Society of Air Racing Historians

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F2G

THE HISTORY OF THE 1949 THOMPSON TROPHY WINNER #94

BuNo 14693 XF2G-1

Cook Cleland was able to enter not one, but three F2G’s in the 1947 Thompson Trophy Race. Cleland choose to fly # 47 himself and assigned # 94 to Dick Becker and #84 to Tony Janazzo.

 

                                                               
                                                                                 (Bud Ricketts)
                                                        BuNo14693 when it arrived in the Cleveland area.
                                                                    That is Cook Cleland on the wing.

In 1947 the aircraft color was white and insignia red. Dick Becker was the leader for a number of laps in the Thompson till Cleland passed him in # 74 and won the race giving the Cleland team a one-two finish.

                                                                                                                                          

                                                                 
                                                                               (Del Bryan collection)
                                                    Dick Becker wins second place in 1947 Thompson Trophy
                                                           

                                                    94 Color Mark Allen adj.jpg (84359 bytes)
                                                               Dick Becker after finishing in second place
                                                                   in the 1947 Thompson Trophy Race.

 

Well into the Thompson Race in 1948, Cleland was flying # 94 when the redesigned intake cowling blew apart. As he prepared to land he felt Becker would go on to win, only to find Becker already on the ground with the same problem.

 

                                                                    

                                                                              (Bill Meixner collection)
                                                                           Cleland checking the damage

In 1949 Cleland, Becker and McKillen all qualified for the Thompson. Dick Becker suffered the misfortune of blowing the propeller gear reduction box just as he completed the last pass. He was close enough to the field to enable him to make a successful dead stick landing. The engine could not be repaired in time for the Thompson Trophy race. Cook Cleland won the Thompson Trophy for the second time, the only person to win more than once, other than Roscoe Turner who won three times.

 

                                                                 

                                                                              (Bill Meixner collection)
                                                          Roscoe Turner presenting the Thompson Trophy to
                                                              Cook Cleland with Fred Crawford looking on.

                                                      
                          
                                                                                (Burke-Smith Studio)
                                                                        #94 at the start of the 1949 race.

                                                       

                                                      
                                                                            (Kevin Grantham collection)
                                                                          winner 1949 Thompson Trophy

                                                                                                                          

                                                      
                                                                                       (Dr. Aaron King)
                                                                                      Al Bush collection

                                                          

                                                                                (Wes Hansen Collection)
                                                                      #94 on display at downtown Cleveland

 

 

                                                            

                                                                                  (Wes Hansen Collection)
                                                                            #94 Deteriorating at Cleveland Airport

 

                                                                     

                                                                            (Unknown) Courtesy Adam Snelly
                                                            A young friend watching #94 having it’s engine removed
                                                                                             (Sept. ’55)

                                                    
                                                                        (Robert Christensen collection)

#94 sat on Cleveland Airport property for a number of years. Airport employee’s searched for someone to take it, but could find no one. The Crawford Museum accepted the engine and the propeller, the remains were delivered to the airport fire department to be burned for practice. The "bones of #94 are buried at Cleveland Airport, perhaps, some day they will be uncovered.

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