The Wedell Williams 44

 

Roscoe Turner's Wedell Williams 1932	Roscoe Turner's Wedell Williams	The Gilmore Racing Team - 1932 Wedell Williams and Lockheed Air Express
Wedell Williams 44 Floyd Bennett Field - 1934 Photo: Courtesy of Bob Wilson

Wedell Williams Model 44 Specifications

Gross Weight                                 3892 lb
Empty Weight                                 2492 lb

Span                                      26 ft 2 in
Length (overall)                          21 ft 3 in

Powerplant (1932)                P & W Wasp (500 hp)
Powerplant (1933)           P & W Wasp T3D1 (800 hp)

Max Speed                                 304.98 mph

Price                                        $50,000

Year of Introduction                            1932
Production                                         4

NR54Y  - Crashed in Testing
NR536V - #92
NR61Y  - #121, #57, #2
NR278V - #44, #91 

Wedell Williams Model 44 Racing History

1931
Thompson: 2nd Place, Jimmy Wedell,  227.992 mph

1932
Thompson: 2nd Place, Jimmy Wedell,  242.496 mph,  #44 Miss Patterson
          3rd Place, Roscoe Turner, 233.042 mph, #121 Gilmore Racer
          4th Place, James Haizlip, 231.300 mph,  #92 Miss New Orleans

Bendix:   Burbank to Cleveland
          1st Place, James Haizlip, 8:19:45       #92 Miss New Orleans
          2nd Place, Jimmy Wedell,  8:47:31       #44 Miss Patterson
          3rd Place, Roscoe Turner, 9:02:25      #121 Gilmore Racer

Speed Record: Burbank to NYC: Haizlip 10:19

1933
Thompson: 1st Place, Jimmy Wedell,  237.952 mph, #44
          2nd Place, Lee Gehlbach,  224.947 mph, #92
          Disqualified (cut pylon), Roscoe Turner

Bendix:   New York City to Los Angeles
          1st Place, Roscoe Turner, 11:30:00
          2nd Place, Jimmy Wedell,  11:58:18
          DNF,       Lee Gehlbach

1934
Thompson: 1st Place, Roscoe Turner, 248.129 mph
          3rd Place, J.A.Worthen ,  208.376 mph
          DNF,       Doug Davis

Bendix:   Los Angeles to Cleveland
          1st Place, Doug Davis,    9:26:41

1935
Thompson: 6th Place, Roscoe Turner, 188.859 mph

Bendix:   Los Angeles to Cleveland
          2nd Place, Roscoe Turner, 8:33:39

1936
Bendix:   New York to Los Angeles
          Crashed,   Roscoe Turner

1937
Thompson: DNF,       Joe Mackey

Bendix:   Los Angeles to Cleveland
          6th Place, Joe Mackey

1938
Thompson: 5th Place, Joe Mackey,    249.628 mph

1939
Thompson: 6th Place, Joe Mackey,    232.926 mph