Page 28 - Volume 12, Number 3

and Texaco No. 13 in Travel Air’s repair shop. By late July the monoplane was deemed ready for flight and Hawks departed Wichita without incident. Anxious to set a new transcontinental speed record, Hawks and Texaco No. 13 took off from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on August 6 and landed in California after flying 14 hours, 30 minutes 43 seconds and establishing a new east-west record. A week later Frank pointed the Travel Air speedster eastward from Los Angeles, California,
Walter H. Beech never lost his love of air racing and the quest for speed. In January 1940, Walter and company pilot Tex Rankin flew the prototype Beechcraft Model 18S in the On-to-Miami race for the McFadden Trophy, winning first place. (TEXTRON AVIATION)
and landed at New York City’s Curtiss Field a mere 12 hours, 25 minutes three seconds later. Hawks had set two transcontinental records in one week. The Travel Air’s speed soon gave rise to the statement, “Don’t send it by mail, and send it by Hawks!”
Hungry for more glory, Hawks entered the racer in the 1930 Thompson Trophy Race but was forced to land on the third lap because someone had inadvertently taped over a vent on the fuel cap, eventually starving Wright radial engine of aviation gasoline. Hawks flew the Texaco monoplane until April 7, 1932, when the engine failed near North Grafton, Massachusetts. The forced landing seriously injured Hawks and the Travel Air was damaged beyond economical repair. Eventually, it was repaired for static display only and transferred to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois, where it remains on exhibit in the Transportation Gallery.6
During the late 1930s Walter Beech remained very interested in air racing, although his days of competition flying were history as he and co-founder/wife Olive Ann Beech focused their efforts on expanding Beech Aircraft Corporation. In 1940, however, Mr. Beech entered the prototype Beechcraft Model 18S in the “On-to-Miami” Race for the Macfadden Trophy. Company pilot H.C. “Ding” Rankin flew as pilot-in-command with Walter serving as co-pilot in the right seat.
On the bitter cold morning of January 6, the duo took off in the 18S from snow-covered Lambert Field in St. Louis, Missouri, and flew 1,084 statute miles to Miami in four hours, 37 minutes and 50 seconds, speeding across the finish line to the cheers of 10,000 spectators. The Model 18S had easily beaten second place finisher Russell Holderman flying a Lockheed Model 12A Electra Junior. Walter Beech and Tex Rankin pocketed $3,000 in prize money for their flight.
MARCH 2018
26 • KING AIR MAGAZINE