Transcontinental & Western Air  Northrop Gamma 2-D   NX13758       (c/n  9)

                                

                                     The Northrop Gamma was basically a high speed, high altitude developmental type aircraft,
                                     although TWA did order three of them.  The above machine was the one with which TWA
                                     inaugurated its new air mail route in 1934, following the re-assignment of air mail contracts
                                     in the wake of the "Spoils Conference" and the disastrous cancellation of all the airmail
                                     contracts in February of 1934.   As related elsewhere, the abortive attempt by the US
                                     Army to deliver the mails ended after three short months when President Roosevelt re-
                                     opened the bidding to private airlines. Thus it was that on 13-14 May 1934, TWA's Jack
                                     Frye (later to become president of the corporation) flew NX13758 from Los Angeles to
                                     Newark, New Jersey in the record time of 11hr 31 mins with 440 lbs of mail on board. 
                                     The Gamma 2-D was powered by a 710 h.p. Wright GR-1820-F3 Cyclone enine which
                                     gave it a maximum speed of 224 m.p.h.
                                     Correspondent Patrick Rodwell sends the shot below.  His grandfather, Kent, was an
                                     A&P mechanic for TWA, and is seen here alongside the experimental machine, circa
                                     late 1930s.