Bloody Monday
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WARBIRDS WARBIRDS INTERNATIONAL WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS WARBIRDS FOR THE 1947 THOMPSON TROPHY George “Wheaties” Welch, Howard “Tick” Lilly, and Chuck RACE, A LARGE AND DIVERSE Tucker. The year of 1946, in fact, would be a battle of these test pilots. Welch representing the North American factory, GROUP OF UNLIMITED WARBIRDS Tony LeVier representing Lockheed, and “Tex” Johnson rep- GATHERED TO RACE THE PYLONS. resenting Bell. UNFORTUNATELY, MANY WOULD The effort by Bell Aircraft was the most thought out and prepared as two modified P-39 Airacobras — Cobra I and NOT SURVIVE Cobra II arrived at Cleveland in 1946 to do battle for the 1946 Thompson Trophy. “Wheaties” Welch was represent- BY TIM ing North American in a hastily prepared and somewhat WEINSCHENKER shabby looking P-51. Tony LeVier had a brilliant red P-38 Lighting representing Lockheed. Tragically, Jack Woolams notoriety as his picture would be fea- would perish in the fatal crash of Cobra I after completion of tured on cereal boxes among other qualifications but his teammate Tex Johnson would fly Cobra he resumption of the National Air things. When racing resumed in 1946, life II to victory in the Thompson with Tony LeVier finishing a Races in 1946 was part of the return was much different. surprising second place in his P-38. Johnson and Cobra II to “normalcy” for the United States For one thing aviation technology had averaged a speed of 373-mph in their winning effort. Far following the conclusion of hostilities undergone rapid and radical change, being below the ultimate capability of this combination but what T would 1947 bring? Now that racing had resumed, pilots had in the Second World War. The races on Labor driven by the demands of a war. When racing Day weekend in Cleveland had been a fixture resumed the airplanes would not be one-off, some idea of what the competition would be. Would there be in pre-war America and the general public was hand-made specials but war surplus fighter any changes in 1947? anxious for things to return to “normal.” It planes and the radical new jet aircraft. The answer was a big YES! was an enthusiastic audience in Cleveland on “Golden Age” pilot Steve Wittman briefly The efforts of Skylanes Unlimited owners Tex Johnson, Labor Day in 1946 that welcomed the return. considered building his own race plane for Jack Woolams, and Chalmers “Slick” Goodlin represented a But America was forever changed by WWII 1946 but this notion was quickly shelved — very professional approach to victory. They were fully sup- and so were the National Air Races. replaced by purchasing a war surplus Bell ported by the Bell factory and Allison engines in 1946. The program was well thought out and execut- The pre-war races would become to be P-63 Kingcobra to take its place. Woody Edmundson with his ill-fated A-36A Mustang. known as “The Golden Age.” Participants in In 1946, the pilots of these machines ed. The 1946 effort was geared more the Thompson Trophy flew aircraft that had would be a combination of returning veterans towards reliability rather than ultimate chief test pilot for Bell and his death was not only a loss to been hand-made, one-off specials that were as like Earl Ortman, Tony LeVier, and Steve speed. Other “go fast” options were wife Margaret but to Larry Bell as well. As soon as the 1946 unique as their pilots. The prototype had to be Wittman; returning servicemen and war discussed but left off the table in 1946 as they didn’t think Thompson was concluded, Larry Bell told Tex that his air the colorful, swashbuckling, larger than life heroes such as Cook Cleland and Steve they would be needed. racing days were over if he wanted to continue as a test pilot character of Col. Roscoe Turner. Sponsored Beville and, more importantly, a group of fac- The victory in the Thompson was a fitting triumph that at Bell. by Heinz Foods, Turner would gain national tory test pilots such as Alvin “Tex” Johnson, was tempered by the death of Jack Woolams. Jack was the Tex wanted to continue with Bell so he was soon looking Overall view showing many fascinating racers on the 1947 Cleveland ramp. 24 WARBIRDS INTERNATIONAL/September 2019 warbirdsintlnow.com 25.