1951: MACKAY TROPHY. Colonel Fred J. Ascani, then Vice Commander of the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB, California, flew a combat‑equipped North American Aviation F‑86E‑10‑NA Sabre (serial 51‑2721) at the National Air Races in Detroit, Michigan. As part of a demonstration of the USAF’s new day fighter, Ascani selected the F‑86E for a 100‑kilometer closed‑circuit speed run. On that day, he averaged 1,023.04 km/h (635.69 mph), setting a new Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) World Record for Speed Over a Closed Circuit of 100 Kilometers. For this achievement, Ascani was awarded both the Thompson Trophy and the Mackay Trophy. (American Aviation F-86E-10-NA Sabre 51-2721. (FAI, PD)
