This was in the December 1938 issue of Popular Science. A "safety plane" whose only purpose was saving lives, I suppose - like Mussolini's for example, in its most famous operation?
The Guggenheim Safe Aircraft Competition was launched in 1927 by the Daniel Guggenheim Fund for the Promotion of Aeronautics to offer $150,000 in prizes for safer, more practical aircraft design. [1, 2]
Key Details of the Competition
Purpose: To challenge aviation manufacturers to build an airplane that was virtually "foolproof" and un-stalling without sacrificing speed or performance. [1]
Strict Criteria: Entries required reliable powerplants, structural soundness, high pilot visibility, good stability, maneuverability during engine failure, and strict takeoff/landing distance limits. [1]
Judging Panel: Chaired by aviation pioneers including Orville Wright and Richard E. Byrd. [1]
Winner: The Curtiss Tanager won the grand prize after successfully passing all grueling flight and safety tests, narrowly beating the British Handley Page Gugnunc