The Bendix Trophy is a U.S. aeronautical racing trophy. The transcontinental, point-to-point race, sponsored by industrialist Vincent Bendix founder of Bendix Corporation, began in 1931 as part of the National Air Races. Initial prize money for the winners was $15,000. The last Bendix Trophy Race was flown in 1962.
The trophy was brought back in 1998 by AlliedSignal, the then-owner of the Bendix brand name (which later merged with Honeywell), to "recognize contributions to aerospace safety by individuals or institutions through innovation in advanced safety equipment and equipment utilization."
The current awards of the Honeywell Bendix Trophy for Aviation Safety includes a scale reproduction of the original Bendix Trophy design and a citation.
The purpose was to interest engineers in building faster, more reliable, and durable aircraft. Bendix competitors flew from Burbank, California, to Cleveland, Ohio, except for two years when the contest began in New York and ended in Los Angeles.
Famous competitors for the trophy included Jimmy Doolittle, who won the first race, and several women. Amelia Earhart was the first woman to enter the Bendix, taking fifth place in 1935. In 1936, Louise Thaden and her copilot Blanche Noyes won the race. Laura Ingalls finished second. In 1938, Jacqueline Cochran, arguably the greatest female aviator of all time, took home the trophy. Paul Mantz was the only pilot to ever win the Bendix three consecutive years, from 1946 through 1948.
Mister Mulligan (Howard DGA-6), commissioned and flown by Ben Howard in the 1935 race, was the only airplane ever designed for the specific purpose of winning the Bendix Trophy. The plane was designed and developed by Ben Howard and Gordon Israel, who went on to become an engineer for the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation. Mister Mulligan was designed to fly the entire length of the race nonstop and at high altitude. Neither had ever been done before. Howard and Israel, who co-piloted, won the trophy. Their victory changed how long-distance airplanes were designed.
The second-place plane in the 1935 race was actually a faster airplane but had to make refueling stops, which cost enough time to prevent Roscoe Turner from winning the race. The time difference was only 23.5 seconds between first and second place. The winning difference in speed, over the total distance was less than 0.2 mph (0.32 km/h). Mister Mulligan achieved 238.70 mph (384.15 km/h), compared to Roscoe Turner's 238.52 mph (383.86 km/h).
Mister Mulligan not only won the Bendix Trophy but also the Thompson Trophy, when flown by Harold Neumann in 1935. Instead of a cross-country distance race, the Thompson was a closed-circuit race around pylons, a type of race for which it was not particularly well suited. Entered again in the Bendix in 1936, the Mister Mulligan was completely destroyed when the craft lost one of the propeller blades, resulting in a forced landing, 40 miles (64 km) north of Crownpoint, New Mexico; this crash landing almost killed Howard and his co-pilot wife, Maxine.
Seattle native Dick Gordon orbits the moon on November 18, 1969.
Matthews, Birch J., Wet Wings & Drop Tanks: Recollections of American Transcontinental Air Racing 1928-1970. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing Company, 1993. ISBN978-0-88740-530-3.
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This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations March 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Bendix Trophy is a U S aeronautical racing trophy The transcontinental point to point race sponsored by industrialist Vincent Bendix founder of Bendix Corporation began in 1931 as part of the National Air Races Initial prize money for the winners was 15 000 The last Bendix Trophy Race was flown in 1962 The original Bendix Trophy on display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D C The trophy was brought back in 1998 by AlliedSignal the then owner of the Bendix brand name which later merged with Honeywell to recognize contributions to aerospace safety by individuals or institutions through innovation in advanced safety equipment and equipment utilization The current awards of the Honeywell Bendix Trophy for Aviation Safety includes a scale reproduction of the original Bendix Trophy design and a citation Contents 1 The race 2 Mister Mulligan 3 Winners 4 Honeywell Bendix trophy for Aviation Safety recipients 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksThe race EditThe purpose was to interest engineers in building faster more reliable and durable aircraft Bendix competitors flew from Burbank California to Cleveland Ohio except for two years when the contest began in New York and ended in Los Angeles Famous competitors for the trophy included Jimmy Doolittle who won the first race and several women Amelia Earhart was the first woman to enter the Bendix taking fifth place in 1935 In 1936 Louise Thaden and her copilot Blanche Noyes won the race Laura Ingalls finished second In 1938 Jacqueline Cochran arguably the greatest female aviator of all time took home the trophy Paul Mantz was the only pilot to ever win the Bendix three consecutive years from 1946 through 1948 The race was not run during World War II Postwar winners were frequently military veterans from the United States Army Air Forces the 1956 winner Capt Manuel Fernandez Jr was the third ranking Korean War USAF ace By the 1960s American interest in air racing declined This was probably due to an increased focus on the space race during this time Lt Richard F Gordon Jr the winner in 1961 went on to become an astronaut with NASA Mister Mulligan EditMister Mulligan Howard DGA 6 commissioned and flown by Ben Howard in the 1935 race was the only airplane ever designed for the specific purpose of winning the Bendix Trophy The plane was designed and developed by Ben Howard and Gordon Israel who went on to become an engineer for the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation Mister Mulligan was designed to fly the entire length of the race nonstop and at high altitude Neither had ever been done before Howard and Israel who co piloted won the trophy Their victory changed how long distance airplanes were designed The second place plane in the 1935 race was actually a faster airplane but had to make refueling stops which cost enough time to prevent Roscoe Turner from winning the race The time difference was only 23 5 seconds between first and second place The winning difference in speed over the total distance was less than 0 2 mph 0 32 km h Mister Mulligan achieved 238 70 mph 384 15 km h compared to Roscoe Turner s 238 52 mph 383 86 km h Mister Mulligan not only won the Bendix Trophy but also the Thompson Trophy when flown by Harold Neumann in 1935 Instead of a cross country distance race the Thompson was a closed circuit race around pylons a type of race for which it was not particularly well suited Entered again in the Bendix in 1936 the Mister Mulligan was completely destroyed when the craft lost one of the propeller blades resulting in a forced landing 40 miles 64 km north of Crownpoint New Mexico this crash landing almost killed Howard and his co pilot wife Maxine Winners EditPropeller ClassYear Start location End location Pilot Plane Speed MPH Time H M S Prize1931 Burbank Cleveland Maj James H Doolittle Super Solution 223 06 09 10 21 0 7 5001932 Burbank Cleveland Capt Jasper H Haizlip WW 44 245 00 08 19 45 0 8 7501933 New York Los Angeles Roscoe Turner WW 44 214 78 11 30 00 0 4 0501934 Burbank Cleveland Doug Davis WW 44 216 24 09 26 41 0 4 5001935 Burbank Cleveland Ben Howard DGA 6 238 70 08 33 16 3 4 5001936 New York Los Angeles Louise ThadenBlanche Noyes C 17R 165 35 14 55 01 0 4 5001937 Los Angeles Cleveland Frank W Fuller Jr SEV 2S 258 20 07 54 26 3 9 0001938 Los Angeles Cleveland Jacqueline Cochran SEV 2S 249 11 08 10 31 4 9 0001939 Los Angeles Cleveland Frank W Fuller Jr SEV 2S 282 10 07 14 19 0 9 0001940 No races during this period due to World War II194119421943194419451946 Los Angeles Cleveland Paul Mantz P 51 435 50 04 43 14 0 10 0001947 Los Angeles Cleveland Paul Mantz P 51 460 42 04 26 57 4 10 0001948 Los Angeles Cleveland Paul Mantz P 51 447 98 04 33 48 7 10 0001949 Rosamond Dry Lake Cleveland Joe DeBona Flying for Jimmy Stewart F 51 470 14 04 16 17 5 10 000 Jet ClassYear Start location End location Pilot Plane Speed MPH Time H M S Prize1946 Van Nuys Cleveland Leon W Gray F P 80A 494 78 04 08 00 0 1947 Cleveland Leon W Gray F P 80A 507 26 04 02 00 01948 Cleveland Ens F E Brown FJ 1 489 53 04 11 00 01949 Cleveland Vernon A Ford F 84E 529 61 03 45 51 01950 No race this year due to Korean War1951 Muroc Field Detroit Col Keith K Compton F 86A 553 76 03 27 00 01952 No race this year due to Korean War1953 Muroc Field Wright Patterson Air Force Base Maj William T Whisner Jr F 86F 603 55 03 05 25 01954 Edwards Air Force Base Dayton Capt Edward W Kenny F 84F 616 21 03 01 56 01955 Victorville Philadelphia Col Carlos Talbott F 100C 610 7261956 George Air Force Base Tinker Air Force Base Capt Manuel Fernandez Jr F 100C 666 661957 Chicago Andrews Air Force Base Capt Kenneth Chandler F 102A 679 00 02 54 45 01958 No award these years195919601961 Los Angeles New York Lt Richard F Gordon Jr Lt Bobbie R Young F4H 1 869 74 02 47 00 01962 Los Angeles New York Capt Robert G SowersCapt Robert MacDonaldCapt John T Walton B 58A 1 214 17 02 00 56 8Honeywell Bendix trophy for Aviation Safety recipients EditYear Recipient Company1998 Capt David A FlemingCapt Edward D MendenhallCapt Edmond L Soliday British AirwaysGulfstream AircraftUnited Airlines1999 Leonard M Greene Safe Flight Instrument Corp 2000 James F Bothwell STAT Medevac2001 No award this year2002 Gulfstream Aerospace Corp 2003 Peter F Sheppard UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch2004 Dassault Aviation2005 Earl F Weener Ph D 2006 No award this year2007 Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation2008 The Mode S Radar Tools Project U K National Air Traffic Services2011 National Air Transport System NATS and Airbox Aerospace 1 See also EditList of aviation awardsReferences Edit The Major Trophy Races of the Golden Age of Air Racing by David H Onkst US Centennial of Flight Commission retrieved January 6 2006 The Bendix Trophy Air Racing History retrieved January 6 2006 The Quest for Speed Bendix Air Races 1931 to 1949 From Air Trails September 1950 Artifacts Bendix Trophy Smithsonian Institution Online Exhibit 1954 USAF Serial Numbers entry number 2096 Astronaut Bio Richard F Gordon Jr Captain USN Ret United States Air Force Aviation AeroWeb History Howard DGA 6 Mister Mulligan at the Arkansas Air Museum Service History of the Shooting Star Up From Kitty Hawk 1944 1953 The National Air Races Sport Scoreboard Sep 14 1953 Time magazine Seattle native Dick Gordon orbits the moon on November 18 1969 Matthews Birch J Wet Wings amp Drop Tanks Recollections of American Transcontinental Air Racing 1928 1970 Atglen Pennsylvania Schiffer Publishing Company 1993 ISBN 978 0 88740 530 3 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bendix Trophy The Honeywell Bendix Trophy for Aviation Safety at Flight Safety Foundation homepage Kenny s Long Shot about Kenny s 1954 Bendix Trophy run Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bendix Trophy amp oldid 1100964477, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
