This untitled, silent color film chronicles the 1939 National Championship Air Races in Cleveland, Ohio. Joseph Pulitzer, publisher of the New York World, first came up with the idea for a National Air Race event in 1920 as way to ignite interest in aviation. The 1939 edition, however, was the last of the races until 1946 as WWII had just begun in Europe (this may also explain why this footage was never made into a final, narrated film). The 1939 race was somewhat unique because it featured no new models of racing planes. The event was broken down into multiple events that occurred over Labor Day Weekend, September 2nd to the 4th, and featured military demonstration flights and aerial maneuvers alongside the skilled flying of the era’s top race pilots from the likes of Roscoe Turner, Tony LeVier, Steve Wittman, Art Chester, Frank Fuller, Jackie Cochran, and Paul Mantz among others.

Flag pole with American flag, race flag for 1939 National Air Races (0:08). Owners, pilots, crews familiarizing themselves with planes; Pre-race qualifying: Montage mechanics tending to planes before races; Tony LeVier works on plane (0:21). Keith Rider R-6 ‘8 Ball’ NX96Y in hangar (8 ball removed for 1939 races) (1:38). 1938 Crosby CR-4 racing plane takes off from tarmac (1:43). Art Chester Special NX 93-Y “The Goon;” Wind blows through hair of pilot as he sits in cockpit while plane is serviced (2:11). Perhaps Monocoupe Model 110 flies in air, lands in grass field (3:40). Tony LeVier sits in cockpit of perhaps Rider R-4 ‘Firecracker;’ shots of plane flying in air (4:09). Perhaps Douglas DC-3 taxis on tarmac (4:43). Keith Rider R-6 ‘8 Ball’ towed across field by small tractor; Pilot George Byers gets in cockpit and taxis plane for take off (4:52). L.W. Brown B-2 Racer ‘Miss Los Angeles’ takes off (5:38). Parking lot for spectators’ vehicles, rows of 1930s-era automobiles (perhaps 1939 Ford Model 91 A Deluxe) (6:19). Spectators gather along outskirts of parking lot, make their way to stands (6:41). Planes parked in a row under banner for Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems (7:38). Perhaps Grumman J2F Duck (7:44). Side view row of perhaps Grumman F3F Flying Barrel fighters (likely U.S. Navy or Marine Corps) (8:03). Group of perhaps U.S. Army Air Corps Curtiss P-36 Hawks speed down grass tarmac; Planes then line up in front of spectator stands (8:36). Live brass band (perhaps US Army Air Corps band) takes stage, female singers in uniform (9:48). Lewis Greve (President 1939 National Air Races) greets spectators, joined on stage by pilot and Hollywood actor Wallace Beery and his young daughter (9:52). Green Plane # 77, pilot perhaps Frank W. Fuller Jr. awarded perhaps Bendix Air Race Trophy and dons flower wreath (11:15). Grumman F3Fs takeoff one by one, fly in synchronized formation (12:00). Jess Bristow pilots perhaps Curtiss O-1 Falcon for aerobatics show (14:29). Parachute jumping exhibition; White parachutes dot the sky as they slowly fall to ground (16:52). Army Air Corps flies Curtiss P-36 Hawks in one-of-a-kind, camouflage paint schemes (17:55). Greve Trophy competition, engines with 549 cubic inch displacement or less; Winning pilot poses with family and trophy (19:35). Perhaps U.S. Army Air Corps Curtiss P-36 Hawks perform another act followed by perhaps Boeing Stearman biplanes (22:18). Red perhaps Taylorcraft BC-65 lands (25:49). U.S. Army Air Corps Boeing XB-15 lands (25:51). Series of biplanes, hangar planes doing aerobatic maneuvers – pilots eject and parachute back to tarmac below (26:23). Crowd piles into stands for principle event, Shell oil truck fuels Schoenfeldt Firecracker (30:05). Roscoe Turner waves from his LTR-14 racer; Steve Wittman stands beside ‘Bonzo,’ Art Chester sits in ‘The Goon’ planes preparing for final speed competition to win Thompson Trophy Race (300 miles, 30 laps) (31:03). Roscoe Turner raises Thompson Trophy from plane, dons flower wreath and addresses crowd over microphone (35:42). Roscoe Turner poses for photo-op with air race president and other officials (38:00). Aerial view as cars start to empty out of parking lot; Film ends (38:59).

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com