Travel Air 5000 Restored

When I stepped inside the Cowtown Aerocrafters hangar near Justin, Texas in September of 2013 I saw a unique round tail. A tube fuselage that had me wondering. My friends were grinning when they saw my puzzled look. Was it something Fokker made with that round tail? My face lit up when they said Travel Air! Cool... wait... what model of cabin Travel Air? 5000? OK... I had heard about a Travel Air 5000 being restored in Texas and come to find out, this was it!

Travel Air 5000 tail

Travel Air project late 2013

Travel Air cabin model

Amon Carter, famous Fort Worth, Texas businessman, had owned this Travel Air after it was retired from service with National Air Transport Flying Service. C3002 flew with NAT from 1927 until 1931. In the mid-1930s Carter parked the Travel Air on his ranch near Fort Worth. It was left outside until saved by pilot, Harry Hansen. Hansen spent many years working on the aircraft intending to return it to flyable condition. To push through to save the airframe from inactivity the project was moved to the Cowtown Aerocrafters hangar. The new mission was to restore it to static condition for display in a new Fort Worth museum.

Wright engine parts

Wright engine core and mount

Restored engine parts

NAT stamp on the restored prop

Shine!

The large wings

May of 2014 progress

May 2014

In August 2014 the completed static restoration was rolled out for photos. It was moved at a later date to its new museum home in Fort Worth. It now hangs on display in the Morning Star private museum. (The only other surviving Travel Air 5000 "Woolaroc" is on display in Bartlesville, Oklahoma)

Static restoration complete for NAT serial number 17

NAT serial number 22

Cavanaugh Flight Museum Fall Fly Days

Back in September the Cavanaugh Flight Museum hosted a Fall Fly Days.  Some of the visiting aircraft were from Texas Flying Legends. It was great to see three P-40 Warhawks flying together! Along with a Zero, Avenger and another visitor from Florida, the Reno Air Racer Precious Metal. The weather was perfect so the day produced memorable sites, sounds and photographs.

Texas Flying Legends P-40E

Texas Flying Legends P-40K

Cavanaugh P-40N

P-40E on takeoff

P-40K at gear up

P-40 art

Zero and Avenger

Happy Jack's Go Buggy P-51D

Precious Metal

Links - Cavanaugh Flight Museum - Texas Flying Legends - Precious Metal Air Racing

Oshkosh 2014 Warbird Highlights

It was not a huge turn out in the Warbird parking for Oshkosh this year but there were plenty of highlights. Some high quality restoration were in attendance.  Below are the ones that attracted my attention.

P-40N Warhawk

P-40E Warhawk

P-51D Mustang

P-51D Mustang

P-51B Mustang

P-51D Mustang

TBM Avenger

P-38 Lightning

FG-1D Corsair

T-33 Shooting Star

Oshkosh 2014 Vintage Aircraft Highlights

After concentrating my efforts on Lockheed 12 photos and notes I walked around as much of the Vintage Aircraft parking in the time that I had.  A few more highlights are pictured below...

Beechcraft E17B Staggerwing

Cessna 170B

Fairchild 71

Fairchild 71

Replica GeeBee QED

Howard DGA line up

Beechcraft 18

Waco Custom Cabin

Cessna Airmaster

Ford TriMotor

Howard DGA

Spartan 7W Executive

Lockheed Detroit Vega

Monocoupe 90A

Oshkosh 2014 Highlights - Spartan Executive

After many years of communicating via email and telephone it was nice to shake Jim Savage's hand and talk Spartan Executives face to face.  Jim is the very enthusiastic owner of Executive serial number 17. He invited me to look through the restoration photos and sit in the pilot's seat of his imaculate Executive. It was one of the top highlights from my trip. Hats off to Jim for saving and restoring this ship!

To see photos of surviving Spartan Executives see our listing by clicking the link on the main page at www.flytoanothertime.com