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BENDIX TROPHY RACE Saturday, August 30, 1947 National Free-for-All Transcontinental Speed Dash Men and Women Pilots "J" Division for Service Jet Airplanes "R" Division for Reciprocating Engine Airplanes TOTAL PURSE $25,000 and the BENDIX TROPHY Replicas or Medals to "J" Division Winners Sponsored by Bendix Aviation Corporation In 1931, according to Malcolm P. Ferguson, President, the Bendix Aviation Corporation decided to offer a trophy for a transcontinental air race from Los Angeles to Cleveland in connection with the National Air Races. The Bendix Trophy Race is a free-for-all. There are no limitations on horsepower. The Race may be flown non-stop or with stops enroute. The Trophy and $25,000 in cash prizes are awarded to the pilots making the fastest elapsed time. "We believed", said Mr. Ferguson, "that this Race would benefit aviation by providing peacetime incentive for our civilian and military aviators to improve their skill and to gain experience under exacting flight conditions. We also felt that this national high speed contest would act as a spur to aircraft manufacturers because of the prestige and advertising value attached to having built or supplied parts for a plane capable of winning this event." How well these hopes have come true is illustrated by the increasingly higher speeds which have almost placed the East within commuting distance of the West Coast. The first Race, flown in 1931, was won by Lieutenant General James H. Doolittle, then Major Doolittle. Flying a civilian-built 'Laird' plane he covered the 2,050 miles in 9 hours and 10 minutes at an average speed of 223 miles per hour.