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nation's air arm. Jimmy Doolittle was a major when he won the first Bendix transcontinental race in 1931. HE made an average speed of 223 miles an hour in a Laird biplane in crossing the country from Los Angeles to Cleveland in 9 hours, 10 minutes and 21 seconds.

But the present Bendix trophy record is a jet-propelled 553 m.p.h.! It was set by Col. Keith K. Compton in 1951, flying a Sabrejet from Edwards Air Force Base to Detroit in 3 hours, 27 minutes and 56 seconds.

The change in the pattern came in 1946 when the trophy event was resumed after it had been halted in 1939 because of the war. A jet division was established and for several years there were two divisions. Prop planes were out after the 1949 race.

With the "oldtimers" club closed out for members a new club is now being formed exclusively for jet pilots who are picked to fly the Bendix trophy runs. After this year's event the membership will total 17 jet pilots.

Out of these speed flights have come new knowledge for aviation. Malcolm P. Ferguson, president of Bendix Aviation Corporation, points out that Bendix first offered the trophy because "we believe that this race would benefit aviation by providing peacetime incentive for our civilian and military aviators to improve their skills and to gain experience under exacting flight conditions and to serve as a spur to manufacturers."

Since it was first raced the event has had a changing impact. Now it gives jet pilots a real chance to see what their planes can do under precise flying conditions carefully planned ahead of time over long flight courses. This year the course is 1,650 miles long.

Unless propeller-driven airplanes are reintroduced in future Bendix trophy races (and that is less likely that that atomic-powered planes will ultimately