TWA Lodestar NC33604

1942 TWA Lockheed Lodestar 18

NC33604, C/N 2170, TWA Fleet #241

Crew 4 Passengers 14

Executive Plane of Jack Frye, President of TransWorld Airline

Image shown is the foundation of our TWA Lodestar page. The plane is being serviced at what appears to be either MCI or DCA (both TWA home bases for the plane). One ground crew member is standing just inside the passenger door while another TWA baggage man pauses outside the fuselage with two suitcases. The nose luggage compartment is open, and additional baggage is sitting on an elevated rack, 2 flight trunks and 2 suitcases. The cockpit slider window is open, and you can see a portion of the '241' (painted on the nose) below the round red warning light. Did Jack order NC33604 ready for departure or had he and his passengers already been whisked off by a waiting limo to home or hotel? Looks like a departure loading to me; however, we will never know for sure. The photo is a treasure, only found at Sedona Legend. Shown in the image are (6) TWA ground crew members. Date is 1946 or 1947. Most significant is that the lettering on fuselage has been updated from 'Transcontinental & Western Air' to 'Trans World Airline'. This was the private executive plane of Jack Frye, long-time president and co-founder of Transcontinental & Western Air, Inc. This stunning transport served Frye from December of 1944 to February of 1947 (when Frye resigned from TWA).

At the dawn of 1945, Jack Frye traded his beloved Lockheed 12A NC18137 for a larger more luxurious executive plane, a Lockheed 18. From this point (until 1947) if you spotted a TWA Lodestar 18 you knew Jack Frye, and often his wife Helen, were in town. Fast and sleek, the plane represented Frye and Trans World Airline with a futuristic flair. Congratulations to Lockheed for creating one of the most beautiful reginal transports ever! This was the only L18 ever owned by TWA and it was always designated as Frye's personal executive plane! The Lodestar was capable of lift-off with full load (17,500 lbs.), in 15 seconds, 860 feet. Climbing rate was 1200 feet per minute. On approach, from 50 feet and 65 m.p.h., the Lodestar could come to a stop in just 600 yards (1800 feet). A remarkable and very versatile plane, the Lodestar was well-suited for the typical paved runway or hard-pack remote dirt landing strips (near the Frye Ranch at Sedona). The photo above is a 'one in a million' blast from the past! This priceless 2.5-inch snapshot is now enlarged to fill an entire page. Provenance is unknown, but likely it was taken by a TWA ground crew member or passenger. Miraculously, it has surfaced some 80-years later on eBay! This image is now the exclusive property of the Sedona Legend.

The original power plants on this ship are unknown; however, later in the plane's life when it was owned by Morton Salt placement was (2) 1350 H.P. Pratt & Whitney R-1830-94's, making it extremely fast with speeds up to 250 m.p.h., this from Morton Salt Corporate pilot Herb Garrett. F.A.A. records show Jack Frye took possession of his new (reconditioned) Lockheed Lodestar NC 33604 on December 27, 1944. It is safe to assume that the Lodestar was in TWA hands by perhaps early December 1944. The civilian Lodestar had a manufacturing date of May 4, 1942. It was then converted to U.S.A.A.F. (18-01/C-56D-LO) and used lightly in the U.S., as military registration #42-57224, until fall of 1944, when it was converted to civilian use. More research is needed to establish actual transfer dates. As well, I’m still searching for elusive U.S.A.A.F. photos of the plane and additional TWA photos. Originally the plane was emblazoned with the trademark logo 'the Transcontinental Line' but was changed to reflect 'Trans World Airline'.

Lost & Found- TWA Lodestar Flight Attendant

Harriet Appelwick (TWA Lodestar Executive Flight Attendant) with Mrs. Helen Frye at the Frye Smoke Trail Ranch Sedona. This image was taken by a ranch hand in front of the Willow House (about 1945) prior to House of Apache Fires built in 1947. Miss Appelwick was always beloved by her crew and a source of fun on flights she staffed and Jack & Helen treated her like a member of their family when they traveled together. Again, Harriet riding the Frye Ranch at Sedona on a layover with the Fryes shown with Frye Ranch Foreman Al Nuanez, the other gentleman (unknown) but likely ranch employee

The position of Transcontinental & Western Air hostess for Jack Frye’s executive planes were sought by all, yet secured by Harriet Appelwick, who joined TWA in October of 1943 (as verified by TWA records). Before Harriet took the head-hostess position, she was employed by the war department in Washington D.C. One day, prior to 1943, Harriet was carpooling with her male co-workers, their auto was stopped at a Washington cross-street. On the crosswalk, the men observed a smart young lady in a Transcontinental & Western Air hostess uniform, strolling past the car. She was noticed by all the men in the automobile to which one of them turned to Harriet, who was quite a knockout herself, and excitedly said, “that’s what you should be doing!" Harriet replied, "what do you mean?” The unanimous reply of her carpool friends was “You Should Be A TWA Hostess!” Harriet smiled, after observing the woman for a moment, she then said, "you’re right, I think I could do that!” Harriet Appelwick soon found herself at Transcontinental & Western Air applying for the glamorous job of in-flight hostess. The only glitch was that she had to wait a couple months to start as she was under the TWA age requirement for new hostesses. Finally, after being hired, trained, and serving her time on milk runs, she was eventually handpicked to be the most elite of all Transcontinental in flight personnel, Private V.I.P. Hostess, staffing the private plane of long-time president and co-founder of TWA, Jack Frye. Her position was newly created within Transcontinental & Western Air by Frye. Harriet was the first permanent hostess to ever serve as an exclusive representative to a TWA company president and his V.I.P. guests. Her official title with TWA? Unknown, but in a Santa Fe newspaper interview with Mrs. Jack Frye, who was accompanied by Appelwick, it was said Harriet was the "Chief Hostess" of TWA. It is not known if Helen or Harriet actually stated this, or if it was a title of sorts, on that trip the two were traveling on the executive TWA 14-passenger Lodestar. This employee position was necessitated by Jack Frye, who had recently (1945) started flying the much larger Lodestar as an executive plane as it could accommodate guest passengers and an official company attendant. (Previously this, the Frye plane was a smaller Lockheed 12A Junior).

An obscure Transcontinental & Western Air guideline applied as well from the mid-1940's, basically stated, “all TWA passenger transports be staffed by a pilot, co-pilot, and a hostess”. Harriet was employed as "on call" and had to be available at a moment's notice, day or night. Part of this information was provided by retired Transcontinental & Western Air Captain Walt Gunn who at one time served as Jack Frye’s personal co-pilot on the Frye Lockheed Electra. Gunn is the first TWA associate who 8 years ago identified photos of Harriet, having met her as the Frye’s personal hostess. This, along with local Sedona lore, started my research on this mystery lady who stayed at the Sedona ranch and was a personal friend of the Fryes. Harriet soon started hosting presidential flights of the executive service Lockheed Lodestar. The only flights she did not staff were the ones in which Jack did not request a private hostess which one might assume were some hunting and fishing trips. Jack utilized both ships occasionally on "R&R" trips for his executives and corporate friends. This was his way of making sure that his associates were rewarded for dedicated service to TWA and for doing business with TWA. As well, Harriet did not staff the overweather research test flights on either plane. Both the Electra and the Lodestar occasionally served TWA as research planes (this designation served to justify on the books of TWA why these planes were not being used in regular scheduled TWA passenger service). Jack Frye, personally, tested various research equipment himself on his frequent flights in his Lockheeds (as stated by Frye to the media).

By association with the Fryes, Harriet became the personal in-flight hostess and cabin representative for Howard Hughes (the largest stockholder of TWA). This was only when Howard utilized the TWA Electra and Lodestar. Howard had several private planes himself, a Lockheed 14 Super Electra, a converted B-23 bomber, and a Boeing Stratoliner, to name just a few. However, for whatever reason, Howard was always borrowing Jack’s planes for his own personal use, usually as related to TWA. This issue eventually prompted Jack, who needed his executive planes to be on constant standby, to start charging his friend Howard $25.00 dollars a day (per Jack’s sister Sunny). This, likely had more to do with TWA needing to show revenue for missing planes, rather than Jack needing the fee. Make no mistake about it, Howard may have invested an obscene amount of money into TWA, but it was Jack Frye who "ran" Transcontinental & Western Air from 1930 to 1947. Howard proved incapable of managing TWA in every possible way and never held an official position with the airline. Jack had a vested interest in the airline from its inception and it was his baby, a fact everyone respected. In no time, Harriet became fast friends with the cosmopolitan Fryes, especially, Jack's wife Helen. She was graciously invited to stay with the Fryes when they traveled to their private ranches and their Washington D.C. home, Hillcrest Farm (the Doubleday Mansion). On all other flights Harriet was put up at local hotels with other Frye crew members. A glamorous life, have no doubt, even to the downside of Harriet being hounded by the press whenever they were on the trail of Hughes, which seemingly was all the time! Any time Harriet would “log in" at Transcontinental & Western Air, the press knew that it was either a V.I.P. Frye flight, or a Hughes flight. Reporters soon learned that if they tracked Harriet, they would hit pay-dirt by locating either Howard or Jack. The Lodestar was the most decadent of both TWA Lockheeds with a full bar and a complete lavatory or “blue room” as it was called by pilots. The Lodestar had a narrow navigation station behind the cockpit which also had heating facilities for preparing in-flight meals. The attractive sleek airliner accommodated 4 TWA crew members, 2 pilots, engineer, and a hostess, with the capability of carrying up to 14 passengers who could recline in spatial comfort. The executive Lockheed Lodestar was First Class.

Lost and Found- Images of TWA Lockheed Lodestar NC33604 Crew

TWA Lockheed Lodestar NC33604 V.I.P. Flight

Distinguished Members of the Roosevelt Administration

Washington National Airport DCA

Jack and Helen Join Truman Administration Cabinet Members

The Fryes flew down on the TWA Lodestar with close friends Bob and Irma Hannegan from D.C. to Florida for a mini vacation (early 1945). This is obvious a Democratic summit of sorts as evident by guests (seen in images not shown here) who were among the highest-ranking members of the Roosevelt/Truman Administration. TWA Hostess Miss Applewick again served as flight attendant on the Lodestar NC-33604

Harriet Appelwick V.I.P. TWA Hostess & Howard Hughes

Harriet & Helen @ Sedona Ranch & Grand Canyon

TWA Lodestar Flights as Found in Media- Frye Lodestar Transports Royalty

Frye Flies Guests to Oklahoma City on his Lockheed Lodestar to Attend National Aviation Clinic

From an obscure aviation article covering the National Aviation Clinic of 1945- (Excerpt) The importance of a private aircraft to the industry executive as a personal means of transportation was demonstrated last week to a small group of aviation writers who were guests of Jack Frye, TWA president, in a flight from Washington to Oklahoma City, to the National Aviation Clinic, in his Lockheed Lodestar transport which the company has assigned for his personal transportation. While not every big executive would have service and maintenance facilities for a major airline at his disposal, it is probable that there are several C.E.O.’s with similar aircraft support facilities across the country.

Continuation in part- Luxury is the keynote of present air travel. Evidence of the importance some airlines place on service is a statement by Jack Frye, president of Transcontinental & Western Airlines, “I am convinced that we cannot now, if ever, lower our standards of service. Quality service built up our business and is necessary to maintain our customer loyalty.” Mr. Frye went on to state that mass transportation by air was a matter of fifteen or more years. Most people are not aware that Jack Frye was not only a top-notch airline executive but a noted statesman as well. He was constantly sought after for his speeches which often included his insights on commercial aviation. (November 19, 1945)

On one of their frequent cross-country flights in their private Lockheed Lodestar, Jack and Helen Frye board passenger, Baroness Garnett Stackelberg on a flight from Washington D.C. to Los Angeles. Reporters awaited the group as they deplaned in Los Angeles, the Fryes were always fodder for the newspapers, and the Baroness was Washington Royalty and a D.C. insider. The Baroness was recently voted Washington's "Most Beautiful Woman of the Week". Harriet Appelwick would have manned this flight as the Frye Lodestar hostess. (May 19, 1946)

Lockheed Lodestar @ Albuquerque & Santa Fe New Mexico, Flight to Prescott Arizona

Refuse Mercy Flight

Because of the contagious nature of infantile paralysis, health authorities prohibited the flight to take Leonard Kimball’s son (10-year-old Claude Kimball of 4258 Shadyglade Ave, North Hollywood, CA.), stricken with the disease, to Sister Kenny Foundation in Minneapolis. Jack Frye had sent his private plane, a (14-passenger) Lockheed Lodestar, from ABQ to LA for the flight. The son of the TWA News Bureau head is now in a Los Angeles hospital. (The boy’s mother Louetta Kimball, a trained nurse and Leonard were to accompany the stricken child on a 2000-mile mercy flight from Burbank to Minneapolis, departure would have been after the Frye Lodestar landed in Los Angeles.) The pilots Frye appointed for this trip are unknown. This event was published by media sources and these details are shown in parenthesis above. Research shows the Mr. and Mrs. Frye were in New Mexico and Arizona at the beginning of June and this is why their private plane was at the TWA ABQ terminal awaiting their return back east. Kimball was the Publicity Director for Trans World Airline. (June 02, 1946)

Hughes Wrecks Another Plane

Frye Vigil @ L.A. Hospital

Jack’s Lodestar was in the air constantly on TWA business combined with any mini vacation the Fryes could squeeze into Jack’s TWA schedule. One of the next significant flights was the emergency departure of Jack Frye, ABQ to Burbank, July 8th, 1946, after Hughes' near fatal accident at Beverly Hills, CA. (July 7th, 1946) Jack stayed with Hughes at the hospital for 24-hours straight. After Howard stabilized Jack returned to the east on NC33604. Media sources covered Frye at Beverly Hills, describing him as a principal stockholder and head of Transcontinental and Western Air. Personally, I would never go up in a plane with Hughes but would with Frye in a second. Frye was a better pilot and more responsible. I liked Hughes as a person, but I feel he was dangerous in the air.

Sour Grapes

One point about this needless accident need be stated, Jack dropped everything, cleared his schedule, and rushed to Howard's side at Los Angeles. This is the kind of loyal friend Frye was. It is too bad Howard showed so little loyalty to Frye seven months later when Hughes allowed Noah Dietrich to force Frye out of TWA (February of 1947). Three important events gave Dietrich (who always resented Frye) the leverage he needed to oust Frye. None of them had anything to do with Frye's management of the airline. The Lockheed Constellation NC86513 crash at Reading, PA., the subsequent grounding of all Constellation airliners by C.A.B. the Civil Aeronautics Board (which in turn crippled TWA), and the pilot's strike at TWA (late 1946). Let alone the fact that after the accident, Hughes was doped up and easily influenced and manipulated.

TWA Pilot's Strike

Shortly after 12 p.m., President of TWA Jack Frye arrived at La Guardia Airport with his wife, the former Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jr., in his own private plane, a Lockheed Lodestar 18. Other passengers were not noted. Before reporters could reach the Frye party, they were whisked off to N.Y.C. by limo. (Please note- The V.I.P. Hostess on board this flight would have been Harriet Appelwick.) This flight related to the famous TWA pilot strike. Frye departed shortly after on November 2 for Washington D.C. (October 31, 1946)

The famous Frye TWA Lodestar seen (above) was featured on a TWA Postcard in early 1945. This image was submitted by aviation enthusiast TWA historian and former employee Patrick Chateau of the TWA Roissy CDG Website. The paint scheme, however, was short-lived as Jack ordered the Lodestar painted with 'Trans World Airline' within a year after purchase (late 1945). Notice on the center fuselage the stenciling 'Flight Research Laboratory'. All Frye's planes were marked in this manner as they were combo flight-research executive planes. According to TWA 'copy of the day' Frye used this plane for private/business and flight research (which included testing radios, wing flaps, and automatic pilot systems). Howard Hughes borrowed the plane on several occasions (as discussed in the Brewster Senate hearings)

TWA Lockheed Lodestar 18 Factory Paint Stencils & Callouts

Lockheed Lodestar after Frye Resignation

In February 1947, TWA corporate papers indicate they desired to sell the NC33604 Lodestar, this coincided with Frye’s resignation. However, further investigation shows that the F.A.A. does not show the corporate plane was re-registered until 1954. This when it was purchased as a company plane by Morton Salt C.E.O. Daniel Peterkin. (See Page 1954 & 1963). Seemingly, though, this “gap” in registration may be solved. It is rumored that Howard Hughes bought the plane from TWA in 1947. This may explain the "floating" registration for 8 years as Howard was notorious for such ownership snafus- many times he neglected to register planes. More details are learned when perusing the papers from the Hughes-Brewster Senate Hearings of the time frame. A TWA captain by the name of (M. E.) Ed Bell was a pilot of the Lodestar for Frye at the end of Frye’s tenure with TWA. After Frye left TWA Bell continued to pilot the Lodestar for Howard Hughes, who it appears, then borrowed or purchased the plane from TWA. The acquisition of the Lockheed Lodestar and Electra airliners as executive planes was the first TWA. Obviously, as directly associated with "who" Jack Frye was and "his value" to Transcontinental & Western Air. Perhaps also his close association with Howard Hughes was a consideration. Jack Frye was the only executive who offered the exclusive use of a TWA private plane during the 1930’s and 1940’s. From the inception of TWA, it was commonly stated in the press an association of Jack Frye with specific planes, to include the Lockheed Vega NC624E, Northrop Gamma(s) (2D NR13757 and NX13758), by 1940, the Lockheed Electra 12A NC18137, and lastly, the Lockheed Lodestar 18 NC33604. No other TWA executive from this early time frame has ever been linked to a 'private plane' with TWA markings. I have not researched whether any other president, after Jack Frye, ever had his own TWA plane. When Jack left TWA in spring of 1947 he continued to travel on TWA and on private transports. It is assumed that one of these was an executive plane provided as a perk by General Aniline and Film Corp. (ANSCO). It is documented that Frye was provided a chauffeured limousine throughout his years as President and CEO of GAF in N.Y.C. At the end of Frye's life, he flew a Helio Courier.

TWA Executive Committee Discusses TWA Lodestar

There is documented reference to discussion by the TWA Executive Committee about the then TWA executive planes. A quote from a January 25, 1947, meeting is noted below. Jack Frye was in attendance as a member of the Executive Committee but did not vote on the action. He was still at this time president of TWA, his resignation (retirement) planned, but not yet executed. Quote from the minutes: Resolved, that the company's B-17, and Lockheed Lodestar planes be, and they are, hereby grounded until further action by the Committee. Notations: Most certainly a declaration by TWA that the Lodestar, at least, was a direct association with Jack Frye and not a general perk for other current or future executives. Also, it must be stated, that TWA was forced to cut as much operational cost as possible regarding the astronomical cost of opening the new TWA Trans-World service. The B-17 was sold to the Shaw of Iran. The information on this transaction is directly below. Any association Jack had with the B-17 (except initially) is not known at this time. It was not considered a 'presidential' plane but rather a 'company' plane which was never used for scheduled TWA passenger service. (1947) 

TWA B-17G, NX4600 C/N 8637

TWA Overseas Management Transport

Christened: 'Two Kind Words'

Of further interest regarding TWA executive planes during the Jack Frye era is one more rather unusual plane. This being the TWA B-17G, U.S.A.A.F. number 44-85728, purchased during Jack's presidency at the end of the war. The plane was renovated at Boeing in Seattle to serve as a TWA executive plane. (It is said Jack Frye personally spearheaded the acquisition and refitting.) The plane was not for state-side use. Designated model 299AB, C/N 8637, registration number NX4600, (later as NL1B), the plane might well have been flown by Jack Frye a few times but was never used as an executive transport in the United States. Jack’s Lodestar was utilized exclusively stateside and in South America. The NX B-17 christened 'Two Kind Words' was delegated, more so, as a TWA management transport and utilized overseas as a diplomatic envoy establishing TWA's Trans-World air service. It was flown in the Middle East setting up TWA routes and service hubs. By 1947 (around the time Jack Frye resigned from TWA) the plane was sold to the Shaw of Iran who utilized it for many years. The registration numbers at this point changed to EP-HIM, which signified 'His Imperial Majesty'. Some say the plane was transferred to the Shaw of Iran (with TWA flight crews) as a goodwill gift for a TWA route agreement with the Shaw. By 1970 the plane was cut up and parted out in France. A B-17G, NX4600 C/N 8637, TWA Overseas Management Transport, Christened: 'Two Kind Words'.

F.A.A. Ownership Documentation of TWA Lodestar

Lockheed Lodestar NC33604, serial number 2170. Manufacture date May 4, 1942. Converted to 18-01/C-56D-LO for U.S.A.A.F., as registration number 42-57224. Likely used as an officer transport, it was sent to Bolling Field, Washington D.C., on June 11, 1942. On June 25, 1942, to MAD, then back to Bolling on June 27, 1942. To Geiger A.F.B. (Spokane WA.) July 16, 1942. Memphis AFB, February 11, 1943. Gravely Point WA. June 11, 1943. By July 29, 1943, the Lodestar was in Washington D.C., (back at Bolling)? On December 27, 1944, the Lodestar was transferred to R.F.C. (Reconstruction Finance Corporation) and processed for civilian sale and use.

F.A.A. Registration now as NC33604, transfer to D.P.C. (Defense Plant Corporation) and sold to Transcontinental & Western Air, Inc. (Jack Frye) to be used as Flight Research Laboratory and executive transport as assigned TWA Fleet Number #241. The Lodestar was never used for regular scheduled passenger service by TWA.

The next sale of the Lodestar shows as April of 1954 to Daniel Peterkin Jr, longtime executive of Morton Salt Corporation, (father a founder) both presidents. Peterkin was also president and co-founder of Howard Aircraft Corporation, with his friend, Benny Howard, (per his daughter Joy Peterkin).

The Lodestar was sold to American General Insurance Corporation in June of 1963. Later, transferred to Alex W. Head by February 1970.

In January 1974 it was transferred to C. Norris Byran, and by January of 1977, it was owned by the Cardway Corporation and ended up with Bush Aviation Incorporated.

It was sold to Warren Walder by June of 1977 and then sold to B. and H. Industries Incorporated, May 17, 1978. The plane resided at Fort Lauderdale Florida from July 1976 to October 1977.

In August 1982 the plane was canceled from the FAA Civil Air Registration database.

Tragically, many old and neglected Lodestars were used by drug runners eventually ending up ditched in the Everglades, Caribbean, Bermuda Triangle, or worse yet, perhaps, South America. Perfect example: A mystery Lockheed Lodestar 18 landed on a road and was set on fire by drug smugglers near Hastings Florida on July 19, 1978. The registration number not verified; this Lodestar died a lonely anonymous death. Let's hope this plane is not our famous and proud V.I.P. executive airliner NC33604, which now has been lost to time.

From the Lockheed expert Rene' J. Francillon "Lockheed Aircraft Since 1913", we find references to the Lockheed Electra NC18137 and the Lockheed Lodestar NC33604. Specifically, the author writes, "In spite of having won the competition, the Electra Jr. had limited success as a feeder-airliner, with only six of the ninety Wasp Jr. SB powered Model 12-A’s (including the prototype) being acquired by US airlines, while C/N 1236 went to Associated Airlines Pty in Australia. One of the six US-registered feeder-liners, which as NC18137 (C/N 1229), had been delivered in August 1937, to Varney Air Transport, and was later used briefly by TWA as a high- altitude and weather research aircraft, until replaced by a Lockheed 18. Two other model 12A’s were acquired by British Airways, but as detailed later, this airline purchase was a front for the activities of Sidney Cotton." Please note: Varney Air Transport became Continental Airlines in 1937. Mr. Francillon continues to detail background information of TWA's 1942 Lockheed Lodestar. "C-60-LO: Thirty-six Model 18-56's were impressed and powered by 1,200 hp Wright R-1820-87s, and were assigned serials 41-29633/41-29647, 42-32166/42-32180 and 42-108787/42-108792. Lend-lease transfers to the RAF as Lodestar Mk. II's, accounted for the first sixteen machines (EW983/EW997 and FK246), but fourteen additional aircraft, for which serials FK247/FK260 were reserved, were retained by the USAAF, as were the last six C-60-LO's. One aircraft, (C/N 18-2170, 42-108971) went to TWA as NC33604 to serve as a flight-research laboratory and executive transport." Please Note: I have found another source that shows the NC 33604 was originally 42-108791. Likely this source accidentally reversed the numbers.

Ghost Ship- Last Known Image of TWA 33604

From Former Executive Pilot of Lodestar

Former American General executive pilot (N33604) Herb Garrett stated to me that many years ago (after AIG sold the plane) he had heard the Lodestar ended up wrecked on a Florida beach. The circumstances, sadly, are what I had suspected, it had likely been stolen and was being used by drug runners. They got hemmed in by the weather and set it down on a lonely strip of sand. There the plane was abandoned and never heard from again. Likely, it was cut up and scrapped. The End? Unfortunately, it appears so; however, the plane may exist out there somewhere as a derelict at some forgotten airfield, unrecognized for the treasure it is. What a sad ending to a proud old girl who should have been restored to live on in posterity as a Frye TWA icon.

Media Article Helen Frye Recalls Lockheed Electra and Lodestar

For almost 10 years Jack Frye was married to Helen Varner Frye of Sedona, who remembers him as a "remarkable man, brilliant, and ingenious". The two met while Frye and Howard Hughes were building their first Constellation in Los Angeles and were married in Scottsdale Arizona, January 1941. During their life together in Sedona, Mrs. Frye said, "all commuting to their ranch home near Flagstaff (Sedona) and most of their travel around the country was made by air in their private plane." (The transports she was referring to were the modified to 4-passenger Lockheed Electra 12A, and later in 1945 the larger Lockheed 18 luxury liner). 1959