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THOMPSON TROPHY EVENT Sponsored by Thompson Products, Inc. [[image]][[/image]] J. D. Wright, president of Thompson Products, Inc., congratulates Capt. Eugene P. Sonnenberg, USAF, of Elgin Air Force Base, winner o the 1954 Thompson Trophy Event. THE Thompson Trophy Race was established as an annual event at the National Air Races in 1930, sponsored by Thompson Products, Inc. It has been continued ever since as aviation's foremost closed-course speed classic. In 1946, the Thompson was transformed into a double feature event; the first closed course race in which jet powered military planes ever participated. The "J" Division, as it was termed, was flown over a 30-mile rectangular course for a distance of 210 miles. The contest was won by Major Gus E. Lundquist at an average speed of 515.85 mph. Major Robin Olds came in second in the duel of the six P-80's at an average speed of 514.71 mph. The 1947 Jet Division was won by Lt. Col. Robert L. Petit of the U. S. Air Force. The colonel zoomed his gray Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star eight times around the 22 1/2 mile course at an average speed of 500.70 mph. Second place winner was Lt. Joseph R. Howard whose average speed was 497.49 mph. There was no jet division of the Thompson Trophy Race in 1948, but it was resumed in 194 at Cleveland. Flying a North American F-86 of the U. S. Air Force, Capt. Bruce Cunningham came in first at an average speed of 580.15 mph. Distance was 225 miles over a 15 mile course. The 1951 event at Detroit was a distinct departure from previous Thompson races in that it was a 100 kilometer world speed record attempt by a U. S. Air Force jet. Col. Fred Ascani, USAF, flying a North American F-86E Sabre Jet, smashed American and world speed records for the 100 km. closed course race, with an average sped of 635.411 mph. The new record was set during speed trials the day before. Trial time was recorded by NAA and permitted to stand when Col. Ascani's later Air Race performance averaged only 628.698 mph. Brig. Gen. J. S. Holtoner, USAF, flying an F-86D North American Sabre, set a new record for the 100 km. course of 690.118 mph. at Dayton in 1953. His record for the Thompson was 681.576 mph. Capt. Eugene P. Sonnenberg, USAF, of Elgin Air Force Base, Florida, flying a North American F-86H flew the 100 km. closed circuit course at a record speed of 692.823 to win the 1954 Thompson event at Dayton. This year the Thompson Trophy event in Philadelphia will be a supersonic 15 to 25 kilometer straight-away record attempt by a USAF F-100C jet. [---] [[image]][[/image]] EMERI-CRETE made with CORTLAND EMERY AGGREGATE for OVERLAYS and PAVEMENTS designed to answer problems imposed by the jet age [[image]][[/image]] • heat • impact • blast • abrasion consult WALTER MAGUIRE COMPANY, INC. AVIATION PRODUCTS DIVISION 60 EAST 42nd STREET NEW YORK 17, N. Y. [[image]][[/image]] [---] NATIONAL AIRCRAFT SHOW 31
