Evening star., 1951-08-19
Missouri AT Colonel
Wins Bendix Air Race
Al SIS k.P.H. Speed
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press
DETROIT, Aug. 18.-An Air
Force colonel from Missouri
streaked into Detroit from Cali
fornia in less than three and 81
half hours today to win the Ben
dix TranScontinental Trophy race
and set a new speed record for
the National Air Races event.
Flying an F-86E Sabre jet with
standard equipment, Col. Keith K.
Compton, IS, covered the more
than 1900 miles in an unofficial
elapsed time of 3 hours, 26 min
utes and 564 seconds. This in
cluded two quick stops for re-
fueling.
This was an average speed of
b55.73 miles an hour, according to
UNOFFICIAL figures. The old record
for Bendix race was 529.61 miles
per hour set by Maj. Vernon A..
Ford in an F-84 from Rosamond
Dry Like, Calf, to Cleveland two
years ago.
Wife Objected to Race.
The st. Joseph CMo) colonel,
who said he entered the Bendix
event lover the extreme objections
of my wife" flashed across the
finish line at Wayne Major Air
port st 12:S1:41 pm. (E.S.T0. He
IooA foLa~ aR frov,n TJuyorde All.
Force base near Los Angeles at
O:04:45.
An air races spokesman said
there would be on certif1cation of
q Bendix winner tonight because
the National Aeronautics Associa-
ton refused to confirm times. The
association said it had not re-
ceived telegraphic confirmation of
official takeoh times at the Muroc
base.
1t was almost a dead heat for
second between Col. Emmett (Ed)
Davis, 50, of Compton, Calf, and
Mai. Gilbert A. Peterson, 81, of
Arcadia, Calf.
Both flew F-S4 Thunderjets.
combination fighter b m b er S
which made the long flight nom
stop.
Eight planes were in the race
- -pitting jet bombers against
fighters for the first time-but
one of them landed at nearby
Selfridge Air Force base because
1t was running dangerously low
on fuel and didn't figure in the
order of finish.
Time of Other Entrants.
Col. Davis unofficial elapsed
time was 3 hours, 33 minutes and
47.6 seconds. Maj. Pederson's was
S:34:32.4.
Following on the basis of
elapsed time were:
1t. Col. George B. Thabault,
36. Of Wincoski. VT, in 3:35:11.2;
Capt. Bernard A. Watts, of Lang
ley Air Base, Va, 3:39:33; Capt.
Edward R. johnson, 90, Reynolds,
Ill, 3:43:35, and Maj. Leo NJ.
Dykes, jr., 80, st. Petersburg.
Fla, 3:46:04.
Capt. Thomas v. Gibson, 35, of
Glendale, Calf, who landed at
Selfridge, said he had only one
minute supply of fuel when he
touched ground.
You didn't see me circle the
field before I landed" the f1ier
said as he stepped from his
fighter.
Col. Compton said he few at
up to $4,000 feet, but began to
cut his altitude after he passed
over Chicago. This, he said, en-
abled him to complete the remain
ing 200 miles or so at the speed
of sound-756 m. p. h. at sea level.
He made about four minute re-
fueling stops at Denver and
Omaha.
Col. Thabault, Capt. Watts and
Major Dykes piloted B-45 Tornado
get bomberS and Capt. Gibson had
another F-86.
The Air Force, Army, Navy and
Canadian Royal Air Force thrilled
q crowd of some IS 900 with faster
than-sound speed daShes and dem
onstrations of the latest aerial
weapons.
Continental Semi Finals.
A record-breaking performance
highlighted the semi-final heats
today of the Continental race.
John Paul Jones, 81, of Van
Nuys, Calf, set a new 10-lap speed
record of 197.472 to serve notice
that he intends to win some of the
$25,000 prize money in that event
sole remaining one for civilians.
Continental finals come Sunday.
AS a matter of fact, the old rec
ord of 188.667 m.p.h. was topped
flve times during the day.
Sylvester (Steve) Whitman, vet
eran Oshkosh (Wis) f1ier won the
first heat with speed of 1870
m.p.h.
Keith Sorensen, of La Crescenta,
Calf, buzzed to victory in the
second heat in 189857.
In addition, Bill Falck of War
wick, N. Y, who placed second to
Mr.. Whitman in the first heat,
posted a 189131 mark: and Bill
Brennand of Oshkosh, Wis, trail