1945
Thank you for visiting Sedona Legend-
The Jack and Helen Frye Story!
Copyright © 2003
Sedona Legend Helen Frye Website
Created By R. D. Reynolds
All Rights Reserved
Sedona's Celebrity Love Story!
This is the official not to mention only web portal in the world
dedicated exclusively to the legacy of Jack and Helen Frye!
The Frye Legacy-
a Lifetime of Accomplishment!
By Randall Reynolds
The Sedona Legend Web Site is a historical narrative enhanced with photos presented for
educational and entertainment purposes. Some materials may be displayed in regard to the
United States Fair Use Act. This web portal is totally non-profit and generates no income, nor
does it seek or has it ever accepted a single donation. It is an independent venture.
While this web site is not "officially" affiliated with Red Rock State Park in any way, it was
envisioned and created to give park visitors a more indepth historical perspective in regard to
the former 700 acre Frye Ranch property.
Sedona Legend is encouraged and supported by the Jack Frye Family, to include Jack's
daughter, Nevajac Frye, Jack's late sister, "Sunny" Frye Thomas, the Helen Frye family,
and the many friends of Jack and Helen Frye.
TWA Lockheed Lodestar NC 33604
At the beginning 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 Transcontinental & Western Air, Inc. with a futuristic flair.
Congratulations to Lockheed for creating one of the most beautiful planes ever! This was the
only L18 ever owned by TWA, and it was always designated as Frye's personal executive plane.
Please see one-of-a-kind image below:

1942 Lockheed Lodestar 18 C56D
C/N 2170, NC33604, TWA Fleet #241,
Crew (3), Passengers (14).

Most significant is that the lettering on fuselage has been altered (in this image) to display-
"Trans World Airline". (An earlier version of this Lodestar's TWA lettering is seen below).
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). The original power plants on this
ship are unknown; however, later in the planes life, when it was owned by Morton Salt, it was
fitted with (2) 1350 h.p. Pratt & Whitney R-1830-94's, making it extremely fast, with speeds up
to 250 mph. This from Morton Salt Corporate pilot, Herb Garrett.
The photo above is a one in a million blast from the past! Thanks to the miracle of Canon this
priceless 2.5 inch snapshot is now enlarged to fill an entire page. Provenance unknown but
likely it was taken by a TWA ground crew member. Miraculously, it has surfaced some
64-years later on EBay! This image is now the exclusive property of the Sedona Legend.
Observations on the above image- The plane is being serviced at what appears to be either MCI
or DCA (both 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 Frye
suitcases. The nose luggage compartment is open and luggage belonging to Jack and Helen Frye
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' (which is painted on the nose) right below the round red
warning light. Did Jack order NC 33604 ready for departure or have 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.
FAA 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 manufacture 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 TWA Hostess
Miss Harriet Appelwick Huntoon-
"V.I.P." Hostess -personally selected by
Frye to serve on the Presidential Lodestar.
The most coveted hostess assignment with
T.W.A. Later served as personal Hostess
for Howard Hughes on the TWA Lodestar.
Photo, likely captured by photographer
Jack Frye, in about 1946, shows Helen
Frye and Harriet riding horses at the
700-acre Frye Ranch @ Sedona, Arizona.
The flight position most Transcontinental & Western Air hostesses likely envied the most was
secured by Harriet Appelwick who joined TWA in 1943. Seen to the right, in image above, with
Helen Frye, at the Frye Ranch in Sedona, (now red Rock State Park). Before Harriet took the
position she was working in Washington D.C. for the War Department. One day, prior to 1943,
while carpooling with some male co-workers, they were stopped at a Washington cross street.
Strolling in front of their car was a smartly dressed and stunningly pretty airline stewardess in
Transcontinental & Western Air attire. She was definitely noticed by the men in the
automobile! One of the men suddenly turned to Harriet, who herself was quite a knockout, and
said excitedly, “that’s what you should be doing!" Harriet, a little taken aback replied, “what do
you mean?” To which the unanimous reply of her carpooler friends was, “You Should Be A
TWA Hostess!” Harriet observed the woman for a moment, and 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 an in-flight attendant. 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 hand picked to be
the most elite of all Transcontinental in flight personnel- private V.I.P. Hostess, staffing the
private plane of the long-term 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 it was a title
of sorts. They were traveling on the private TWA Lodestar.
This employee position was necessitated by Jack Frye, who had recently (1945) started flying a
much larger private executive plane (previous plane was the smaller Lockheed 12A) which
could accommodate guest passengers and an official company attendant. An obscure
Transcontinental & Western Air guideline applied, as well, from the mid-1940's which basically
stated, “that 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. Part of this
information was provided to me 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 and good friend. This, along with local Sedona lore started my
research on this mystery lady and personal friend of the Fryes.
Harriet soon started hosting presidential flights of the executive service Lockheed Electra and
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 a 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 about it, 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 for 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 was also had heating
facilities for preparing in-flight meals. The attractive sleek airliner accommodated 3 TWA crew
members (2 pilots and a hostess or and engineer) with the capability of carrying up to 14
passengers who could recline in spatial comfort. The executive Lockheed Lodestars were first
class. Frye flights often included celebrities or V.I.P.'s. as shown below in 1945.
Harriet Appelwick.... By 1947, after playing hostess to celebrities, dignitaries, presidents and
the like, for nearly 8 years, Harriet was grounded. She had made innumerable transcontinental
flights and even flights out of the country to places like South America. By February of 1947,
Jack Frye had resigned from TWA and was bought out by Hughes. With this monumental event
the Lodestar was retired from its executive placement. Jack’s plane was not a corporate plane
but rather a “perk” provided to him as president of TWA and could not be utilized by other
entities except through his executive decree. On going research reveals that for a limited time
Harriet continued to work for Hughes after Hughes is thought to have purchased the plane
from TWA in '47. Hughes, also at the same time, utilized former Frye pilot Ed Bell. Many
airline stewardesses met their future husbands on the wings of company planes in the guise of
pilots or wealthy business men, Harriet was no exception.
By October of 1947, Miss Appelwick met a powerful and handsome man and soon got married.
Transcontinental & Western Air did not allow their hostesses to be married so Harriet’s
position did not transfer to scheduled passenger service. It's likely it would never have been the
same for Harriet anyway, as when one is at pinnacle of the stewardess pyramid, everything else
would certainly seem less than exciting. Howard Hughes affected all his contemporaries in a
disruptive manner, Harriet was not spared from this chaotic association. From crazy late-night
flights with odd mysterious passengers to the often unorthodox and irrational Hughes,
Harriet was often pushed to the limit of her hostess abilities. Nevertheless she served in a
stellar capacity as is evidenced by her evaluation reports from Transcontinental & Western Air.
Her name was in the press often, at which she became a minor-celebrity as associated with Frye
and Hughes in the drama ignited by the Owen Brewster Senate Hearings of the late 1940's.
After TWA, as Harriet adjusted to private married life, she shunned the public eye and became
quite reclusive, never wanting to talk about “those” days. Thus, she lived out her life with her
TWA association all but forgotten having filled one of the most unique positions within
Transcontinental & Western Air. In our current time frame she has been all but erased in
official TWA hostess records. This is an absolute tragedy, a slight I plan to rectify, as original
employee records still exist. Harriet Appelwick passed away recently and left very few who were
privy to her early years as the very first TWA Presidential Hostess. She served delightfully and
competently throughout the “Camelot Years of Transcontinental & Western Air”. According to
her family Harriet had fond memories of the Fryes, in spite of her experiences with Hughes.
She stayed in touch with Helen Frye up until Helen's death. Harriet is now free to once again
play hostess on the Transcontinental & Western Air Lockheed Lodestar, as it slips gracefully
in and out of Sedona air space, navigating the heavenly skies with her dear friends, Jack and
Helen Frye and their many fascinating in-flight guests! Pure magic!
The Fryes had more than a passing interest in the Transcontinental & Western Air
Flight Attendant Program. It was Jack Frye himself who launched the service in 1935 thus
relieving the TWA co-pilots from cabin service. And it was Frye who decreed the "new"
attendants would be referred to as "Hostesses" instead of Stewardesses. As he put it, "they're
serving our guests, they ARE Hostesses." Not surprisingly, here is yet another TWA first that
can be traced right back to Frye. This information can be verified in Robert Serling's "Howard
Hughes' Airline" a man who entertained me in his home and I greatly admire. Helen Frye was
instrumental in designing new TWA uniforms in the mid 1940's and improving in-flight food
service. She also created a revised training manual which was used for many years.
Both the TWA Electra and Lodestar bore similar markings. On many TWA planes the fleet
number was stamped on the nose, as in the Lodestar and Constellations. The two Frye planes
wore distinct markings indicating they were "flight research ships". Both the Electra and
Lodestar were readily recognized within the airline as "the official planes" of TWA president
Jack Frye. One interesting notation in regard to this comes from Jack's cousin, Tom Frye, a
Braniff Airways captain (retired) after a 30 year career. He commented to me that he
remembered one time when Jack landed the Lockheed Electra on a local grass strip near
Wheeler Texas (likely Twitty ) on a flight to visit his (Jack’s) father and stepmother Laura.
As for the Lodestar, Tom says that when he (Tom) once landed a Braniff airliner at Kansas City
(KC) he observed a highly polished Lockheed Lodestar with TWA markings parked
uncharacteristically and oddly on a ramp. After Tom and the passengers deplaned he proceeded
to inquire of TWA officials, "what is that TWA Lodestar doing sitting out there on the ramp
like that?" He was told, "that's Jack Frye's personal plane and it's parked out there at the
ready for his use." This was before Tom realized his cousin Jack had obtained a new executive
plane. Jack's main executive office was in Kansas City for many years. In one historic photo
the Lockheed Electra is parked similarly at the Kansas City TWA Air Terminal. I asked Tom
why he didn't go to work for TWA? He related, it was against TWA company policy to hire
relatives. I guess, at times, even the president and founder of an airline can't bend the rules!
Tom Frye instead had a stellar career with Braniff.
The following is a fact that few TWA associates ever knew and certainly needs to be stated.
Jack and Helen Frye never in their entire marriage had a real vacation. Every trip they took-
every hotel they stayed at- every flight they flew on TWA equipment- every social event- all
was associated with TWA business. Jack from 1924 on- was always at work even when he was at
home. This was very taxing on all his marriages. There were few business men as dedicated as
this man and a large part of TWA's early success can be attributed to Frye, and Frye alone!
Frye Private Airport near Sedona
Sedona Arizona had no airport in 1940 when Jack and Helen Frye first discovered Sedona.
Landing locations in the Red Rock Country were primitive at best; however, Jack Frye had his
own airstrip built in the summer of 1941, at the corner of Highway 89A and Cornville Road,
south of Sedona. This airstrip was adequate to land both his private TWA executive planes.
What Jack’s motivation was in creating a new airport so close to the Clemenceau Airport,
(Cottonwood Arizona) is unclear. Because of the rugged terrain he was not able to construct an
airstrip at his red rock ranch. There were other airports at Prescott and Flagstaff and a full
service TWA terminal at Winslow. All the locations listed above, the Frye’s flew in and out of
on occasion. It appears, Jack, perhaps was desiring to start a TWA presence somehow in the
Verde Valley and maybe desired privacy in his transit to and from the ranch. As one Sedona
'ole timer conveyed to me- Each time the Fryes were in town, all who drove down Hwy 89A
between Cottonwood and Sedona would see the 'polished to a mirror' Transcontinental &
Western Air Lockheeds parked out in the desert- the planes were visible for miles.
Word would soon spread- “Jack and Helen Frye are back in town!" When the Frye’s arrived
they were usually accompanied by an entourage of people, “a bevy of beautiful women;
secretaries to secretaries. This was understandable as Jack was never far removed from the
daily operations of TWA. Helen, as well, utilized a secretary of her own to handle social
correspondence and engagements. Jack and Helen sometimes traveled with their butler who
usually worked at their Washington D.C. mansion and Kansas City home. Another occasional
passenger was Evangeline Brown, a private chef who sometimes flew with them to cook for
parties. It is a Sedona legend that each time Jack and Helen would fly in to Sedona their
gleaming Lockheeds would circle and buzz the Frye Ranch twice. This would signal the ranch
hands to jump into a car and drive out to the Frye air strip and pick up Jack, Helen, and their
many guests. One of the Frye Lodestar pilots was Glen Knudsen, who had a twin brother who
also flew for TWA. Another one of Jack and Helen's personal pilots was a man named Al.
Jack always had to combine business with pleasure- there was rarely a visit to his one of his
ranches when he wasn’t enroute to a Transcontinental business meeting. Many times he simply
didn't have time to fly his plane out to Sedona and would instead take a TWA airliner from
wherever he was, New York, Kansas City, or the West Coast. Helen, as well, often had to fly
out to the ranch alone, as Jack’s schedule was extremely tight. On these occasions, the Fryes
flew into Winslow Airport where TWA maintained one of their main line terminals. They would
ring up the Sedona Ranch and ask an employee to come get them. Many Frye associates
remember these frantic drives back and forth to Winslow, at all hours, to meet TWA airliners.
The Fryes and their guests always stayed at the Harvey House La Posada at Winslow. One Frye
ranch foreman, Al Nuanez, who was employed at the Frye Ranch, remembers the time period-
“they were mostly traveling, though she was between here and New York City most of the
time. He used to land in Cottonwood (the Frye airstrip) but most of the time I had to pick him
up in Winslow. He had a jet, converted jet, a Lockheed Lonestar Twin Jet. I enjoyed riding with
him, I went twice!" Of course, at the first read of the narrative I was confused by the reference
to the Lonestar jet. However, after many years of researching the Fryes, I realize that in his 90-
year-old-cowboy was likely trying to describe Jack’s Lockheed Lodestar C-56 (military
conversion) twin engine airliner. It is possible, Jack, who worked closely with Lockheed, was
loaned a converted military jet at one time but I have never found any evidence of this. The
technology was nearly non-existence at the time period.
Frye’s flights in and out the Verde Valley were some of the first by any major airline (TWA)
into the region. The airstrip today is a lonely place, the perimeters hard to discern. However,
from the air the airport is clearly revealed. On my recent visit I found the main runway to be
quite large, over a mile in length, the grade a slight incline. The other service exit runway was
about a 1/2 mile long. The main runway is about 150 feet wide (with white stones still seen on
the borders. There are ruins of the fueling facilities and buildings built in the 1940’s. A lone
rusty 5 gallon fuel can still sits on the edge of the strip. Many ole' timers insist Jack and Helen
owned the property outright, one even thought the land may have been leased from the school
district. However the property was secured, Jack used the landing field regularly from 1941
until 1950, and a few times after that. Unfortunately, because of the war, the location was
never to become a regional airport as Jack desired and eventually was forgotten. Today
standing on the wind swept sage brush flats one drifts back in time and can almost hear the
throaty rumble of a Lockheed's radial engines as the plane sweeps in for a landing or takeoff.
The airstrip was once called the "Verde Valley Airport" see newspaper account of the
dedication which was attended by Jack Frye and his TWA Lockheed Jr. 12A (October 25, 1941).
Lockheed Lodestar- after Jack Frye Resigned
In the 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 shuffles- 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 a TWA
first. 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 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 Gammas (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 in 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.
Origina TWA Lodestar
W.O. & Paint Codes
The above (3-15-1945) Lockheed factory work-order with paint call-outs was for Jack Frye’s
personal TWA Lockheed Lodestar NC33604. We have Tim Rathbone to thank for generously
sharing them for historical sake. Mr. Rathbone worked for Lockheed about 25 years ago and
came across the Burbank sketches after his superiors had requested a spring cleaning.

Unfortunately, Lockheed did not have a venue for preserving the discarded paper work from
which the Lodestar work order was found. It is a miracle, after 60-years, that these documents
can be shared here- the only historical venue dedicated to the preservation of this famous
Lockheed Lodestar NC33604. Many thanks to Tim and his friends for having the insight to one,
recognize a valuable historical document, and secondly, to make sure it was preserved!
The NC33604 Lockheed paint shop work order is a treasure of information. By clicking on the
images above one can learn exactly what lettering was required by Frye down to the actual color
codes! The Transcontinental & Western Air signature color "TWA Red" was developed by no
other than Jack Frye himself. No TWA plane was emblazoned with just any old shade of red,
they were all painted with "Sherwin Williams Vermillion Lacquer #32092". (This, per an obscure
1942 Frye profile documenting Jack's attention to the 'perfect shade' of red for his TWA fleet!)
As notated on the above work order Jack requested a TWA Arrow painted on the front cargo
door. The image above shows a similar arrow, except that on the Lodestar, the arrow pointed to
the front and the wording was not added. On Jack's Lockheed Electra 12A NC18137, the nose
insignia was different, matching the fleet logos of the day. The above logo was used mid-1930's.
Jack and Helen Frye are seen to the left, at home in
Washington D.C. (the Doubleday Mansion) Arlington,
Virginia. The Frye’s called this 30-some room, 70 acre
estate, Hillcrest Farm. The address then @ 2301 North
Uhle Street, now changed to 2145 North 24th Street,
Arlington, VA., was a noted power center for the
Democratic Party in the 1940's. Some of the party's most
influential men (to include Harry S. Truman) frequented
the mansion as guests of Jack Frye (one of the party's
most powerful members). It has been said Jack Frye was
even asked to run for President of the United States in
the late 1940's.                                              TWA image
The WavFile you hear on this page is from a Lockheed
Lodestar promo film which is in public domain and holds
no copyright restrictions.  
"It Takes a Lockheed to Beat a Lockheed!"
Lodestar Flights as Found in Media
May 19, 1946
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.

October 31, 1946
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.
Other passengers were not noted. Before reporters could reach the Frye party they were
whisked off to NYC by limo. (Please note- The V.I.P. Hostess on board this flight would have
been Harriet Appelwick.) This flight was connected with the famous TWA pilot strike. Frye
departed shortly after on November 2 for Washington D.C.
The famous Frye TWA Lodestar as seen above was featured on a TWA Postcard in the 1940's.
This image is submitted by aviation enthusiast and TWA historian (former employee) Patrick
Chateau of the TWA Roissy CDG Website.
Jack's Birthday (March 18 1945) The Doubleday Mansion Wash. D.C.
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 of 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).
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 12, and later in 1945 the larger Lockheed 18).
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 notated 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 in regard to
the astronomical cost of opening up the new TWA Trans-World service. The B-17 was sold to the
Shaw of Iran. 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 an "presidential"
plane but rather a "company" plane which was never used for scheduled TWA passenger service.
Of further interest in regard to TWA executive planes during the Jack Frye era is one more
rather unusual plane. This being the TWA B-17G, serial 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 oversaw this acquisition). The plane
was not for state-side use. Designated model 299AB, registration number NX4600 (later NL1B),
the plane might well have been flown by Jack Frye but was never used as an executive transport
in the United States, as Jack’s Lodestar was utilized exclusively stateside and in South America.
The NX B-17, christened "Two Kind Words", was delegated more as a TWA management
transport and used overseas as a diplomatic envoy, establishing TWA's Trans-World air service.
It is said to have been 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,
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. In 1970, the
plane was cut up and parted-out in France.
Frye flies guests to Oklahoma City on his Lockheed Lodestar to
attend the 1945 National Aviation Clinic- November 19th 1945
TWA Executive Committee Discusses the TWA Lodestar- 1947
Lockheed Executive Plane
TWA B-17G NX4600
christened- "Two Kind Words"
From media article reporting Jack Frye's death (1959)
Interview with Helen Frye
Additional Ownership Documentation On N33604 Continues-
Page 1954 (Daniel Peterkin Morton Salt Corp.)
Page 1963 (Herb Garrett American General Insurance)
Ghost Ship- The Last Known Photo of TWA NC33604
The last known image of the former TWA
Lodestar appears to the left. Lockheed
Lodestar Model 18, N33604, C/N 2170. The
origin of the image aside is unknown but it was
at one time in the collection of the photo vault
of Military Aircraft Photographs (M.A.P.). It
then transferred to Michael Zoeller, London,
webmaster for (Burbank’s Best- Lockheed
Twins Website) who graciously shared the
photo with this work, it appears as a courtesy.
Another great research tool is
Peter J. Marson’s “Lockheed Twins”.
The plane shows a tired, faded, ghostly appearance, as captured in 1977, certainly a far cry from
its glory years with TWA. What happened to this famous transport? A mystery! Virtually
unrecognizable sans the elongated (Learstar conversion nose) and reg. number. The location is
thought to be Fort Lauderdale Airport. At this date, the Lodestar was owned by the Cardway
Corporation of Chicago. The colors are a reflection of those popular in the 1970's; copper earth
tones and white. Gone is the polished to a mirror aluminum finish and bright red TWA
markings which adorned the plane when it transported Jack and Helen Frye, Howard Hughes,
with its passenger list of White House members and a variety of celebrities. What became of
the last owner, the Cardway Corporation? They appear to be as elusive as the plane's current
condition and location, along with the plane both have vanished!
From Former Executive Pilot of the Plane (2006)
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 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.
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 to 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. 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 NC-18137 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. It is likely this particular source accidentally reversed the
numbers.
F.A.A. Ownership Documentation of the TWA Lodestar
TWA Lockheed Lodestar
NC33604 V.I.P. Flight Shown
With Distinguished Associates of
the Roosevelt Administration at
Washington National Airport.
The images aside were taken at the deplaning of a flight with Jack and Helen Frye, the plane
shown is Lockheed Lodestar NC33604. Location was likely Washington D.C. (Washington
National Airport). The circumstances are not known but it is thought this flight was in
connection with a Democratic junket (vacation) the Fryes took to Florida with Robert Hannegan
(Chairman of the Democratic National Committee) and his wife Irma. The passengers shown
are some of the most politically connected of the Roosevelt administration. Jack too, was one of
the most powerful men of the Democratic Party in the 1940's and 1950’s (Roosevelt and
Truman administrations). The Lodestar could board 14 passengers with 3 crew members. (1945).
Jack and Helen are seen (center) in front of aircraft door with their private TWA hostess
Harriet Appelwick (standing above Jack). The lady (left) next to Helen is unidentified but
appears to be a close friend and important to the occasion. To the right of Jack is Mrs. Joseph
D. Nunan Jr. (her husband was the then Internal Revenue Commissioner), next to her is Irma
Hannegan, wife of Jack’s good friend Bob Hannegan (United States Postmaster General).
These images appear to have been originally associated with Reni News-Photo Services but it is
not thought the copyright on such has been updated and renewed to our current timeframe of
2012. Therefore, the images are displayed in accordance with fair use practices and thought to
be “public domain”. They are displayed as historically significant in a manner in which they do
not generate any profit. Any infringement on the copyright of said is not intentional. The
images are also on file at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum.