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Lockheed 12A
Long-distance racer. The Bendix Trophy Race, a major
cross-country race from Los Angeles, California, to
Cleveland, Ohio—2,043 miles—was a big part of the National
Air Races. Milo Burcham decided to enter a 12A, and to
overcome his speed disadvantage, he intended to make the
trip non-stop to save the time need for fuel stops by the
other short-range competitors. He installed additional fuel
tanks in the cabin; they put his plane—formerly NC18130—on a
Restricted or "NR" license. With race plane number 20, he
finished fifth in the 1937 Bendix. At l84mph, fifth place
was a respectable showing, especially since he raced against
the privately owned Seversky P-35 pursuit planes that placed
first and fourth. He won $1,000.
World flight
attempt. Another 12A with distance modifications was NR869E;
it was owned by the Republic Oil Co. but flown by famous
distance pilot Jimmy Mattern. It was being readied for a
record-setting flight around the world by having its cabin
filled with fuel tanks. The cabin windows and passenger door
were eliminated, and the crew entered through a hatch in the
top of the cockpit. Named The Texan, this 12A had a good
chance of beating Howard Hughes' around-the-world record of
91 hours, 14 minutes and 10 seconds that was set in July
1938 with a Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra.
Unfortunately for Mattern—and
for Hughes, who was planning another dash—WW II got in the
way.
The
12A—R18130 with race number 20—that was flown by Milo
Burcham to fifth place in the 1937 Bendix Trophy race. What
appear to be rubber de-icer boots on the leading edges of
the horizontal stabilizer and lower fins are not such; they
are rubber anti-abrasion strips that prevented gravel that
had been kicked up by the wheels and propellers from denting
the leading edges.
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