Travelair Mystery Ship

"The Travel Air Mystery Ship was designed by two young engineers, Herb Rawdon and Walter Burnham, under the guidance of Walter Beech, president and founder of the Travel Air Company. On its first test flight, the aircraft exceeded the calculated airspeed by 15 percent. The Mystery Ship was a little red and black racer, with a low-wing design, an engine cowled with an NACA streamlined cover, and wheels fully enclosed in streamlined pants. During construction, two other types of cowling were tried, but the NACA type proved to be the most efficient. The Mystery Ship not only introduced the NACA cowl and wheel pants to commercial aviation, but also contributed toward the trend of low-wing military and commercial airplanes. On September 2, 1929, the Mystery Ship, with its super smooth finish, was rolled out of the hangar, ready for the Thompson Cup Race – Event 26. Despite going against high powered military ships, the low power racer went on to win the event at a speed of 194.90 mph. "