The Story of the 1929–1949 National Air Races

The National Air Races and the larger-than-life heroes of that thrilling aerial drama, the race pilots, inspired generations of young men and women to take to the air to nurture their sense of adventure, explore their imaginations, and pursue their dreams.

The Story of the 1929–1949 National Air Race represents an interesting and significant chapter in modern aviation’s development. The fascinating story of the National Air Races is recounted in this lively, 2-hour narrative which presents over 600 rare, original photographs, and more than 50 minutes of vintage newsreel clips and home movie footage, much of this source material presented to the public for the first time.

The National Air Races were one of the top spectator events of their time, comparable in popularity to the Kentucky Derby and the Indianapolis 500, and often drew 100,000 race fans to each day of competition. Furthermore, the hotly-contested, record-setting cross-country and closed-course races were responsible for numerous advancements in aircraft design and performance, particularly during the years between the world wars.

It’s all here―from the cutting-edge, homebuilt racers of the 1930s like the Gee Bee Racers, Wedell-Williams Racers and the Laird Super Solution, that were faster than the best that the military had at the time, to the post-World War Two, highly-modified, surplus military aircraft…and also included are the tiny, fast, and nimble Goodyear Racers of the 1940’s which are currently represented at the Reno Championship Air Races by the Formula One race class.

Men and women pilots flew as equals in many of the races as The National Air Races were gender-inclusive long before this issue became a common cause. And, of course, the legendary pilots including Roscoe Turner, Jimmy Doolittle, and Benny Howard and designers like Granville Brothers, Matty Laird and Jimmy Wedell are featured prominently throughout this unique and entertaining DVD.