century media magnate *Pulitzer Prize, an annual U.S. journalism, literary, and music award *Pulitzer (surname) * Pulitzer, Inc., a U.S. newspaper chain *Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, a non-pro ...

for military airplanes at

Roosevelt Field Roosevelt Field is a former airport, located east-southeast of Mineola, Long Island, New York. Originally called the Hempstead Plains Aerodrome, or sometimes Hempstead Plains field or the Garden City Aerodrome, it was a training field (Hazel ...

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, in an effort to publicize aviation and his newspaper. The races eventually moved to

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

, where they were known as the Cleveland National Air Races.''about the Reno Air Racing Association'' Retrieved 2010-03-10.
They drew the best flyers of the time, including James Doolittle,

Wiley Post Wiley Hardeman Post (November 22, 1898 – August 15, 1935) was a famed American aviator during the interwar period and the first pilot to fly solo around the world. Also known for his work in high-altitude flying, Post helped develop one ...

Tex Rankin John Gilbert "Tex" Rankin (January 20, 1894 – February 23, 1947) was an aerobatic pilot, barnstormer, air racer, and flight instructor from the 1920s to the 1940s. He created the Rankin Flying Service which trained thousands of pilots at Ran ...

Frank Hawks Frank Monroe Hawks (March 28, 1897 - August 23, 1938) was a pilot in the United States Army Air Service during World War I and was known during the 1920s and 1930s as a record breaking aviator, using a series of Texaco-sponsored aircraft, setting 2 ...

Jimmy Wedell James Robert Wedell (March 31, 1900 – June 24, 1934) was a famous 1930s racing pilot and aircraft designer. Wedell broke the world record for land-plane speed in 1933 when he clocked 305.33 m.p.h. in a Wedell-Williams aircraft of his own design. ...

Roscoe Turner Roscoe Turner (September 29, 1895 – June 23, 1970) was a record-breaking American aviator who was a three-time winner of the Thompson Trophy air race and widely recognized by his flamboyant style and his pet, Gilmore the Lion. Early life ...

, and others from the pioneer age of aviation. These air races helped to inspire

Donald Blakeslee Donald James Matthew Blakeslee (September 11, 1917 – September 3, 2008) was an officer in the United States Air Force, whose aviation career began as a pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force flying Spitfire fighter aircraft during World War II. H ...

as a young boy. Other races included in the U.S. National Air Races were the Mitchell Trophy Race, the Town & Country Club Race for civilians, the Kansas City Rotary Club Trophy "for all three military services," and the

Glenn Curtiss Glenn Hammond Curtiss (May 21, 1878 – July 23, 1930) was an American aviation and motorcycling pioneer, and a founder of the U.S. aircraft industry. He began his career as a bicycle racer and builder before moving on to motorcycles. As early ...

Trophy Race for "biplanes with engines having less than ." Starting in 1929, the races usually ran for up to 10 days, usually from late August to early September to include Labor Day. Aviation promoter

Cliff Henderson Clifford "Cliff" Henderson (1895–1984) was the managing director of the National Air Races from 1928 through 1939. Described as "the Barnum of aviation," he obtained sponsors for two of the most well-known air races of the period, the Bendix tr ...

was managing director of the National Air Races from 1928 to 1939. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

the races were on hiatus. The races included a variety of events, including cross-country races originating in Portland, Oakland, and Los Angeles, with a final destination in Cleveland. Also included were landing contests, glider demonstrations, airship flights, and parachute-jumping contests. The more popular events were the Thompson Trophy Races which started in 1929; a closed-course race where aviators raced their planes around pylons; and the

Bendix Trophy Race The Bendix Trophy is a U.S. aeronautical racing trophy. The transcontinental, point-to-point race, sponsored by industrialist Vincent Bendix founder of Bendix Corporation, began in 1931 as part of the National Air Races. Initial prize money f ...

across most of the USA starting in 1931. In 1929, a

Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

route was started for the

Women's Air Derby The Women's Air Derby was the first official women-only air race in the United States, taking place during the 1929 National Air Races. Humorist Will Rogers referred to it as the Powder Puff Derby, the name by which the race is most commonly know ...

(nicknamed the "Powder Puff Derby"), featuring well-known female pilots such as

Amelia Earhart Amelia Mary Earhart ( , born July 24, 1897; disappeared July 2, 1937; declared dead January 5, 1939) was an American aviation pioneer and writer. Earhart was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She set many oth ...

Pancho Barnes Florence Lowe "Pancho" Barnes (July 22, 1901 – March 30, 1975) was a pioneer aviator and a founder of the first movie stunt pilots' union. In 1930, she broke Amelia Earhart's air speed record. Barnes raced in the Women's Air Derby and was a m ...

Bobbi Trout Evelyn "Bobbi" Trout (January 7, 1906 – January 24, 2003) was an early American aviator and endurance flying record holder. Trout began her aviation career at the age of 16; however, her first solo flight and solo certificate was not until April ...

, and

Louise Thaden Iris Louise McPhetridge Thaden (born Louise McPhetridge; November 12, 1905 – November 9, 1979) was an American aviation pioneer, holder of numerous aviation records, and the first woman to win the Bendix trophy, alongside Blanche Noyes. She was ...

. Thaden was the winner in the heavy Class D (engines with ), while

Phoebe Omlie Phoebe Jane Fairgrave Omlie (November 21, 1902 – July 17, 1975) was an American aviation pioneer, particularly noted for her accomplishments as an early female aviator. Omlie was the first woman to receive an airplane mechanic's license, the ...

won the light Class C (engines with ). This was also the year for the first female pylon race, the winner of which was awarded the Aerol Trophy beginning in 1931. In Chicago, on the last day of the 1930 trophy race (September 1), USMC Captain Arthur Page crashed his modified Curtiss Hawk Seaplane F6C-3, and died of his injuries later that day. After being on hiatus during the U.S. participation in

, the post-war races featured newer surplus military planes that greatly outclassed the planes from the pre-war era. In 1949

Bill Odom Bill(s) may refer to: Common meanings * Banknote, paper cash (especially in the United States) * Bill (law), a proposed law put before a legislature * Invoice, commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer * Bill, a bird or animal's beak Plac ...

lost control of his

P-51 The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James ...

"Beguine" and crashed into a home, killing himself and two people inside. The races went on hiatus again. Though the events specific to Cleveland were in suspension, the cross country races for the Thompson, Bendix, and G.E. trophies continued. Three

B-47 The Boeing B-47 Stratojet (Boeing company designation Model 450) is a retired American long- range, six-engined, turbojet-powered strategic bomber designed to fly at high subsonic speed and at high altitude to avoid enemy interceptor aircr ...

s flew cross country from

March Air Force Base March Air Reserve Base (March ARB), previously known as March Air Force Base (March AFB) is located in Riverside County, California between the cities of Riverside, Moreno Valley, and Perris. It is the home to the Air Force Reserve Command's Fo ...

to the

Philadelphia International Airport Philadelphia International Airport is the primary airport serving Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The airport served 19.6 million passengers annually in 2021, making it the 21st busiest airport in the United States. The airport is located from t ...

as participants in the 1955 Labor Day race. In the 1956 event, three B-47s participated in the G.E. Trophy race for Jet Bombers, flying from

Kindley Field Kindley Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base in Bermuda from 1948–1970, having been operated from 1943 to 1948 by the United States Army Air Forces as ''Kindley Field''. History World War II Prior to American entry into th ...

, Bermuda, to

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...

. One of these set a course speed record of 601.187 MPH. The annual event resumed in 1964 as the Reno National Championship Air Races, taking place in mid-September. The

Cleveland National Air Show The Cleveland National Air Show is an annual air show held on Labor Day weekend at Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland, Ohio. It was established in 1964 as an indirect successor to the National Air Races. The show includes stunt airplanes, m ...

also began in 1964. National Air Races were run by U.S. Air Race, Inc. from 1995-2007. The company was founded by famed World Race Gold Medalist Marion P. Jayne and after her death from cancer in 1996, was run by her daughter Patricia Jayne (Pat) Keefer, 1994 World Race Gold Medalist. Under Keefer's leadership, the events tabulated a perfect safety record with nearly 600,000 miles raced, over 3,200 safe landings at 81 different airports in 43 states and two countries in 25 events. With the help of hundreds of volunteers and over 250 different sponsors she awarded 26 Learn-to-Fly scholarships and reached an estimated 20 million people with a positive message about General Aviation.

Locations, dates, Pulitzer Trophy winners and speeds

Pulitzer Trophy - side view - Smithsonian Air and Space Museum - 2012-05-15

*1920 Mitchel Field, New York, 25 November,

C. C. Moseley Corliss Champion Moseley (July 23, 1894 – 1974) was a United States Army aviator and later civilian trainer. He won the inaugural Pulitzer Air Race in 1920. Following his service in World War I, where he was credited with one aerial victory, he ...

, 156.54 mph over a 29-mile triangle course *1921

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest cit ...

, 3 November,

Bert Acosta Bertrand Blanchard Acosta (January 1, 1895 – September 1, 1954) was a record-setting aviator and test pilot. He and Clarence D. Chamberlin set an endurance record of 51 hours, 11 minutes, and 25 seconds in the air. He later flew in the Spa ...

, 176.75 mph over a 30.7 mile triangle course *1922

Selfridge Field, Michigan Selfridge or ''variation'' may refer to: People * Andy Selfridge (born 1949), American former National Football League player * Harry Gordon Selfridge (1856–1947), American-born founder of Selfridges Department Store * John Selfridge (1927 ...

, 14 October,

Russell Maughan Russell Lowell Maughan (March 28, 1893 – April 21, 1958) was an officer in the United States Army and a pioneer aviator. His career began during World War I, and spanned the period in which military aviation developed from a minor arm of t ...

, 205.86 mph over a 31.1 mile course *1923 St. Louis Flying Field, Missouri, 6 October, Al Williams, 243.67 mph over a 31.1 mile course *1924

Wilbur Wright Field Wilbur Wright Field was a military installation and an airfield used as a World War I pilot, mechanic, and armorer training facility and, under different designations, conducted United States Army Air Corps and Air Forces flight testing. Loca ...

, Ohio, 4 October, Harry Mills, 216.55 mph *1925 Mitchel Field, Long Island, New York, 10–12 October,

Cyrus K. Bettis Lieutenant Cyrus K. Bettis (January 2, 1893 – September 1, 1926) was an American army aviator who won several races and set the then airspeed record for a closed-circuit race in 1925. He died after he crashed his aircraft less than a year later ...

, 248.98 mph *1926 Model Farms Field,

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, 4–13 September *1927

Felts Field Felts Field is a public airport in the northwest United States, located northeast of downtown Spokane, in Spokane County, Washington. It is owned by Spokane City-County. The airport has two parallel runways. Now used for general aviation, Felt ...

Spokane, Washington Spokane ( ) is the largest city and county seat of Spokane County, Washington, United States. It is in eastern Washington, along the Spokane River, adjacent to the Selkirk Mountains, and west of the Rocky Mountain foothills, south of the Canada ...

, 21–25 September *1928

Mines Field Los Angeles International Airport , commonly referred to as LAX (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary international airport serving Los Angeles, California and its surrounding metropolitan area. LAX is located in the W ...

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, 8–16 September *1929 Cleveland Municipal Airport,

, 24 August-2 September *1930 Curtiss-Reynolds Field, Chicago, Illinois, 23 August–September 1 *1931

, August 29-September 7 *1932 Cleveland, Ohio, 27 August-5 September *1933 Mines Field, Los Angeles, California, 1–4 July *1934 Cleveland, Ohio, August 31-September 4 *1935 Cleveland, Ohio, August 30-September 2 *1936 Mines Field, Los Angeles, California, September 4–7, Michel Détroyat on Caudron C.460 *1937 Cleveland, Ohio, September 3–7 *1938 Cleveland, Ohio, September 3–5 *1939 Cleveland, Ohio, September 2–5 *1940 to 1945 Hiatus for World War II *1946 Cleveland Municipal Airport, Cleveland, Ohio, 31 August-2 September,

Tex Johnston Alvin Melvin "Tex" Johnston (August 18, 1914 – October 29, 1998) was an American jet-age test pilot for Bell Aircraft and the Boeing Company. Early life Johnston was born August 18, 1914, in Admire, Kansas, to farmers Alva and Ella Johnst ...

*1947 Cleveland, Ohio, 30 August-1 September *1948 Cleveland, Ohio, 2–4 September *1949 Cleveland, Ohio, 3–5 September *1950 to 1963 Hiatus after crash *1964 Resumption as "The National Championship Air Races" in

Reno, Nevada Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry, Reno is the ...

*1964 Indirect successor as the Cleveland National Air Show''The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History'' Retrieved 2010-03-11.
/ref>

References

External links

Flight Centennial: National Air RaceMovie of 1932 National Air Race, Cleveland, OhioSociety of Air Racing Historians siteR.H.R Atcherly 1932 Cleveland Air Races Photographs, Special Collections and Archives, Wright State UniversityCleveland Air Races Collection, Special Collections and Archives, Wright State University
*{{cite web, title=Cliff Henderson Special Collection, url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/albums/72157649474580500, website=San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives, Flickr, access-date=14 October 2016 Air races History of Cleveland Recurring sporting events established in 1920 1920 establishments in New York (state) 1949 disestablishments in Ohio

History

Locations, dates, Pulitzer Trophy winners and speeds

See also

References

External links