Transcontinental Aerial Derby
The Transcontinental Aerial Derby, sometimes referred to as the Double Transcontinental Aerial Derby, was an airplane race from New York to San Francisco and back (or vice versa), held in October 1919 by the Aerial League of America.
Every state in the union, and every participating aero club, was expected to enter participants.[1]
There were two entry classes: single-engine and multi-engine.[1]
The winner was Belvin Womble Maynard of North Carolina, an aviator in the Army Air Service during the war.[2][3]
Maynard won the race by completing it in the smallest overall time; however, other contestants including Captain J. O. Donaldson had lower total flight times.[4]
First prize was $20,000; total prizes exceeded $100,000.[5]
The race was promoted by Aerial Age Weekly, whose editor was on the committee.
Committee
ALA president Robert Edwin Peary appointed a large committee of leading organizers in postwar aviation, including:[1]
- Captain Charles J. Glidden, donor of the "Glidden Aeroplane Efficiency Trophy"
- Lieutenant Godfrey L. Cabot, president of the Aero Club of New England
- Albert Bond Lambert, chairman of executive committee of Missouri Aeronautical Society
- Major Loring Pickering, San Francisco
- Rear Admiral Charles Fremont Pond, president of Pacific Aero Club
- C. C. Johnson, president of Aero Club of Colorado
- Charles Dickenson, president of Aero Club of Illinois
- Major Reed G. Landis, second-ranking American "Ace"
- Joseph a. Steinmetz, president of Aero Club of Pennsylvania
- Alva Bradley, chairman of Cleveland Chamber of Commerce Aviation Committee, president of Cleveland Aviation Club
- George M. Myers, president of Aero Club of Kansas City
- Henry Woodhouse, board of governors, Aero Club of America
- G. Douglas Wardrop, editor of Aerial Age Weekly
- Major Granville A. Pollock
- William Edward Boeing, president of Aero Club of the Northwest
- Alberto Santos-Dumont, honorary president of Pan-American Aeronautic Federation
- Colonel E. Lester Jones, director of U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey
- Colonel C. G. Edgar of Detroit
- Roy D. Chapin, president Aero Club of Michigan
- Albert T. Bell, president of Atlantic City Aero Club
- William F. Brooks, president of Aero Club of Minneapolis
- Lieutenant C. A. Wright, president of Aero Club of Texas
- Clarence Young, president of Aero Club of Iowa
- John P. Salzer, president of Aero Club of La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Captain J. F. Joyce, president of Aero Club of Maryland
- Major John M. Satterfield, president of Aero Club of Buffalo
- Raymond R. Farquhar, president of Aero Club of Lincoln, Nebraska
- Major Smith, president of Washington Aviators' Club
- Major William C. Garvis, president of Aero Club of St. Paul
- Major J. E. H. Stevenot, president of Aero Club of the Philippines
- Captain Beatty, president of Aero Club of Canada
- James W. Bemis, Missouri Aeronautical Society
Event names | Transcontinental Aerial Derby, Double Transcontinental Aerial Derby |
---|---|
Event type | competition |
Country | US |
Locations | New York City, New York, San Francisco, California |
Start date | 1919-10-08 |
Number of days | 6 |
Tech focus | Airplane, passengers, Propulsion |
Participants |
References
- ↑ Jump up to: 1.0 1.1 1.2 "First Trans-Continental Aerial Derby to be Most Extensive Contest Ever Held", Aerial Age Weekly, Vol. X, No. 27, 15 September 1919; p. 9.
- ↑ Thomas C. Parramore, "Belvin Maynard: 'The Greatest Pilot on Earth'", Tar Heel Junior Historian via NCpedia, uploaded 2003.
- ↑ "Maynard Finishes Firs in Aerial Derby; Kiel and Spatz Arrive at Mineola: 'Flying Parson' Completes Flight Across Country in Less Than Twenty-Five Hours." Sacramento Union, 12 October 1919.
- ↑ "Double Transcontinental Aërial Derby: Story of flight told in table form—winners named in order of their arrival at destination." U.S. Air Service, Vol. 2, November 1919, p. 6.
- ↑ "Transcontinental Aerial Derby Being Organized By Aerial League: Over $100,000 in Prizes"; Aerial Age Weekly, Vol. IX, No. 24, 25 August 1919.