From The Archives: Hawks Record Flight Demonstrates Cowling

A Lockheed Air Express flown by Capt. Frank M. Hawks, an aeronautics advisor at The Texas Co., made the cover of our Feb. 16, 1929, edition for setting a new U.S. transcontinental speed record. 

Hawks and mechanic Oscar E. Grubb flew the Air Express from Los Angeles to Roosevelt Field on Long Island, New York, in 18 hr. 21 min. and 59 sec., besting the previous transcontinental speed record by 36 min. and 1 sec. 

“Fuel for Pratt & Whitney Wasp engine was pumped into the main tanks by Grubb, who experienced difficulty from the gasoline fumes,” noted an accompanying article. 

The magazine attributed the duo’s success to the first commercial aircraft use of a new cowling—an engine cover used to reduce drag and help with cooling—that had been developed by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, the forerunner to NASA. 

“The fliers were greeted at the New York City Hall by officials, while the plane was installed in the New York Aviation Show,” the magazine reported. “The cowling drew particular interest.”

Read the article on page 482 of the Feb. 16, 1929 issue of Aviation.

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