Thompson Trophy 1936 - oil on canvas

Los Angeles, September 1936. Michel Détroyat is invited by the National air Races to compete at the Thompson Trophy which takes place at Los Angeles. His aircraft is a Caudron C-460 with retractable landing gear. The Renault engine is less powerfull than his rivals, but the Caudron is technologically more advanced. It has a variable pitch propeller that gives a better efficiency. To the general surprise, Michel Détroyat wins the pretigious trophy and beats easely his American rivals like Earl Ortman who flies the powerfull yelllow Marcoux Bromberg R3.