Tom Swift and His Sky Racer: Or the Quickest Flight on Record

Tom Swift is the central character in five series of books, first appearing in 1910, totaling more than 100 volumes, of American juvenile science fiction and adventure novels that emphasize science, invention and technology. The character was created by Edward Stratemeyer. Tom Swift and His Sky Racer, or, The Speediest Flight On Record, is Volume 9 in the original Tom Swift novel series published by Grosset & Dunlap. A $10,000 prize lures Tom into competing at a local aviation meet at Eagle Park. Tom is determined to build the fastest plane around, but his plans mysteriously disappear, which means Tom must redesign his new airplane from the beginning. A side-plot through the story is Mr. Swift's failing health. Tom's Sky Racer, known as the Humming-Bird, is a two-seater monoplane, like his previous monoplane the Butterfly. However, the Sky Racer, is smaller and faster — making it ideal for air racing. It uses a single gasoline, air-cooled engine.