1939 National Air Races

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1939 National Air Races title screen.

Documentary (1939)

Starring:
pilots and mechanics (Themselves)

Silent film about the last pre-War edition of one of the most famous series of pylon and cross-country races that have taken place in Cleveland, Ohio, between 2–5 September 1939. Screenshot from different sources but common to the three movies found on open source.

Rider R-4

Reg. NX261Y Keith Rider R-4 wearing race number 70. Pilot : Tony LE VIER.

Unidentified Aircraft

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Rider R-6

Reg. NX96Y Rider R-6 with race number 18.

Crosby CR-4

Reg. NX92Y #52 Crosby CR-4

Chester Special #2

Reg. NX93Y, race number 5, Chester Special The Goon ended at first place at 263.39 mph (424 km/h) for the Greve Trophy. Sold to Bill Falck in 1947 and finally purchased by the Crawford Collection in 1991 and returned to Cleveland.

Brown B-2

Reg. NX255Y Brown B-2 running with #33.

Aeronca KC Scout

Wittman D-12 Bonzo

Takeoff of the Wittman D-12 Bonzo.

Reg. NX13688 white 4, an astonishing aircraft, given the limited resources of its designer and the results obtained.

Unidentified Aircraft

1. 4 Racer

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Douglas DC-2 & Unidentified Aircraft

The right Unidentified Aircraft could be a Fairchild 24.

Lockheed Model 12 Electra Junior

Grumman F3F

Curtiss P-36C Hawk

Curtiss P-36C Hawk of the 27th Pursuit Squadron.

Douglas B-18 Bolo

A Douglas B-18 Bolo surrounded by the Curtiss P-36 Hawk with the Navy's Grumman F3F taxiing in the background.

Seversky S-2

Reg. NX70Y and race number 77 for this Seversky S-2 (Seversky P-35 DS -Doolittle Special-) piloted by the winner of the Bendix Transcontinental race (Los Angeles, CAL. - Cleveland, Ohio) Frank W. Fuller Jr.

Fleet ?

Taking off in the background of two Grumman F3Fs taxiing.

Grumman F3F

Unidentified Aircraft

Curtiss P-6 Hawk

Reg. NX9110 Curtiss P-6 Hawk with Jesse Quinn Bristow at the controls.
Modified in 1939 for aerobatic. Registration canceled on 9 January 1940.
SOHIO was the Standard Oil Company (Ohio), an American petroleum company that existed from 1870 to 1987.

Ford Trimotor

Later seen dropping paras leading the Stinson.

Stinson Model A & Stinson Model U

Reg. NC12136 yellow and black Stinson U in front of a Stinson Model A (of [Pennsylvania] Central Airlines ?).

Note the distinctive shape of the Stinson Model A wing.

Piper J-3P-50 Cub

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Piper J-3L

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Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing

Reg. NX18562 Beechcraft Model 17W c/n 164 of Jacqueline Cochran-Odlum. Later downgraded to D17R then commandeered under s/n 42-107277 and eventually return to the civil life as NC50958.

Taylor Cub ?

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Taylorcraft B

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Marcoux-Bromberg R-3

Reg. NX14215 Marcoux-Bromberg R-3 (built as Rider R-3) [[Image:NatAirRaces39_034_NX14215.jpg|thumb|500px|none|] [[Image:NatAirRaces39_034B.jpg|thumb|500px|none|Earl Ortman.] [[Image:NatAirRaces39_034C.jpg|thumb|500px|none|]

Turner Laird Special / Laird-Tuner RT-14

Reg. NX263Y Laird-Tuner RT-14. Winner aircraft piloted by Roscoe Turner at 282,5 mph.

It was the third time Roscoe won the Thompson Trophy after his victories in 1934 and 1938.

Wedell-Williams Model 44

Reg. NR61Y Ring Free Comet the Wedell-Williams Model 44 (race number 25) of Joe Mackey ended at the 6th and last place (Art Chester and The Goon were out at lap 17).

Unidentified Antique

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Waco ASO & Piper Cub

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Unidentified Antique

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Unidentified Biplane

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See also

• 18 minutes color movie then ten minutes of black and white news
• a longer copy of the film with some specific action
• National Air Races at Wikipedia