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and wing surfaces. The development of the retractable landing gear was also encouraged by the eagerness of rival manufacturers to produce faster planes and an assault was also made on the problems of high altitude flying.

After 1939 the War caused postponement of the Race. It was resumed last fall and was flown in two Divisions. The first was open to civilians flying gasoline reciprocating engines. The winner in this event was Paul Mantz of Los Angeles who flew a P-51 North American "Mustang" and covered the distance in 4 hours and 42 minutes at 435 miles per hour.

The other Division was created for military pilots flying jet planes. This new Division was necessary because only the military are in possession of jets which are obviously faster than planes with reciprocating engines.

We are honored today in having with us a brilliant Army Air Force jet plane Commander. He is Colonel Leon Gray, Commanding the 12th Reconnaissance Squadron of March Field, California. Colonel Gray was the winner of the Jet Division of the Bendix Race last fall. Flying a Lockheed P-30 "Shooting Star" he flew the 2,050 mile transcontinental course in 3 hours and 35 minutes actual flying time at the sensational speed of 572 miles per hour.

We had wished to present a plaque, emblematic of victory, to Colonel Gray long before this. Our hope was that the presentation could be made in Detroit and Colonel Gray has been unable to reach Detroit until now. Yesterday he set a precedent indicative of the speed at which our Air Force moves when he led his entire Jet Squadron from California to Selfridge Field in only [[blank line]] hours.

Colonel Gray, I am privileged to present you with this plaque. You have raised the speed of the Bendix from General Doolittle's 223 miles per hour in 1931 to 572 miles per hour. I offer my congratulations on your splendid pioneering victory and wish you all possible success should you again enter the Bendix which will be flown Saturday, August 30 of this year from Los Angeles to the National Air Races at Cleveland.