Viewing page 32 of 91

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

-2-

finishing in second and third places, respectively.

Maj. Edward Johnston of Reynolds, III. placed second, averaging 603.287 mph -- a scant quarter-of-a-mile-per hour "slower than Whisner. He was only 4.8 seconds behind the winner in the elapsed-time method of determining the results. He represented the Air Proving Ground Command and is stationed at Eglin AFB, Fla.

Col. Clay Tice Jr., commander of the 3595th Flying Training Group at Nellis AFB, placed third with a speed of 598.573 mph. His strong finish, together with Major Whisner's triumph, scored something of a double victory for the Air Training Command. 

The Bendix race was the opening event of the National Aircraft Show held here Sept. 5, 6, and 7. Secretary of the Air Force Harold E. Talbott joined the Bendix Aviation president in greeting the 10 cross-country pilots as they arrived and presenting them to the huge Air Show crowd.

Observers pointed out that the 1953 Bendix race was probably the closest event of its kind ever held and confronted competing pilots with "this toughest competition in the world."

That every entrant broke the old record, set by Colonel Competition two years ago flying from Edwards AFB to Detroit at a speed of 552.761 mph, is a "first" in Bendix race history and possibly in the history of any of the nation's speed classics.

The last pilot to complete the 1,900-mile course crossed the pylon "dead-stick" at some 700 mph after he radioed from a point some 80 miles away that he was cutting his engine to conserve his swindling fuel supply. All of the pilots made re-fueling stops en route during which ground crews trained to split-second precision serviced their ships in two to three minutes.

--0--