LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. -- The Mitchell Trophy Air Race returned on March 6, 2026, with a modernization on aircraft, rules and eligibility requirements after its nearly 88-year hiatus. Lt. Col. “Devil”, 94th Fighter Squadron commander, with support from the 94th Fighter Generation Squadron, took first place.
The 1st Fighter Wing exclusive race involved a 446nm flight from Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, to Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan, and then back after completing various ACE tasks performed by the pilots at Selfridge. The pilots were required to land, park, refuel and launch their own jet. In addition to this, the competitors were required to run 1.6 miles to the Selfridge ANGB Museum to sign a historical logbook. Three squadrons within the 1st FW—the 27th Fighter Squadron, the 71st Fighter Squadron, and the 94th Fighter Squadron—all competed for the rights of claiming the trophy. All three squadrons are some of the most storied fighter squadrons in Air Force history with lineage boasting names like Frank Luke, Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker and Col. Robin Olds.
First established in 1922, the Mitchell Trophy Air Race honored 1st Lt. John Lendrum Mitchell Jr., a pilot from the 1st Pursuit Group who died in a flying accident in France during World War I. His brother, Col. Billy Mitchell, introduced the trophy to commemorate his brother’s legacy and promote airpower innovation. The race was historically hosted at Selfridge Field, now Selfridge ANGB, home of the 127th Wing, until its suspension after the 1936 competition. After brief appearances in the 1960 and 1962 William Tell competitions, the trophy was eventually forgotten until rediscovered in 1998 at Seymour-Johnson Air Force Base.
Col. Brandon Tellez, 1st FW commander, said the race was strategically important in preparing Airmen for modern combat operations.
“The 1st Fighter Wing will face adversaries that are resourceful and determined to disrupt our tactics, techniques, and procedures in all phases of combat," Tellez said. “Our warriors must be able to execute effective combat operations in dynamic environments that lack information and time.”
The Mitchell Trophy Air Race with the new modernization, due to time and advancement in aviation, is specifically designed to enhance combat effectiveness and resilience by:
- Boosting performance through competition and camaraderie.
- Enhancing Agile Combat Employment resilience via innovation and relationships.
- Testing physical, mental, and logistical limitations.
- Identifying the top talent in the wing.
The return to Selfridge ANGB for resuming the race was symbolic, with the 1st FW marking a return to its historical roots of the event and paying tribute to the original home of the 1st Pursuit Group.
“The Mitchell Trophy Air Race is a proud tradition,” Tellez said. “It honors the heritage of our predecessors while ensuring our airmen remain ready and lethal in the face of any challenge.”
Lt Col. “Devil” and the 94th Fighter Squadron's victory highlighted not only their coordination skills and support from their load crew, but also the teamwork of the squadron. The team's success showcased the effectiveness of integrated operations between aircrews and maintainers under realistic, stressful conditions.
“We have our ACE capabilities that we emphasize every day and translated them into a competition like this,” said the 1st FW historian. “We saw a level of excitement from airmen that we don’t normally see, and competitors executed new tactics that we could implement in the future and possibly make us faster and more lethal fight. This is the benefit of true competition.”
As the Mitchell Trophy Air Race closed its latest chapter, it affirmed the values of innovation, readiness, and resilience that have defined the Air Force since its earliest days and continues to today.