![\"\"](\"https:\/\/volareproducts.com\/new2024\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Cessna-advert-2.jpg\")
<\/a>The first eligible C-34 for the Thompson – but only if you accept the Detroit News Trophy as a “race”.<\/p><\/div>\n
The current wording in the FAC Rules permits airplanes that raced in other US races, not just the big National Air Races.\u00a0 As I did my research for a possible Dime Scale C-34, I kept running across references to “trophy winner” and “winningest airplane” – it seems the C-34 helped Cessna secure the Detroit News Air Transport Trophy (a four-event race for; economy, speed, and minimum take-off and landing capabilities with the best passenger safety and comfort).\u00a0 A Cessna AW had won years before and in 1935 and 1936, a C-34 provided the 2nd and 3rd manufacturer wins and Cessna earned the permanent possession of the trophy – and much-needed attention and sales resulting.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Notice the list of 1935 NAR wins in the lower left corner!\u00a0 (These are the trophies in the first ad above.)<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
But efficiency tours are not usually considered “races” and I did not want to claim that the C-34 would be eligible for the FAC Thompson Race by virtue of an efficiency trial, even if speed was part of it.<\/p>\n
At the 1936 Miami Air Races, Cessna also won the Argentine Trophy with a speed of 156 mph – but how was that race structured – and talk about obscure – who would willingly accept that without thinking I was trying to pull a fast one in qualifications?\u00a0 I hoped I could find more definitive, less suspect race results.\u00a0 I did so in the 1936 National Air Races.<\/p>\n
Betty Browning won the Amelia Earhart Trophy at the 1936 NAR (Los Angeles), a 5-lap, 25 mile pylon race for women pilots.\u00a0 She flew the same C-34 that won the 3rd win of the Detroit News Trophy – and the Argentine Trophy:\u00a0 s\/n 320, NC15852.\u00a0 This is a “real” air race!\u00a0 If you discount it because it was a women’s race, then you are discounting the real accomplishments of women pilots of the time.<\/p>\n On to the documentation of the plane – what color was it?\u00a0 Well, the two photos I could find of the plane, we can see a light overall color with darker stripe and an even darker race number.<\/p>\n I also found references to “green” and “pee-wee green”.\u00a0 I assumed a light green with a dark green stripe and a black “75” for the races.\u00a0 I asked online in a Cessna Airmaster group “what color was pee-wee-green?”\u00a0 Cessna historian, William Koelling, provided this image:<\/p>\n Note that this has yellow highlights, whereas #75 has darker highlights.\u00a0 Then, months later, Mr Koelling posted some Cessna historical documents:<\/p>\n This solidified the colors:\u00a0 PPG PeeWee Green #65, Chrome Green trim #66, and a Medium Yellow pinstripe #54.\u00a0 I found that Design Master Spring Green is pretty close to PeeWee green, so I used that for the main paint.\u00a0 Then I found samples online of Chrome Green and used them to print the stripes and numbers on the tissue before covering.<\/p>\n So, there you have it!\u00a0 Enough documentation to prove that the Cessna C-34 can qualify for the FAC Thompson Races under the current rules of “The Thompson Trophy Event is for models of aircraft with radial engines that were entered in the Thompson, Greve, <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Thompson Race in the Flying Aces Club is for pre-war racers with radial engines.\u00a0 Think:\u00a0 GeeBees, Wedell-Williams, Laird Super Solution, Laird-Turner, Cessna CR-2 and CR-3.\u00a0 Back over 20 years ago, there were restrictions against “factory” racers – or any … Continue reading <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nBendix, or other domestic races held from 1929 through 1939.”\u00a0 Not only did the C-34 enter races, it was a winner!<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n