Compass calibration for Woolaroc, the eventual winner of the Dole Air Race. Pilot Art Goebel and navigator William Davis took 26 hours to reach Honolulu. Woolaroc - woods, lake, rock - is the name of the Oklahoma ranch of Frank Phillips, of Phillips Petroleum, who owned the aircraft. It is preserved on the ranch since 1929. Photo from: San Diego Air & Space Museum

The Travel Air 5000 was designed as a small airliner. Ernest Smith succeeded in flying the prototype from Oakland to Hawaii in July 1927, despite crashing into a thorn tree on arrival. One month later the Travel Air 5000 Special, NX869 Woolaroc, won the disastrous Dole Air Race over the same route. Seen here just before take-off, sister aircraft Oklahoma was not successful - pilot Bennett Griffin aborted the race with a technical problem and returned to Oakland. Reg not painted on race day. Photo from: California State Library