▁that ▁a ▁te ard rop - sh aped ▁fus el age   — ▁especially ▁as ▁seen ▁from ▁directly ▁above   — ▁would ▁have ▁lower ▁drag ▁than ▁a ▁straight - t aper ed ▁one , ▁so ▁the ▁fus el age ▁was ▁wider ▁than ▁the ▁engine ▁at ▁its ▁wid est ▁point ▁( at ▁the ▁wing ▁attachment ▁point [ s ], ▁within ▁the ▁length ▁of ▁the ▁wing ▁ch ord ). ▁The ▁co ck pit ▁was ▁located ▁very ▁far ▁a ft , ▁just ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁vertical ▁stabil izer , ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁give ▁the ▁racing ▁pilot ▁better ▁vision ▁while ▁making ▁crow ded ▁p yl on ▁turns . ▁ ▁Oper ational ▁history ▁ ▁The ▁R - 1 ▁won ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 2 ▁Thompson ▁Tro phy ▁ ▁race , ▁pil oted ▁by ▁Jimmy ▁D ool ittle . ▁ ▁He ▁also ▁set ▁a ▁new ▁world ▁land plane ▁speed ▁record ▁of ▁ 4 7 6   km / h ▁( 2 9 6   m ph ) ▁in ▁the ▁Sh ell ▁Speed ▁D ash . ▁The ▁distinction ▁of ▁a ▁land plane ▁record ▁was ▁not ew orth y ▁because , ▁at ▁that ▁time , ▁special ized ▁speed ▁se ap lan es ▁out ran ▁land plan es , ▁e . g . ▁the ▁Mac chi ▁M . C . 7 2 ▁with ▁over ▁ 7 0 0   km / h . ▁The ▁Spring field ▁Union ▁of ▁September ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 9 3 2 ▁quoted ▁D ool ittle ▁as ▁saying , ▁" She ▁is ▁the ▁sweet est