Page 34 - Volume 13 Number 8

Posing with Dallas Spirit (left to right): Dole race official Ted Dealey, navigator Alvin Eichwaldt, pilot William Erwin and an unknown mechanic examine navigation charts before the flight. (Frank Phillips Foundation, Inc., Bartlesville, Oklahoma)
The second order received by the Travel Air Company came from Griffin and navigator Al Henley. After the usual interviews and questioning about their experience in the air, they signed a contract and handed Walter Beech $15,000 to have their airplane ready by August. Griffin had flown French­built Nieuport bombers during the war, and Henley had 10 years of flying under his belt and learned aerial navigation in the U.S. Army. Their money came from four businessmen in Oklahoma therefore the ship was named “Oklahoma” in honor of the state.
Goebel still needed a navigator. His good friend and naval aviator D.W. Tomlinson recommended Lieutenant William V. Davis. He was a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy (Class of 1924), was trained in celestial and marine navigation and was an expert with radio communications equipment. The Navy granted the young lieutenant temporary leave to fly with Goebel.4
As the time for delivery of both monoplanes approached, Goebel could not pay the balance due. Fortunately, oilman Frank Phillips, who had agreed to help sponsor the Oklahoma, decided to fund Goebel’s airplane, too. Phillips’ only request was that the Travel Air be named in honor of his grand estate near Bartlesville known as Woolaroc – a blend of the words Woods, Lakes and Rocks. Both Griffin and Goebel flew their airplanes to Bartlesville so Phillips could see what he was paying for – $30,000 – worth of flying fuel tanks. Each ship carried more than 450 gallons of Nu­Aviation fuel, recently developed by the Phillips Petroleum Company for the aviation industry.
Frank Phillips (left) and Art Goebel posed for the camera before the Woolaroc took off from Bartlesville Airport for Oakland early in August 1927.
(Frank Phillips Foundation, Inc., Bartlesville, Oklahoma)
32 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
AUGUST 2019