bendixairrace

Jimmy Doolittle, Laird Super Solution

North American P-51C-10-NT Mustang 44-10947 "...SOC at Searcy Field, Stillwater, OK. Sold by War Assets Corp to Paul Mantz Feb 19, 1946 as NCX1202. Won 1946 and 1947 Bendix trophy races, placed second in 1948 Bendix trophy race. Registered as NC1202, placed 3rd in 1949 Bendix trophy race. Set coast to coast speed records in both directions in 1947. Purchased by Charles Blair and prepared for round the world record attempt as Excalibur III. Attempt pre-empted by Korean War. Set record New York-London time of 7 hr 48 min Jan 31, 1951, which still stands for piston-engined aircraft. First trans-polar flight from Norway to Fairbanks, AK May 29, 1951, winning Harmon Trophy. Now with Air and Space Museum as Excalibur III. Reported in 1990 as on display in Museum of Science and Industry, Los Angeles, CA" - J. Baugher

This is a photo of Lt. Col. Martin Oliver Detlie (b. 1928 - d. 2008). Detlie would participate in the 1958 Bendix Races flying a Convair F-102A Delta Dagger. As per his obituary published in the Daily Press (Hampton Roads, VA) he was a distinguished aviator: articles.dailypress.com/2008-07-06/news/0807060033_1_edwa... Martin Oliver Detlie July 06, 2008 HAMPTON — Lt. Col. Martin Oliver Detlie, USAF (Ret), MO to most people, took his last adventurous flight on July 2, 2008. He was born on Sept. 4, 1928. He was a remarkable man in many respects. He joined the Air Force in 1950 and became a Jet Fighter Pilot. Upon being stationed in Germany, he flew the P-47 Thunderbolt, F-84E Thunderjet and F- 86F Saber Jet and the slot position with the USAF Skyblazers acrobatic team in Europe. Back in the states he was a test pilot for the phase 5 testing of the F-102A at Edwards AFB in California. In 1957, he placed fourth in a field of six F-102's in the Bendix Trophy Air Race. In 1958, flew the F-102 with the 327th Fighter Interceptor Squadron in Thule, Greenland. In 1959, he was the Project Officer for the F-102/F-106 at Norton AFB in California and a year later the Project Officer for the F-4 at TAC HQ at Langley AFB in Virginia. He served in the Vietnam War during 1965 and 1966, then onto Perrin AFB in Texas and Misawa AFB in Japan, ultimately retiring at Langley AFB in Sept. 1971, after a long and illustrious career, receiving numerous decorations and medals for his service to his country. In 2001, MO married Wivi Pelt of Denmark. They enjoyed spending part of each year between Hampton and Denmark. He was a member of the Order of the Daedalians, the Military Order of the World Wars, Air Force Assoc., TROA and the P-47 Thunderbolts Pilots Assoc. MO is survived by his loving wife, Wivi Pelt Detlie; his three children and his grandchildren.