Page 34 - Volume 10 Number 11

The judges told me after the race [that] I had made a good turn each time.”
Fortunately, during the remaining laps Davis managed to stay ahead of Breene and took the checkered flag after flying the race in 14 minutes, five seconds. His fastest lap was flown at 208.69 mph with an average speed for the race of 194.9 mph. Breene easily took second place, finishing more than 30 seconds behind the Travel Air. Turner’s Lockheed placed third, while a disappointed Clark had to settle for fourth place. Amid a standing ovation from the crowd, Davis climbed out of the Type R and was escorted to the speaker’s platform where he received $750 and the Thompson Cup.1
A big grin broke out across Walter Beech’s face, and Rawdon was thrilled that his little red racer and its civilian pilot had defeated, in unrestricted competition, the best the Army and Navy had to offer. According to one Travel Air mechanic, no sooner had Davis landed and taxied to the winner’s circle than Beech began collecting on wagers he made before the race. “Walter Beech was going around the field taking up everybody’s bet. He had a wad of bills that would choke a mule, and he was really happy. I imagine he probably made more
than $60,000 on those bets.” That amount may be wishful thinking, but Walter did share his winnings by handing out $100 bills to mechanics and other Travel Air personnel.
In less than 15 minutes that day in Cleveland, the brainchild of Herbert Rawdon and Walter Burnham had become an instant icon in American air racing. The monoplane was a testimony to their design genius and guaranteed both men a well-deserved place in aviation history. More importantly, however, the Type R’s success signaled the birth of a new and exciting era in the design of both commercial and military airplanes. Doug Davis summed up the racer’s impact on aviation this way: “She’s a great little ship.”2 KA
NOTES:
1. In 1929, the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) granted Charles Erwin Thompson’s request to offer a permanent trophy each year to the winner of the Free-For-All event at the NAR. The trophy, 40 inches tall, was made of gold and silver and mounted on a marble base. It was fashioned as a representation of the mythological Icarus. A cast model of each year’s winning airplane was attached to the top of the trophy. The beginning of World War II in 1939 brought an end to the NAR, but the races resumed in 1946.
2. Davis was killed during the Thompson Trophy Race at the 1934 NAR. The Wedell-Williams racer he was flying was observed to spin out of control and dive nose-first into the ground after rounding the second pylon. The probable cause of the accident was never determined.
Ed Phillips, now retired and living in the South, has researched and written eight books on the unique and rich aviation history that belongs to Wichita, Kan. His writings have focused on
the evolution of the airplanes, companies and people that have made Wichita the “Air Capital of the World” for more than 80 years.
NOVEMBER 2016
When the Type R arrived at the National Air Races in Cleveland, Ohio, Beech cleverly fueled publicity by having the airplane rolled into a special hangar and covered up to keep prying eyes off the ship. Walter was determined to keep the ship shrouded in mystery until race day, building tremendous anticipation amongst competitors and spectators alike.
It was classic Walter Beech. (EDWARD H. PHILLIPS COLLECTION)
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