The Cleveland National Air Races
As the beautiful Cleveland spring turns into, what I hope will be, a gorgeous Cleveland summer - my eyes are always drawn to the lush blue skies. Many of you know I have a vivid imagination, and I can see the sky full of airplanes from the past racing each other for trophies and glory. I, of course, wax nostalgic. But there was a time when the Cleveland National Air Races were internationally known and celebrated. Huge throngs of Clevelanders and many out-of-towners would come to the Cleveland Municipal Airport and see beautiful aircraft compete to be considered the fastest craft in the land.
The National Air Races were held in Cleveland from 1929 to 1949. The City Fathers had just built the Municipal Airport - at the time the largest airport facility in the world - and it came blessed with 50,000 permanent seats (and temporary seats that could push the attendance to over 100,000). The Airport was changed radically over the years, but this photo gives an idea of how large these races were in attendance and scope.
Here is another photo of the grandstands in 1931. The crowds were massive. In fact the Municipal Airport had these grandstands as a “permanent fixture” of the facility. Which is simply mind-boggling to me. But it was true. I have, in fact, seen pictures of the airport from this time period and the grandstands stand out from the rest of the airport.
There were at times over 35 air races held at the event and many cross-country junkets that ended here in Cleveland. In fact, there was a world-famous “Powder Puff” air race for women - a race that Amelia Earhart participated in as well as Blanche Noyes seen below getting into her ride.
Of course, for my money, there is nothing better than a large Zeppelin air ship.
Yes, indeed, the world famous Graf Zeppelin made a cameo appearance at the Cleveland National Air Races in 1929. My - how I wish this photo was in color. I would have really enjoyed seeing this massive ship and the large crowd helping it be taxied in brilliant color.
Of course, there were aircraft at the show…
Really beautiful aircraft.
Two of the more famous races were the Thompson Trophy Race, sponsored by Thompson Products, and the cross-country Bendix Trophy Race, sponsored by the Bendix Company. Unfortunately, not all craft finished could finish the race. There were significant fatalities at the air race mainly the pilots themselves as seen in this photo of a 1929 air plane wreck.
In fact during the 1949 Thompson Trophy race a pilot named Bill Odom crashed his modified P-51C racer into the Berea home of Jeanne Laird, killing himself, Jeanne and her 13 month old son. It was the last year for the races in Cleveland. With few exceptions, the Air Races were held every year from 1920 until 1949. It wasn’t until 1964 when Cleveland again began an annual National Air Show event. But the glory days of the event from 1929 until World War II are widely considered some of the finest air races ever held across the globe.
Posted by in 23:06:35
This is not Bill Odom’s plane. In that crash the plane and house were destroyed by the impact and subsequent explosion.