Hall Bulldog Takeoff Footage

Part of The Hall Bulldog Project — documenting Bob Hall's 1932 Thompson Trophy racer.

Among the rarest visual records of the Hall Bulldog are these animated sequences showing Bob Hall taking off at the 1932 National Air Races in Cleveland. While photographs from this era are scarce enough, actual moving footage is extraordinarily uncommon—making these GIFs invaluable documents of golden age air racing.

The Takeoff Sequences

These animations were digitized from period newsreel footage captured at Cleveland Municipal Airport during the 1932 Thompson Trophy Race.

Hall Bulldog taking off at the 1932 Thompson Trophy Race in Cleveland — Bob Hall taking off in the Hall Bulldog at the 1932 National Air Races

The footage captures the Bulldog’s distinctive profile—the gull wing, enclosed cockpit, and compact fuselage that made it one of the most advanced racing aircraft of its time. You can see the aircraft accelerating down the runway, its 730-horsepower Pratt & Whitney Wasp T3D1 engine pulling it into the air.

Hall Bulldog taking off at the 1932 Thompson Trophy Race - alternate angle — Alternate angle of the Hall Bulldog takeoff

Historical Context

The 1932 Thompson Trophy Race was held on September 5, 1932 at Cleveland Municipal Airport as the climax of the National Air Races. Hall had designed and built the Bulldog in just a few months, completing the aircraft barely two weeks before the race.

Hall flew the Bulldog himself after Russell Thaw—who had originally commissioned the aircraft—declined to race it. Despite mechanical issues that plagued the aircraft throughout the race weekend, Hall managed to finish sixth with an average speed of 216 mph.

The Bulldog’s racing career was cut short just three months later when test pilot Frank Lynch was killed in a crash on December 4, 1932. Hall closed the Springfield Aircraft Company and eventually joined Grumman, where he would spend the next 34 years designing military aircraft.

About These Animations

These GIF animations represent some of the only known moving images of the Hall Bulldog. The footage was likely shot by newsreel cameramen covering the 1932 National Air Races for theatrical distribution. In an era before television, newsreels were how most Americans experienced major events like air races.

See also: Hall Bulldog Photo Timeline for a comprehensive collection of period photographs documenting the aircraft’s 1932 racing season.