Video cameraperson: Derek Pedley on September 30th, 2013
Travel Air Type R "Mystery Ship"
The star of the LAA 2013 Rally was undoubtedly the magnificent new Travel Air Type R "Mystery Ship" we talk to Ron Souch from Aero Antiques who built the aircraft and the aeroplane's proud owner and provider of the funding Mr Richard Seeley, and the LAA's Chief Test Pilot Mr Dan Griffith.
The Type R "Mystery Ships" were a series of wire-braced, low-wing racing airplanes built by the Travel Air company in the late 1920s and early 1930s. They were so called, because the first three aircraft of the series (R614K, R613K, B11D) were built entirely in secrecy.
In total, five Type Rs were built and flown by some of the most notable flyers of the day.
The Model R series set numerous speed records for both pylon racing and cross country flying, and were the most advanced aircraft of the day, by far outpacing anything that even the military could offer. On September 2, 1929, Doug Davies entered the "Mystery Ship" in the Thompson Cup Race. Davis won at a speed of 194.9 mph (one lap flown at 208.69 mph), beating the military entries, even recircling one of the pylons. This was the first time in the history of air racing that a civilian racer had outperformed a military aircraft.