Aero Vintage Books

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Info from newspapers, still photos and 1947 Cleveland video

01 "Men with wings" (1938) ... Mantz finished third in the 1938 BENDIX RACE with "Men with wings" promotion on cowling. Lockheed Orion 9 N12222.
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02-03 "Blaze of Noon" (1947) ... Single-engine propeller driven transcontinental speed records in both directions with "Blaze of Noon" movie promotion on left side of airplane instead of race # 46, P-51C NX1202

February 28, 1947, West to East, Burbank-Lockheed Air Terminal to New York-LaGuardia, 6 hr 7 min 5 sec

March 9, 1947, East-West, NY-LaGuardia to Burbank 7hr 47min 19sec

"Blaze of Noon" was on the left side of NX1202 only for these two records.

Aug 30, 1947, BENDIX RACE, Van Nuys to Cleveland, 1st place, race # 46 on sides, P-51C NX1202 (Mantz also won the Bendix Race in 1946 NX1202 and 1948 NX1204)
FIRST instance of rear windows covered...

September 3, 1947 (returning to California after the BENDIX, # 46 on sides, NY-LaGuardia to Burbank 7hr 4 sec (THIRD transcon record for 1947), P-51C NX1202
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04 "12 O'clock High" (1949) ... Transcontinental speed record with "12 O'clock High" promotion on side, P-51C NX1204

Jan 21, 1950, West-East Burbank to NY-Idlewild (now JFK) 4 hrs 52 min 58 sec 502.543 mph

Jan 29, 1950, East-West record attempt aborted at Amarillo due to unfavorable winds
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05-06 Paul Mantz also set a few other speed records as seen on NX1204 at SNA, June 1961 (note depiction of Bendix trophy)
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READY FOR TAKEOFF Feb-28-1947 ...

Paul Mantz stands on the wing of NX1202 shortly before takeoff from Lockheed Air Terminal to attempt to break the West-to-East speed record from Burbank to New York-LaGuardia

image source: snappygoat public domain images

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Paul Mantz arriving at Oakland on August 16, 1947 after setting a new speed record from Burbank to Oakland, 51 minutes 56 seconds
The next day he set another record the other way from Oakland to Burbank in 50 minutes 40 seconds.
Image and caption source: Bill Larkins flicker account
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