Word: racer
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Born in Rockford, Minn., Van Gates was an automobile salesman and occasional racer in San Francisco in 1910, when he saw the French Aeronaut Louis Paulhan thrilling crowds at Tanforan Track. He decided there was money to be made in exhibition flying. For $2,000 he picked up a flimsy biplane built by a Kansas City doctor, took a Swiss aviator as partner. The Swiss looked once, briefly, at the biplane and vanished. Rather than see the machine rot on its wheels, Gates started the engine one day, mounted the rickety seat, started taxiing about the field just...
...been discontinued, the Thompson Trophy, held in connection with the National Air Races, assumes importance as the world's foremost air speed contest. The event was the climax of last fortnight's meet at Cleveland. Eight swift planes started, among them Doolittle in the chunky, barrel-like Gee-Bee racer with an 800-h. p. Wasp in its fat nose, and the pilot's cockpit far back amid the fanlike tail surfaces. Another starter was minuscule "Jimmy" Haizlip who broke the transcontinental record last fortnight. Before the end of the race Doolittle, his eyes watery with hay fever, had lapped...
Later, however, more seasoned women pilots flew an admirable race in a driving storm for the Aerol Trophy. Rain & darkness blinded them so they could not see the flags on the pylons signalling them down. Mrs. Gladys O'Donnell, in the cockpit of pugnacious "Benny" Howard's little racer Ike, won at 185 m.p.h. Next day Mrs. Mae Haizlip, wife of "Jimmy" Haizlip, in her husband's ship, flashed past the timing cameras at 255 m.p.h., 45 m.p.h. faster than the women's record, just as fast as Doolittle in the Thompson race...
...before his takeoff, Mechanic Bochkon telephoned collect from Barre to a New York newsman for a weather report and to ask "what them other squareheads are doing?" The "other squareheads" had taken off from Floyd Bennett Field five hours earlier. They were Thor Solberg, 38, who was a motorcycle racer in Norway before coming eight years ago to the U. S.: and Petersen, 35, able radioman who accompanied Amundsen to the North Pole, Byrd to the Antarctic. They too were bound for Oslo. Their plane had been provided largely by Shoeman F. L. Emerson, in whose honor it was named...
Died. Frederick Samuel Duesenberg, 55, automobile manufacturer, racer; of injuries received in an automobile accident; in Johnstown...