Woolaroc restoration?

[Stephan Wilkinson]

Is anybody familiar with the Travel Air 5000 that won the Dole Derby in 1927--the California-to-Hawaii race?

The airplane is on display at the Phillips Museum in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. I have read that it was some time ago cosmetically restored but that the restoration did not return the airplane to its race status...that the airplane as displayed includes modifications made post-race. Anybody know if this is true?

[JohnB]

Stephan

I have looked several times for information and photos of the ship, without much success.

For a preserved historic ship, it's remarkably little documented.
I guess that's what being displayed in Bartlesville, Oklahoma will get you.I

The best source I can suggest is Edward H.Phillips, he is the historian for the Travel Air Club, I think he also edits their newsletter.
If that is not enough, he has written a book or two on the marque as well as excellent books on the products of Cessna and Beech.
He seems to be the THE general aviation historian.

[mike furline]

Here are links to several photos. Not sure which mods you are referring too.

https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/ ... b&fr=yfp-t
https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/ ... TF-8&x=wrt

[Stephan Wilkinson]

Thanks John, and Mike. I'll get in touch with Phillips.

I hadn't noticed before that they style the airplane "Travel Air Transport" rather than 5000.

[tulsaboy]

The museum at WOOLAROC is really a wonderful little gem. What most people don't know is that the museum is housed on Frank Phillips' ranch, and was originally designed as just a hangar to display the airplane. Frank's art, gun, and ephemera collections grew so much that he eventually had to dramatically expand the museum to have enough room to house most of what he had. The airplane has moved around a few times in the museum, but now is in a two story tall rotunda that was specifically designed for the airplane. It hangs from the ceiling, but pitched to one side. There is a 2nd floor balcony that puts you quite close to the airplane, but leaves the wingtip just out of reach. Around the airplane is a pretty thoughtful display about the Dole Race, Art Goebel, and the history of the airplane. Every once in a while they have lowered the airplane for maintenance, and once took it over to the Bartlesville airport to be displayed with a Spirit of St. Louis replica that was in town. WOOLAROC has its own management, completely separate from Phillips Petroleum. If you want more information, you should reach out to the folks at WOOLAROC.
A proud Okie with Bartlesville and Phillips roots,
kevin

[Stephan Wilkinson]

That's fascinating--that Woolaroc came first, then the art museum. I knew that Phillips was so involved in aviation that it produced avgas before ever selling car gas. Wjat's that other very early airplane hanging near Woolaroc? Is it a Curtiss?

[Stephan Wilkinson]

duplicate post--ignore.