The TWA Northrop Gamma 2D Story

1.)  NR (X) 13757

2.)  NX NR NC (X) 13758

3.)  NC 13759

First Two Gammas Served As Official TWA Overweather Research Ships

& Jack Frye Executive Transports

The remarkable photograph (above) was gifted to Sedona Legend by Patrick Chateau of the TWA CDG Website, a Frye image rarely seen. The new TWA Gamma (NX) NR-13757, TWA fleet #16, S/N #8, was captured at idle, while representing Transcontinental & Western Air at the 1934 National Air Races, Cleveland Ohio (as notated on the back of the photo in pencil). The pilot shown is identified as 30-year-old Jack Frye. The rocket-like plane was delivered to the legendary pilot Frye personally and he was the only TWA pilot regularly associated with this plane. This TWA chief pilot always wore a suit and tie with fedora when flying, sometimes covered with a flight jumpsuit. Jack Frye was known to be a sharp dresser and brought a visual

representation of professionalism to his airline. He never wore a TWA uniform, yet, he was the only airline president of his day to hold a transport license, and flew TWA passenger ships

regularly. Frye was recognized as TWA’s top pilot, the most experienced (from 1923) and had actually taught many of his associates how to fly years earlier, to include Richter and Hamilton. The 1934 Northrop Gamma 2-D was a formidable speedster akin to the Howard Hughes H-1 Racer. (It appears that Jack's TWA co-founder and good friend Walt Hamilton, an early Standard Air Lines and T.W.A. mechanical genius is seen with fire extinguisher behind the plane near the prop). It's no surprise that Walt was the man chosen to maintain Jack's plane for this event as Hamilton was the most prominent airplane mechanics in the country and a real marvel with aircraft engines. This Gamma was not an official entry in 1934. It is with deep gratitude I thank Patrick Chateau for donating this original vintage photograph to the Sedona Legend archive. The Canon scan (above) is of that image from Paris, which judging by its condition, appears to be an original print from the 1934 and not a reproduction.

Frye's Passion For Flight Came First!

One of my motivations in creating this website was the promotion of Jack Frye ‘the aviator’ as the love of flight was Jack's most treasured focus in life. Frye was certainly a stellar corporate

genius, but first and foremost, from the beginning of his career, he was a pilot. This association with Frye was often overlooked as he climbed the corporate ladder and spent more and more time in the boardroom. It was this passion, and that of others associated with Frye, which made TWA "the airline run by fliers" as opposed to an airline managed by boardroom businessmen. In regard to this focus on my part, I have been particularly interested in any references to Frye in the air and behind the yoke of various planes. You will find these references peppered throughout this website. These references also focus on planes which were associated with Frye regularly as personal private planes (even though all equipment was actually owned by TWA).

Frye Managed His Airline By Air Frye Executive Planes From 1930-1947

In regard to private transports (not so much airliners) starting in the 1920’s Frye utilized several JN4D (former World War I surplus) Curtiss Jennys, after which in 1927, Frye started utilizing Fokker single and multiple engine airliners for various private and promo flights. By 1930, as an executive with Western Air Express (W.A.E.), and soon after with T. & W. A., Frye utilized a Fokker F32 (combo personal-charter), and more so a Lockheed Vega 5B. The Vega registration number is noted by historians as NC-624-E (NC624E) TWA fleet #251, C/N 53. This plane was well-appointed and also used for charter flights (and by Charles Lindbergh a few times) but Frye was the pilot most often spotted operating it. By the early 1930’s, there were Fleetsters, Deltas, Alphas, and Gammas. At the end of 1940, there was the famous Lockheed Electra Jr. NC18137, which by the way wouldn’t have been so well-known if it hadn’t been for the frequent use of it by Frye, a fact which should be better promoted. Then in 1945, there was the large and luxurious Lockheed Lodestar executive airliner, NC33604, which came on-line as TWA really came into its own as a Trans-World-Airline. These two Lockheeds offered TWA President Frye a passenger configuration in his cabin, something lacking in the fast but confined Gammas. Two of the Gammas, and both Lockheeds, were designated "Flight Research Laboratory" planes. The Gammas were regularly utilized in this famous TWA program by both Jack Frye and TWA research test pilot Tommy Tomlinson. Both Gammas and the Lockheeds were designated as the private executive planes of Jack Frye and always reserved for his use. The Electra 12A and Lodestar 18 were designed specifically by Lockheed as airline feeder transports and executive airliners. These planes were the "Cadillac" of planes- documented as the most advanced and fastest mini-transports of their day. It was no coincidence that Howard Hughes chose the (Lockheed Super-Electra 14) and Amelia Earhart (the Lockheed Electra 10E) for their 'round-the-world' flights!

TWA's Landmark Legacy Of Flight Testing 'Over-The-Weather' Started with Jack Frye

Jack's vision of over-weather flight resulted in his assistance and partial credit in the development of the: Northrop Delta, Gamma, Douglas Commercial series, and pressurized high altitude above-the-weather airliners like the Boeing Stratoliner, and the Lockheed Constellation. TWA's involvement with the Northrop Alpha, Orion, and Vega, as in the "Winnie Mae" can be traced back to the "Frye Vision" as well. Frye himself developed and launched the Thunderbird early on, and later, the Frye F-1 Safari. He also helped with the Northrop Raider development. One of TWA's crack test pilots was Daniel Webb 'Tommy' Tomlinson who served as ‘special assistant’ to Jack Frye in the 1930's. This fearless man goes down in history as one of the very best commercial airplane test pilots. But Tomlinson didn't start out with TWA, he was originally a crack Navy pilot and a member of the Navy aerobatic team 'The Three Sea Hawks" with Lt. William V. "Bill" Davis and Aaron P. (Putt) Storrs. Tomilinson was known in the Navy as 'Indian Joe'. Captain Tomlinson was responsible for many major breakthroughs in regard to the atmospheric effects of airplanes and passengers. Tomlinson also at one time worked under the direction of TWA executive vice-president, Paul E. Richter (both appointed by Frye). Frye and Richter both at times tested TWA's experimental planes personally. My work documents Frye associations. Jack, as head of TWA's Flight Research Program, insisted on a "hands on" involvement and this kept him abreast of many fine new aircraft innovations which he actively promoted and implemented into the TWA fleet. Some innovations through the years Jack developed personally and even held patents on. Frye is documented with a variety of aviation records as well. As a testament to this record is his induction into Harvard Business Schools "Greatest American Business Leaders of America". This honor, according to Harvard, is partly due to Jack's contribution to "high-altitude-flying". Jack also has been inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame with the listing displayed under "Jet Age" yet another example of a recognition which truly establishes his standing as an aviation “giant”. However, even with these accolades, I still read the same statement repeated in books and publications, "Jack Frye has never received adequate credit for the majority of his contributions to the aviation world". Sadly, this is true and hopefully it is slowly being rectified with work found on this website and various historical publications. Jack, on the other hand, was the last one to seek honor and posterity for himself. Rather, he just did what came naturally to him- develop the world of aviation! His recognition came from those who felt lucky and honored to have known him and of those who were touched by his accomplishments, achievements and stellar leadership!

Media Reports "Frye And 'His' Gamma Rocketing Trans-Continent" 

In the mid-1930's Jack Frye was seen arriving and departing often in the Northrop Gamma 2-D (X-13757 NR-13757, C/N 8, TWA fleet #16) at various airports. This particular Gamma was delivered personally to Frye in the spring of 1934. It served as his personal executive plane and also was utilized by him and others for flight research. The Gamma (NR13757) had limited use as a TWA Express mail service transport, this because at the time Frye ordered the Gammas for TWA, the airline had recently received the (then new) Douglas Commercials for mail (and passenger service) thus freeing up the need for the Gammas. Jack as pilot of the Northrop Gamma (NR13757) regularly flew coast-to-coast attending business meetings in 1934 at an unheard of 225 m.ph. (per Frye), usually with a load of U.S. mail. The 1-seat Gamma was basically one big engine with wings, 31 feet 2 inches in length,, with massive wings of 47 feet 10 inches. The power plant was a monster Wright "Cyclone" 710 H.P. engine, truly a handful that few pilots of the day could master. Frye was described by Time Magazine in 1937, as a being  'top-notch' flyer, and Tomlinson, was noted to be his assistant in TWA flight research.

Frye Fights For Return Of U.S. Mail Contracts After A Lapse Of 85 Days- May 1934

TWA's Revenue didn't come from Passenger Service but Rather From Mail Contracts 

To commemorate the occasion, vice president and operations manager of TWA, Frye, flies the first load of mail personally in a new Northrop Gamma cross-country. This event launches new and efficient overnight mail service for the United States at over 200 m.p.h., unheard of in 1934!  Recently, in talks around the country, Frye extolled the importance of the mail contracts for the airlines stating that TWA passenger service was not the bread and butter of the airline’s bottom line. The mail contracts and express service sustained the company and if the United States did not reinstate mail contracts that passenger service to various cities would have to be discontinued. At the formation of the major U.S. airlines in the early 1930’s mail contracts were a prerequisite for the survival of these struggling enterprises. Passenger service was added along the mail routes which in turn started a network of service available to the flying public eventually competing with the railroads.

Fastest Mail Delivery For 1934! 

Information accompanying this image in 1934 states that Ted Herbert was the Field Manager at Newark Airport. The cross-country time noted was 11 hours 28 and 1/2 minutes (this among a variety of "official" times. The plane was Frye's personal transport NR13757. Jack understandably looks exhausted in this image. Credit: The image seen above was originally used by a media-news agency (International News Photo). The image was not owned by news service agencies around the country which reproduced the image, rather it was on loan. The original photographer is unknown and this image is not thought to hold a renewed (current) copyright. This original vintage 1934 photo is owned by Sedona Legend. Further information regarding photos seen on Sedona Legend can be found at the bottom of Page 2010. Click on any photos on this website for larger files. On Sunday, May 13, 1934 Jack Frye supervised the loading of TWA’s new Northrop Gamma speedster (NR13757) with 355 pounds of mail and 85 pounds of express. Frye prepared himself and the plane for the rocket cross-country jaunt that would include a quick refueling stop at Kansas City. Frye started the massive Cyclone engine- within 5 minutes- the wheel chocks were pulled and he made his way off the ground by (6:00 A.M.) 5:00 A.M. (EST). Frye raced over the Tehachapi Mountains and settled in a flight path over the deserts of AZ and NM. Finally at 10:21 a.m. Jack set the rocket-like speedster down at Kansas City for refueling and to off-load and load mail. On this first leg Frye stated he had averaged 233 m.p.h. but because of snow and rain he had to fly at a low level of 16,000 feet. Frye had time only to grab a sandwich and a cup of coffee before the Gamma, engine screaming, lifted off again for Newark. On the next leg, the Gamma averaged a speed of 225.66 m.p.h. -however most media sources cite 227 m.p.h. Again, inclement weather was encountered, but the 710 H.P. Wright Cyclone never missed a beat and plowed through blizzard conditions to land at Newark, N.J. @ 4:31 (4:33) E.S.T. P.M.  Official time for the 2609-mile flight was 11 hours 31 minutes; however, some media sources subtracted the 10 minutes Frye was on the ground in Kansas City refueling making the record 11 hours, 21 minutes. Frye stated he could have shaved an hour off the record if unfavorable weather had not been encountered. The Gamma and the Wright Cyclone performed flawlessly.

At Newark, in between interviews with reporters, Frye assisted Ted Herbert, the Newark field manager unload the cargo (see above). Photos and coverage of this record flight ran nation wide in media publications on the front page for a week. This promo flight was conducted under a temporary mail contract and was the first such resumption of the U.S. Mail by a commercial carrier. The last such trip was also conducted by Frye on February 18, 1934 in the luxury airliner 'City of Los Angeles'. Frye shared the record with Eddie Rickenbacker but Frye

piloted the plane for a majority of the flight this due to Rickenbacker not possessing a transport pilot's license. This last demonstration by Frye convinced the U.S. Government once and for all to surrender the delivery of the U.S. Mail to the airlines. The rugged Gamma was revolutionary design suited for all cross-country mail-express service

conditions, night flying or daytime use, but was soon eclipsed by the multi-use Douglas Commercial. The Northrop was short-lived only by size. The DC series airliners enabled the airlines to fly the mail (and passengers) which was a more efficient and profitable application.

Another great image (shown directedly above) from the Charles G. Mandrake collection (via his daughter Tina) of the TWA Northrop Gamma (X 13758) Experimental Overweather Laboratory. Designated (X) only when it was officially undergoing flight experiments by Frye or Tomlinson. This plane served asFrye's executive plane as implemented nation-wide from 1935 to 1940. At this juncture it wasreplaced by the larger Lockheed Electra Jr. (fall of 1940). Rarely seen in Gamma images is the (TWA Circle & Arrow) on the NACA cowling. At first I assumed this circle was added late in the plane's tenure with TWA but I found the marking in a 1935 photo too. The event pictured above is likely an airshow evidenced by people milling about. It appears a view platform was set up adjoining the other side of this monstrous machine as one visitor is looking at the engine supercharger at the front port side. Interesting, this image clearly shows the tarmac-facing side of the TWA terminal and Jack's executive office. Frye could look out at the TWA transports, arriving and departing, from his corner office anytime day or night, keeping a close eye on schedule and efficiency of his airline's day to day operations. When not in his office, Frye was in this very transport, zipping coast to coast, monitoring nationwide TWA operations. Frye knew nearly all his employees on a first-name basis when he visited each TWA airport.

Charles Lindbergh Borrows Gamma NR13757 

I have heard that 2 other men at one time each flew the Northrop NR13757 which was mostly associated with Frye. I have been able to substantiate the first claim (Lindbergh) but so far have not found any media reports that (Richter) flew the plane. This just means that (Richter) were not publicized flights. Charles Lindbergh (once associated with TWA) flew the Northrop Gamma NR13757 on the afternoon of May 23, 1934 from Newark N.J. to Langley Field, VA. to attend an air exposition Annual Engineering Conference (as associated with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics). On the trip Lindbergh said he averaged 200 m.p.h. at 75% power. The jaunt took just 1 hour and 35 minutes each way. Lindbergh represented the new Cyclone powered Gamma and TWA for the event. The plane was noted as being the same one that Frye recently flew cross-country in, on May 14, 1934, less than 10-days earlier.

Jack Frye- More Than An Airline Administrator

Frye Responsible For Rescue Of TWA Pilots Passengers & Crew Members 

When you worked for Jack Frye you became part of his TWA family. The employees of TWA were a part of a sacred trust, meaning if you were employed by Frye you were trusted to be the best you could be and in turn were rewarded with loyalty and appreciation, no matter if you were in the field or in the air. When TWA equipment was missing with crew members and or passengers it was Frye who more than not was the first man to jump in and physically lead (not just direct) the rescue. He was a tireless bull dog when it came to protecting his "TWA family". This is why it was such a slap in his face when the pilots turned on TWA in 1946 and why so many other employees within TWA at the time did not endorse or approve of this destructive strike and disloyalty toward what they considered the greatest airline in the world. 

Veteran TWA Pilot George Rice Crashes Western Slope Treacherous Tehachapi Pass- KC to LA

On Thursday evening November 15, 1934 TWA pilot Rice was westbound with a load of mail from Kansas City to Los Angeles when he encountered a massive down burst (likely a microburst) in the mountains between L.A. and Mojave. In a blinding rainstorm he was forced to the ground 2 miles northwest of Saugus which is in the western foothills of the Tehachapi Mountains. In the crash landing Rice sustained broken ribs and bruises yet bravely he stood by guarding his cargo (U.S. Mail) with gun drawn against any attempted robbery. When the plane was reported missing, Jack Frye, then General Manager and vice-president of Transcontinental & Western Air, took off from Los Angeles in his Northrop Gamma NR13757, early Friday, for an air search. Frye hoped he would find the missing pilot and flier unharmed but after hours of combing the mountains above L.A., along the flight route, Frye spotted the

TWA mail plane which had sheered off its undercarriage and left wing in the crash just north of Santa Clarita. Pilot George Rice frantically waved to Frye, as he flew overhead, at which, Frye dipped his wings several times to signal visual contact had been made. Frye immediately contacted his home base on his ship's radio-phone and returned to Glendale where he organized a ground party which he then led to the crash scene. Rice was flying a sister Northrop to Frye's Gamma. At the accident scene TWA personnel secured the U.S. Mail and transported Rice to a local hospital where he was treated for his injuries. Rice was reported to have told the attending physician “fix me up in a hurry, so I can get in the harness again!” The accident was found to be no fault of the pilot (who was one of TWA’s most seasoned and experienced).

Head Of TWA Officially Appointed President Of TWA @ Just 30 

Transcontinental & Western Air, Inc. (T. & W.A.) was founded on October 1, 1930 with Jack Frye serving as 'vice president in charge of operations' and sitting on the board of directors. On  September 25, 1934 Jack Frye made General Manager and Vice President, soon after he was appointed executive vice president. From president of Aero Corporation of California and Standard Air Lines, to vice president in charge of operations for Western Air Express (WAE), to the de facto operating head of T.W.A., Jack Frye officially becomes president of T. & W.A.

on December 6, 1934, at just 30 years old. This man truly eclipsed all his peers and associates as the youngest and most successful aviation head of his day! December 8, 1934 

Mr. Jack Frye

President, TWA Incorporated

Kansas City, Mo.

Dear Mr. Frye:

Congratulations on your appointment as President of TWA Incorporated. I wish you a successful career in this work. Several years ago you gave Mrs. Riordan and me a most pleasurable thrill, when you took us up in the air at Prescott, Arizona (see page 1927). On our first air trip, and shortly after that time, I introduced you to Mr. Henry M. Robinson in Los Angeles. It was then remarked that we could expect big things from you in the development of air transportation and now you seem to be fulfilling our hopes! Mrs. Riordan joins with me in all good wishes. Sincerely, Timothy A. Riordan

TWA, Inc.

10 Richards Road

Municipal Airport

Kansas City, Missouri

Mr. Timothy Riordan

Howard Sheep Company

Flagstaff, Arizona

December 22, 1934

Dear Mr. Riordan:

Thank you for your kind letter of congratulations and good wishes which I have just received due to having been in the east for the past three weeks. I often fly over Flagstaff and think of the pleasant visit I had in Prescott the time you and Mrs. Riordan went for a ride with me in the old Fokker Universal. Some day I will stop in with one of our new Douglas Planes and repeat the experience. You will enjoy these new planes as they have all the comforts of the finest pullman car with lots of room, large comfortable chairs, steam heating and all possible conveniences. They are also quieter than the average Pullman car. I very grateful to you for your introduction to Mr. Henry Robinson as he has been very helpful to me every since, and I see him almost every time I go to Los Angeles. With sincere wishes to Mrs. Riordan and yourself for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, I am, Yours truly, Jack Frye  JF/LB

The Gammas Of TWA- The Most Streamlined Planes Of The Day & The Fastest 

Fate would dictate that the first TWA Experimental Gamma (NR13757) was utilized by Frye for just just less than a year. However, the second more publicized TWA Experimental Gamma (NX13758) was to serve as Frye’s executive plane for a longer period from 1935 to 1940. This second Gamma was also used by Tommy Tomlinson as a TWA experimental overweather laboratory. Press reports document Frye also tested new technology in this plane as well. Little is known about the third TWA Gamma (NR13759) which was used briefly as a TWA mail plane. Pilots associated with the first Gamma were only Frye, the second Tomlinson and Frye, and the third unknown. All three TWA Gammas valued at about 50-thousand dollars each suffered short lives with TWA. Because the ships were experimental it is not known the exact fuel and oil load but it is thought they were fueled at approximately 334 gallons and 22 gallons of oil. None of these Gammas were configured for passenger use. Only one, the second (NX13758), had a passenger cubby (observer's compartment). This plane actually carried a civilian passenger (Frye’s wife) at one time. The small compartment where Jean rode from Chicago to Washington with Frye was where Tomlinson’s testing assistant James Heistand was confined during high altitude testing.

Fastest Executive Plane in the Country

Youngest Head of an Airline in the World

For the sake of this article the 3 TWA Gammas are classified as follows:

1) NR (X) 13757 TWA Fleet Number 16 (Bought by TWA April 1934 sold September 1935.)

2) NR NX 13758 TWA Fleet Number 17 (Bought by TWA June 1934 sold October 1940.)

3) NC 13759       TWA Fleet Number 18 (Bought by TWA July 1934 sold October 1935.)

Originally TWA had 5 Gammas on order but took delivery of just three. After 1935 TWA owned only one of the Gammas- this being the NX13758 which was used for research and by Frye.

Valuable historical documentation of Jack Frye and his first Gamma can be found in the following account of a flight over Arizona in early 1935.

On Friday, January 11, 1935 the President of TWA ordered his experimental Northrop Gamma (NR13757) single engine monoplane fueled and ready for flight. Frye flew back and forth across the United States so much during this time frame the press nicknamed him the “Flying President”. Jack Frye, born in March of 1904, was just 30 years old in January 1935. During his career he held the distinction of being the youngest airline president in the world and the only airline president to hold a transport pilot’s license. It was an absolute necessity that Frye have a private plane with TWA as he navigated the country on an almost daily basis attending critical meetings, sometimes L.A. and N.Y.C. on the same day! This was unheard of at the time. No one could keep up with his schedule or him. His secretary would no sooner miss him in Kansas City than he would show up in Los Angeles, and or, be back again late in the day.  Frye’s ship in this accounting was the first of three Gammas purchased by TWA for mail service, configured as light cargo planes with number one and two utilized for flight research. Jack’s plane was the first Gamma used for the TWA legendary flight research program and Frye was the only man known to utilize this plane. The NR13757, registration at times X13757, was fully equipped and  outfitted with many up-to-the-date for 1934 upgrades- designated as “Experimental” by the F.A.A. An experimental high-speed Gamma which was a handful. Few men even at TWA were qualified to handle it. This particular Gamma was fitted with a Wright Cyclone SR-1820 with a gutsy 710 horsepower engine (also found in various DC series airliners). The engine was equipped with a carburetor heater that enabled the plane to be flown in inclement conditions providing the wings didn’t ice up. This particular January day was no different than any other in Jack’s life as he busily prepared to leave for an important meeting in Los Angeles set for the following Monday morning. Jack walked out to his Gamma from his Kansas City office at the downtown airport. After securing his briefcase and gear he assisted the ground crew members as they loaded westbound express into the 2 forward hatches. Frye did a preflight check after which he started the massive Cyclone engine and let it warm thoroughly before signaling the wheel chokes pulled. The ground crew stood back as Frye increased the throttle slightly the tail dragger gently navigating to the end of the runway with a low rumble from the engine. Finally after maneuvering into a takeoff position, Frye increased the throttle, listening carefully to the mighty engine as it surged to full power. The monoplane quickly picked up speed, the tail lifted, and the powerful speedster now level quickly lifted from the runway and roared off disappearing into the western horizon. Soon Jack Frye was just a speck in the cold gray Kansas sky. By Emporia Kansas, Frye was already cruising at 200 m.p.h. sweeping across the United States in record time. The Gamma was a rare sight in 1935 and if you saw one you knew it was associated with a V.I.P. pilot. It is thought Jack set a course for Oklahoma City where he could land, check the weather west, refuel, and continue. By late Friday afternoon, Frye landed on schedule at the TWA Albuquerque N.M. terminal where the weather was clear and cold. On the ground again, Jack checked the weather reports which showed fair to good to L.A. He ordered the plane serviced and refueled for the last leg of the flight to Los Angeles. After clearing his schedule of TWA business and having a bite to eat, he again climbed back into the Gamma and took off, heading west, toward the TWA facility at Winslow Arizona. The time was now 8:00 p.m., the temperature was hovering at a brisk 35 degrees. There was nothing amiss, as Jack Frye banked toward Arizona and settled in for the long cold flight while listening to the engine for any anomalies. Frye had flown this route 100’s of times in TWA airliners and private planes. He remained TWA’s most experienced and seasoned pilot. After crossing the Arizona-New Mexico border Frye started noticing a slight loss of power and sound of fuel starvation in the Wright engine which he took for carburetor icing. He was concerned the carburetor heater was not working properly. Jack immediately descended to warmer air and the problem appeared to correct itself. He was now west of Zuni N.M., Frye continued a flight path to Winslow. He knew that if he had to land there was an emergency landing field at Deep Lake Arizona which lay in between the two locations. However, the weather continued to worsen to driving snow flurries and visibility dropped to near zero at times. Frye being a crack pilot knew he might have to land the Gamma, but felt, luckily he was over open wide flat desert. Around 10 p.m. the Albuquerque terminal reported they had made contact with Frye, who notified them he was encountering snow flurries and carburetor icing. Frye reported he could see the air beacons but did not know his exact position on the air lane. (It is not clear in media reports but it is assumed he meant the (radio) beacons at the TWA terminal Winslow.) Jack was roughly navigating a straight line from ABQ to Winslow (WIN) cruising just just south of Route 66, likely at about 10,000 feet. Jack struggled to maintain altitude in the Gamma as he dropped closer and closer to the ground. Again the Gamma’s carburetor iced up (Jack realized the carburetor heater had completely failed) and this combined with flurry conditions and lack of altitude forced him to set the ship down in the high desert. The aviator unable to see the ground in the inky darkness and snow flurries eased the ship down with instruments as his landing lights illuminated a snowy glow of brilliant reflection around him. Finally, the ground loomed below and met him. As Jack touched down on the Navajo Reservation he struggled to keep the plane in a straight line as it thrashed through brush and trees. (It is not known if the engine was still powered). The area was peppered with pinion pine and juniper, several which prevented him from negotiating an unobstructed landing path. After coming to a rest Jack performed a shut-down procedure on the engine and used his radio-phone to contact Albuquerque telling them he had made an emergency landing near Deep Lake. However, his transmission was received as weak and was short on information. His position was vague but he was unharmed. He climbed down from the cockpit and surveyed the damage to the plane as it rested in the shredded trees and snow. Morning newspapers across the country would report- TWA President Lost In Snow Storm. The Northrop Gamma, for its day, before the age of retractable landing gear, was quite aerodynamic but ill suited for rough field landings. Over the landing gear, sculpted aluminum was riveted over the wheels, into what was called “pants” to reduce drag on the plane. Because the plane was encased in molded and riveted aluminum it was unforgiving in a forced landing as the material was not resilient against hard objects. Jack surveyed the damage to the landing gear, which was askew, and the right wing which had “mowed” down several small pinions. Jack noticed the fuselage underneath was damaged and the ship was resting on a slight downhill incline with nose down, tail up. Being a licensed airplane mechanic, Frye knew the plane would not fly out of the rugged location without repairs. He settled in for the night and gathered fuel for a signal fire with temperatures hovering at about 20 degrees. The ships cargo of express freight was unharmed and the plane carried no U.S. Mail on this flight. Jack dozed off repeatedly by the fire shivering in the damp winter air as he listened to a pack of coyotes repeatedly yipping in celebration after their early morning kill. By morning’s light, Jack cleared the fallen snow off the 48 foot wing spread and fuselage to make the Gamma easier to be seen by rescue planes. However, because the Gamma was all aluminum it did not stand out well against the white landscape. Jack was able to use his radio on Saturday at noon, stating to TWA in N.M. that his position was near the Arizona-New Mexico line and 145 miles west of Albuquerque. At 12:10 p.m., another weak transmission was received from Frye at TWA in Winslow AZ. in which Frye reported he was “O.K.”. Any more attempts at communication with TWA president Frye were thwarted by a dead radio battery on board the Northrop Gamma. The plane’s resting place was about 25 miles west of Zuni Pueblo. Jack Frye would wait a chilling 17 hours for rescue in frigid conditions with no survival gear and little food. Having once lived in the White Mountains of Arizona and driven Highway 191 many times past the crash area, I can assure you it is a void of vast emptiness covered by scrub trees and brush. The region remains inaccessible and very remote. Traveling north to I-40 (former Route 66) the accident scene was roughly east of Hwy. 191 and north of Hwy. 61, which branches northeast off of 191, to Zuni Pueblo. The Deep Lake emergency landing strip is all but forgotten today and not located on satellite imagery. TWA Albuquerque Division Superintendent Major A. D. Smith was dispatched in a tri-motored passenger airliner to search for Frye. The plane did not have the luxury of a radio. It is not clear if this was a Ford tri-motor or the more commonly used TWA Fokker. Meanwhile, pilots and passengers of a regularly scheduled westbound TWA airliner watched anxiously for the stricken Frye Gamma when flying over the area Saturday but disappointingly saw nothing but snow and trees. Albuquerque TWA officials were getting concerned by Saturday afternoon that Smith and Frye, both, appeared to be missing. The search quadrant was a perimeter of Winslow, Navajo, Sanders, Albuquerque, and the Zuni Pueblo. All locations worked together fervently to locate Frye before nightfall and freezing temperatures enveloped the desert again. Finally at 3:30 p.m., Saturday afternoon, Smith spotted Frye’s Northrop Gamma 2D near St. John’s Highway (route 191) roughly 18 miles south of Navajo Arizona. He gently set his large passenger tri-motor down 200 feet away from Frye on a flat unobstructed patch of high desert. Major Smith knew as soon as the tri-motor contacted the ground that it would be too soft and mushy to take off again unless they had a hard freeze in the area. Now two ships lay stranded. It is thought Smith may have been traveling with a TWA mechanic named C.F. Rhodes. On Major Smith’s landing, J. R. Lynn (Chief Clerk at Zuni) and an irrigation foreman, F. E. Frost, approached the airliner, accompanied by pilot Frye. The two had been searching the area by truck, from Zuni-south, and had arrived at the scene shortly before Smith landed. In addition to this a Department of Commerce plane was also searching from the air to no avail. The Frye signal fire was not spotted because according to Lynn, the wood available in the area was too dry and emitted little smoke. Lynn and others who arrived at the scene stated to the press the plane was little damaged and would be able to be flown out once a runway could be bladed. None of them knew; however, the intricacies of the heavy Northrop Gamma. TWA officials were soon notified that the accident scene was located after which Winslow TWA officials immediately dispatched a rescue truck which picked up Frye, 2 other men and some of the plane’s freight. Smith stayed behind to guard the two planes and assess the removal process. Jack’s then wife Jean, in Kansas City, was immediately contacted and told her husband was safe, to her immense relief. TWA employees all over the country who had been speculating about the fate of their beloved president were finally at ease. After arriving in Winslow late Saturday evening, Frye checked into La Posada (a Harvey House) where he recuperated. On Sunday morning he continued his journey to Los Angeles on a TWA airliner with, no doubt, an interesting tale of survival to share. He was unharmed, except for what he described to the press as a “rather bad cold” which he attributed to his exposure to the harsh elements. Within 15 days, Frye again was flying over the scene in a TWA airliner stopping at Winslow and Albuquerque making his way with his wife Jean to one of many business commitments around the country. Life was back to normal for Frye and TWA!

The Fate of Gamma NR13757

By all published accounts the plane was little damaged and one would assume this was the end of the saga. At the time, TWA possessed the best maintenance and overhaul facilities in the country. TWA’s Major Smith set up a staging area at (Zuni), thought to mean Zuni Pueblo, for retrieval of the TWA Gamma, which rested 10 miles from the Deep Lake landing site. The plane was dismantled and trucked to 191 and then north to Route 66 to the Winslow TWA facility. After which one would assume it was transported to Los Angeles. But for whatever reason the plane, it appears, was never repaired by TWA, but instead later sold. The TWA Fokker? This transport was also said to have been trucked out, not flown, because of the mucky conditions. On September 10, 1935 Jack transferred the Gamma’s ownership to prominent United States airplane broker Charles H. Babb, of Babb International Aircraft Brokerage, 1140 Airway, Glendale, California. Babb did a brisk business with TWA and other airlines throughout the years trading planes. At this time, the trail of the NR13757 grows cold. One source states that Transcontinental & Western Air took a loss on the plane of $16,208.48. But was this amount what the plane was sold for or what the damage was? Other sources indicate that the plane was likely repaired by TWA and later sold, 9 months later. The plane was never considered “totaled” by TWA and was later resold by Babb and flown into the 1940's. There were only 3 Northrop Gamma 2D’s ever manufactured. The pilot was found to be not at fault. The accident was caused by an iced over carburetor as result of a faulty carburetor heater. According to Frye “I was flying high in the clouds late last night (Friday, January 11, 1934) when I ran into heavy icing conditions and everything worked fine, except for the carburetor heater”. The Gamma was equipped with a variety of very advanced instruments for 1935 and TWA flight research equipment. Jack, from this point on flew the 2nd Gamma, NX13758, as a private plane whenever it was not scheduled for experimental testing by TWA. These tests were performed primarily by Tomlinson, but a little known fact is Frye too also tested many new innovations in this plane. At the same time as Jack’s emergency landing in the desert of Arizona extensive coverage of his future wife Helen’s new marriage to Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jr. was one of the hottest news stories in the nation. Both, Helen and Jack’s stories were front page copy at times, in January of 1935. Jack shared a front page with aviatrix Amelia Earhart's Pacific Hop (Honolulu to Oakland) on January 13, 1935. 2.5 years later, Amelia too would be "lost" but unfortunately, for her and a grieving nation, she would not be found and would die isolated and alone. 

The Holy Grail Of Jack Frye Northrop Gamma Association, TWA NR NC NX13758 (C/N 9) TWA Fleet #17

Utilized By Frye As A 'Flying Office' More Than Any Other 3 TWA Gammas

Frye may have commandeered the first delivered TWA Gamma (NR13757) and utilized it as a much needed cross-country executive transport, but the holy grail of Gamma association for Frye was actually the second (and last TWA) Gamma (NX13758). No, this Gamma was not just associated with Tommy Tomlinson but one might think this as there was so much publicity of Tomlinson testing the Gamma for TWA and this has been reprinted repeatedly over the years. I was quite surprised to find a considerable amount of media material connecting Frye and the same (Tomlinson) Northrop Gamma, 'copy' which hasn’t been re-circulated. So much material, in fact, that I just spent 30 minutes reading through it all and don’t even know where to begin. I think we will start with Frye associations with the plane and touch briefly on the TWA Flight Research program which is quite well covered in other venues. Keep in mind that the test Gamma, as connected with this program (NX13758) was also Frye’s official personal transport and he used it regularly conducting nation-wide airline business as president of TWA. Few historians realize Frye was connected with this plane and are missing part of the equation. Even fewer realize that Tomlinson “worked” for Frye. Even for the period when Frye appointed Paul Richter to head the program, and Tomlinson answered to Richter, they “both” answered to Frye. Jack Frye was never removed from TWA flight research- he directed it. Such research was a consuming passion for Frye who dreamed of flying "above the weather”. Frye knew therein lay the success of TWA. He could never be far removed from the NX13758 test program as he himself was a test pilot of said Gamma and his own use of the plane was scheduled around Tomlinson’s test flights. Frye was always front and center in the mix.

Media Accounts of Frye & Northrop Gamma NR13758

Massive Flooding Immobilizes East- Frye Loans his Northrop Gamma NR13758 For Emergency Flights

Frye’s Private Northrop Drafted For Emergency Service

Source TWA Skyliner (April 1936)

The flying equipment called into emergency service by TWA included more than the Skyliners with which all scheduled flights normally are carried on. Obsolete trimotors, once used in general service over the system, again were put into use and transported a variety of express shipments in addition to both airmail and first class mail. The single engine monoplane used by Jack Frye, president of TWA, in much of his traveling over the system, also went into service for the emergency and supplemented the work of other craft in transporting cargo between Newark, Camden, and Pittsburgh. The evacuations started after the initial March 17th flooding. This crisis was the massive flooding which overtook the eastern part of the United States (Pittsburgh and Johnstown) necessitating the need for air evacuations which were shouldered by various national air services. As reported in media sources in the week of March 20, one of the planes loaned was “ a Northrop Gamma mail plane” belonging to Jack Frye, president of TWA. This plane was flown by TWA pilots (not Frye) shuttling supplies in and out of the treacherous low ceiling areas which were inundated with heavy rain and snow. The route of the Gamma was primarily a supply line operated from Camden to Pittsburgh and back. The Northrop Gamma NR13758 flew constant round trips day and night, no sooner would it land than it would be back in the air again, a valuable and very maneuverable ship for this unique application. Other available TWA ships were also drafted for this emergency to include three TWA Sky Chiefs, with lead TWA pilot, A.M. Wilkins. At the end of the emergency shuttle duty, TWA president Jack Frye again resumed control of his ship and took off from Camden to land in Pittsburgh. After off-loading a full load of express he departed again into the rain soaked southwest horizon to land at his TWA offices at Kansas City, later in the day (March 21 or 22). Flood waters gradually receded and life returned to normal for thousands of displaced flood stricken citizens.

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Sedona Legend was envisioned and created to provide Red Rock State Park visitors a comprehensive historic overview for Jack and Helen Frye and their Deer-Lick and Smoke Trail Ranches. This effort is now officially cited by R.R.S.P. as an in depth historical venue representing Jack and Helen Frye. 

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