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