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International Air racing

International Air racing poster art.

Air racing is a motorsport that involves airplanes competing over a fixed course, with the winner either returning the shortest time, the one to complete it with the most points, or to come closest to a previously estimated time. The first heavier-than-air air race was held on May 23, 1909 – the Prix de Lagatinerie, at the Port-Aviation airport south of Paris, France. Four pilots entered the race, two started and nobody completed the full race distance though this was not unexpected as the rules specified that whoever traveled furthest would be the winner if no-one completed the race. Léon Delagrange who covered slightly more than half of the ten 1.2-kilometer laps was declared the winner. The first air race in the United States was in Los Angeles California in 1910. Pilots Roy Knabenshue and Charles Willard, the very first men Curtiss taught to fly, picked Southern California for their winter aerial demonstrations base and persuaded railroad magnate Henry Huntington to pledge $50,000 for the event.

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Design by Michael Ross

Location: New Orleans, LA
Michael spent his childhood reading such literary classics as “Sgt. Rock” and “Enemy Ace”, spending hours copying the illustrations. He later received a B.A. in Art and still uses his comic book influence along with his love of history and aviation in his work.

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