Transcontinental & Western Air   Douglas DC-2-112  NC13720       (c/n    1246)

                                       

                                           The first production DC-2 (out of an initial order for 20) flew on 11 May 1934, just days after the
                                           first commercial air mail flights began again after the disastrous interlude of the Army Air Mail Service.
                                           President Roosevelt was big enough to admit he had made an error (politicians did that in those days),
                                           reversed his decision, and re-awarded air mail contracts to the airlines.  Initially used on the New York
                                           to Chicago route, the new DC-2s were soon flying the transcontinental Sky Chief service.  This left
                                           Newark, New Jersey at 16.00 hrs and arrived in Los Angeles at 07.00 the following morning (an
                                           elapsed time of 18 hours).    Ten more DC-2s were to be delivered to TWA by 1936..   The nice
                                           image above was acquired from TWA in 1948.   In 1935 G.A. Robinson, Managing Director of
                                           Airlines of Australia was visiting the US with a view to purchasing new aircraft for his airline. The
                                           photos below are from his album (courtesy of Bruce Robinson) and were doubtless taken on a visit
                                           to the Santa Monica factory early in 1935.  The left shot shows TWA fleet number '326' receiving
                                           its de-icer boot on the fin, while that on the right is the interior of the aircraft.   Below are wing sets
                                           waiting to be mated with fuselages.

                                              Douglas DC-2-112  NC13788                     (c/n  1298)