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This silent film features the 1938 Pacific International Air Races and the Cleveland National Air Races. While the National Air Races are well known, the Pacific International is more obscure. These races were backed by a group of businessmen in the San Francisco Bay Area and directed by James Rowan Ewing, with total prize money of $25,000.
Opening: Pacific International Air Races Oakland California May 28-29-30, 1938 (:10). Sign reads: Pacific International Air Races Oakland Airport (:18). Russ Chamber's "Phantom" and Keith Rider's "The 8 Ball" (:30). Inside an airplane (1:04). Large wheels are removed and replaced with racing wheels (1:18). Art Chester in "The Jeep" (1:58). Dave Elmendorf (2:10). Russ Chamber's "Phantom" (2:18). S.J. Wittman in "Chief Oshkosh" (2:31). Earl Ortman in Marcoux-Bromberg special (3:04). Tex Rankin, aerobatic champion and Hollywood stunt pilot (3:51). Captain Alex Papana, a Romanian Ace does dangerous tricks (4:09). Mike Murphy's plane takes off from a pickup truck (4:56). Frank Fuller arrives, establishing a record from Vancouver to Oakland (5:40). U.S. Customs inspects cargo (5:47). Start of the 549 cubic inch race won by Tony LeVier from Los Angeles (6:00). Pacific International Exposition Trophy Race, Joe Nikrent is the official starter (6:13). The winner is Earl Ortman who established a new world's closed course record (7:04). Mass parachute jump (7:31). Frank Clarke and Paul Mantz, famous Hollywood stunt pilots (8:03). The races end (8:33). Kendall Oil promo (8:41).
Kendall 2000 Mile Oil Presents 1938 Cleveland National Air Races (8:51). Cleveland Airport (9:23). Burbank, CA, preparations for the Bendix Trophy Race (9:59). Larry Therkelsen, chairman of the Bendix Trophy Race Committee (10:06). Joe Marriott of Department of Commerce (10:14). Colonel Seversky, who broke a NY to LA record (10:29). Larry Therkelsen inspects the barograph (10:40). Lee Gehlbach's "Wedell Williams" (10:48). Ross Hadley's Beechcraft (11:05). George Armistead's Gee Bee (11:10). Paul Mantz's Lockheed Orion (11:16). Jacqueline Cochran's Seversky (11:28). Colonel John Hinchey's Spartan Executive (11:34). Bob Perlick's Beechcraft (11:40). Frank Cordova's Tri-Motored Bellanca (11:46). Frank Fuller's Seversky (11:59). Record breakers: Jackie Cochran, Fuller and Colonel Alexander de Seversky (12:13). They check oxygen masks/equipment (12:26). Jacqueline Cochran and Colonel Seversky (12:52). Ross Hadley and Al Lary (13:06). Bernarr MacFadden (13:20). Frank Fuller (13:27). George Armistead (13:33). Paul Mantz (13:39). Frank Cordova (13:45). Bob Perlick (13:50). Lee Gehlbach and Colonel Seversky (13:57). Burbank luncheon (14:13). Cleveland show, attendance records (14:43). Douglas Corrigan of trans-Atlantic fame (15:01). Jacqueline Cochran arrives in Cleveland winning the Bendix Trophy Race (15:18). Frank Fuller arrives in his Seversky winning second place, congratulated by Vincent Bendix and Cliff Henderson (16:12). Paul Mantz in his Lockheed Orion takes 3rd place (17:40). "Admiral Michel Murphinsky of the Swiss Navy" aka stunt plot Mike Murphy (18:05). Max Constant in his Beechcraft wins 4th place (18:52). German trans-Atlantic plane leaves for New York (19:14). Ross Hadley and Al Lary take 5th place (19:24). Miss Hanna Reitsch in her glider (19:36). Army Seversky built pursuit planes (19:54). Captain "High Hat" Granere in his D.T. 4 in the sky (21:06). Admiral and Captain have a fake dogfight (21:50). Louis W. Greve Trophy Race; Harry Crosby is a pilot (22:06). Earl Ortman in a Marcoux-Bromberg (22:17). Joe Jacobson, pilot of a Keith Rider Special (22:25). Wm. Gawley and Joe Jacobson (22:35). Wm Schoenfeldt, owner of the winning plane flown by Tony Levier (22:49). Wm Gawley and Roger Don Rae (22:55). Race begins (23:05). Tony Levier lands (23:41). Art Chester, 2nd place (23:59). Captain Alexis Papana, a Romanian ace (24:14). The Autogiro pays a visit (24:37). Parachute jump race: won by Fay Cox (24:58). Harold Johnson & his Ford Tri-motor (25:34). Earl Ortman and mechanic Frank Roberts (27:04). Wittman Bonzo S.J. Wittman (27:18). Art Chester (27:25). A new military ship and its pilot: Leigh Wade (27:35). Bringing the planes to the starting line; starting the race (27:44). Planes race through the sky (28:10). Ad for Kendall 2000 Mile Oil (30:25). End credits (31:22).
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 and 2k. For more information visit www.PeriscopeFilm.com