Page 30 - July 2015 Volume 9, Number 7

Major modifications made to the “Woolaroc” in late 1928 proved unsuccessful and the ship was retired permanently. (COURTESY OF WOOLAROC MUSEUM)
Late in November the ship was completed and ready for test flights. Art arrived at the factory and carefully inspected the airplane. Every effort had been made to reduce parasitic drag, including the landing gear that was redesigned to present less resistance to the air. It was time for the maiden flight. Goebel fired up the Wasp powerplant, taxied to the runway and took off without incident. Flying a Model 4000 biplane, Walter Beech took off to fly formation with Goebel and observe the airplane, but he quickly discovered he could not keep up with Art and his speedster. Goebel immediately discovered that visibility from the aft cockpit was severely limited.
That flaw became painfully apparent when he tried to land. Forward visibility was zero. The airplane hit the sod runway hard, bounced back into the air, hit hard again and bounced a second time before Art fed in power and avoided a stall. He finally managed to get the temperamental Woolaroc on the ground undamaged. After the excitement of the landing, Art wanted more changes. Beech ordered his men to make the side windows larger, which did slightly improve forward visibility. Goebel was anxious to take off for New York,
and after a second test hop he bade Travel Air farewell and headed east.
As he was flying over St. Louis, Missouri, in the dark of night he searched in vain for Scott Airport, where he planned to refuel. Failing to locate it, he flew around until he spotted another suitable airport near the city. Still fighting poor forward visibility that was greatly complicated by nighttime conditions, Art landed the ship safely but failed to see a ditch. The Travel Air abruptly lurched and came to rest with a damaged landing gear. The next few days were spent performing repairs. The next time Goebel took off he was headed back to Wichita, but the Woolaroc had one more scare in store for its master. Flying along in a misty fog on the west side of St. Louis, Art barely missed a water tower that suddenly flashed by, barely missing the left wingtip. It was the final straw. Goebel landed at Travel Air Field on December 1, 1928, and informed Frank Phillips that the airplane was no longer safe to fly. Phillips accepted Art’s verdict and the old monoplane was retired – permanently.
Frank Phillips, however, was keenly aware of the Woolaroc’s historic significance and paid Carl and Guy
Walter Beech (standing next to fuselage), Goebel and a group of pilots with the modified “Woolaroc” in November 1928. Note the Pratt & Whitney “Wasp” radial engine and aft- mounted cockpit. (COURTESY OF WOOLAROC MUSEUM)
28 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
JULY 2015