The Travel Air 5000 was an early high-wing monoplane airliner and racing monoplane designed by Clyde Cessna and is chiefly remembered for being the winner of the disastrous Dole Air Race from California to Hawaii.
Design and development
Travel Air 5000 with National Air Transport in flight
Cessna broke away from traditional biplane development with a monoplane in 1926.[1] The first prototype was a 5-passenger aircraft with a 110 hp (82 kW) Anzani engine. The aircraft was modified by Cessna, Lloyd Stearman, and Walter Beech that fall. A second aircraft was built that December, and featured a Wright J-4 Whirlwind as the Travel Air 5000. National Air Transport awarded Travel Air a contract to produce the aircraft with the larger Wright J-5C engine and seating for four passengers. Eight aircraft were built for air mail contract and passenger service.[2]
The Travel Air 5000 was a high-wing monoplane with conventional landing gear. The fuselage was constructed of welded steel tubing. The cockpit was fully enclosed in a canopy above the forward fuselage, but at least one model had the canopy omitted. The Dole racers were modified with 425-gallon fuselage fuel tanks and earth inductor compasses.
Operational history
Travel Air 5000 at Hoover Field being christened by Harry Stewart New's wife before an unsuccessful world endurance record, 1928Woolaroc, winner of ill-fated Dole Air Race in flight
The prototype Travel Air 5000, s/n 160 "The Spirit of Oakland" was originally sold to Pacific Air Transport in April 1927 and then resold to Ernest Smith for a 14 July flight from Oakland, California, to Molokai, Hawaii, where it crashed on landing becoming the second aircraft to complete a trans-pacific flight, and the first civilian aircraft to do so.[3]
Orders placed in June 1927 for two custom-built Travel Air model 5000 aircraft to compete in the Oakland, California, to Honolulu, Hawaii, Dole Air Race. Two teams placed $5000 deposits, and were later sponsored by Frank Phillips of Phillips Petroleum to promote their "Nu-Aviation" fuel. The "Oklahoma" was forced to return to land, while the "Woolaroc" completed the flight and won.
Woolaroc was later modified late in 1928 for an unsuccessful transcontinental speed record attempt.
National Air Transport and Royal Airways used the model 5000 in revenue service. Production of the first four airliners was in the West Douglas plant. On 30 June 1927 production of two Modified model 5000's started in the newly constructed East Central factory.[4]
Travel Air 5000 flying as National Air Transport #17
The Travel Air 5000 flying as National Air Transport's #17 aircraft on display at the former Fort Worth Star Telegram headquarters building in downtown Fort Worth, Texas.[6] In 1927, this aircraft was the first to bring passengers and mail in to Dallas & Fort Worth. National Air Transport presented the aircraft to Amon Carter as a gift in 1931.[7] The aircraft was later restored by Harry Hansen of Hamilton, Texas and Cowtown Aerocrafters of Justin, Texas.[8]
