sedona legend helen frye

Private Executive Planes of

Jack Frye

Longtime President and founder of Transcontinental and Western Air

Sedona Legend Profile Series

Lockheed Vega NC624-E

Transcontinental and Western Air Lockheed Vega 5-B, NC624E @ Glendale's now historic, Grand Central Terminal in 1931. The man seen in the cockpit is notated to be Jack Frye. Plane painted in Western Air Express color scheme- cream and red. Photo used for Transcontinental and Western Air publicity. Image is from the book "Legacy of Leadership- A Pictorial History of Trans World Airlines." The "Gold-Standard" of TWA history. Image appears here in accordance with the Fair-Use Provision of the Copyright Act.

1929 Lockheed Vega (all wood construction) reconditioned in '31 when purchased by TWA. (c/n 53, TWA fleet number #251.)

Original copies of the image above have been sold on E-Bay several times in recent years. Each time it was noted on the back the same general description- as follows: "TWA Jack Frye and his personal Lockheed Vega ready for take off at Grand Central Air Terminal, Glendale California, 1931."

This image originated as a photo taken by Ray Talbott. The entire Talbott photographic collection was purchased by aviation historian John Underwood, from the Talbott estate. The 8 x 10 negative of the above image was part of the sale. Although the image has been available in other venues such as E-Bay, it is the sole property of Underwood. The image as shown above also appeared in Underwood's book:
"Madcaps, Millionaires, and Mose."

In the mid-1930's, in regard to Transcontinental and Western Air becoming a major nation-wide operation the need for an executive transport was apparent. Several planes were utilized for this purpose by Jack Frye, the first being a Lockheed Vega in the early 1930's. Interestingly, this Vega was somewhat well-known as were Jack's other planes. It is thought to have been the NC-624-E, TWA fleet number 251, per a former Frye associate. This TWA Lockheed possibly was also used for scheduled passenger service. Two Northrop Gammas followed in 1934. By 1940 two other more suitable executive transports were drafted, the Lockheeds, Electra Jr. 12A and Lodestar in 1944. One of the Gammas and both Lockheeds were designated: "Flight Research Laboratory" planes. These planes were regularly utilized in the program by both Jack Frye and chief 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 Junior 12A, and Lodestar 18, were designed specifically by Lockheed as airline feeder transports and executive airliners. These planes were the "Cadillac" of planes, the most advanced and fastest transports of their day. It was no coincidence that Howard Hughes chose the Super Electra 14, and Amelia Earhart the Electra 10E for their 'round-the-world flights!

Jack Frye was vice-president in charge of operations for Transcontinental and Western Air from it's inception. By September of 1934, he was appointed to the position of general manager and vice president, then in December of 1934 he was made president of TWA, a title he held until February of 1947. TWA insiders will assure you however that it was Jack Frye who was the unofficial operating president of TWA from the company's launch. During his TWA years Jack always had an executive personal corporate plane. He preferred the fastest and most sophisticated machines of the day. The above 5-passenger-Vega was one such plane said to be Frye's "personal plane." In my attempts to document Jack's Vega, I contacted the celebrated aviation author John Underwood of "Madcaps, Millionaires, and Mose." Per John, we are able to derive a few more facts about the TWA Lockheed Vega, NC624E, TWA #251-

"This aircraft was not exactly Jack’s private property, being registered to TWA, but it was definitely reserved for his personal use. It had a special paint job and was probably very plush inside. Jack used it for his business and personal needs, but #251 was also used for charters. I believe it was also available for Lindbergh’s use from time to time."

The Vega 5B was the same model used by Amelia Earhart for her record Trans-Atlantic flight. Amelia's Vega was the NR-7952 now secured at the Smithsonian Institution. Please see this link for more information on this famous Earhart 5B. With a cruising speed of 165-180 m.p.h. the Vega was right in line with the speedster rockets Jack Frye preferred. After April 30, 1934 Jack utilized the much faster, newly purchased, Transcontinental and Western Air Northrop Northrop Gammas for his executive use. It is not known if the V.I.P. service Vega ever served scheduled passenger transport with TWA.

The WavFile you hear upon opening this page is from a late 1930's Lockheed Promo film. A majority of the people mentioned in the sound bite were good friends of Jack Frye.

Another image of Jack's Vega appears to the left, courtesy of Legacy of Leadership.

To the right, newspaper article from January 13, 1932
(please click on article to read.) "Jack Frye, vice president in charge of operations for Transcontinental and Western Air, departs from Albuquerque to Kansas City in his private Lockheed plane, with passengers, S.A. Cisley, Author O. Willoughby, and T. M. Ritienour."

To the left, from the incredibly detailed Lockheed history book, "Revolution in the Sky," by Richard Sanders Allen we learn more about the NC-624E history.

April 3, 1932
Albuquerque, New Mexico

Jack Frye, vice president in charge of operations for T.W.A., arrived here from Kansas City early Saturday night in his Lockheed Vega monoplane, enroute to Los Angeles on a business trip. He planned to take off Sunday morning.

According to aviation writer Underwood, in the mid-twenties, Jack flew a Curtiss JN4D "Jenny" and later at the end of Jack's life, one of his personal planes was thought to be a Helio H-319B Courier (likely the N-41040.) His use of this plane was no doubt due to his association with the Helio Corporation.

Celebrities of Screen and Air Meet here;
Gary Cooper visits with Evan Lewis, Bride-
Jack Frye, vice-president of TWA
Albuquerque, New Mex.- October 8, 1932

Excerpt-

-Celebrities whose names have appeared on the front pages of newspapers over the nation met late Friday afternoon on the T-W-A field.

At the field, Cooper met Evan Lewis, T-W-A co-pilot, with whom he had previously worked in pictures, and Mrs. Lewis, the co-pilot’s bride since Thursday afternoon. She was formerly Mrs. Ernest Lubilsch, wife of the noted film director.

A member of the group was Jack Frye, youthful vice president in charge of operations of Transcontinental and Western Air, Inc. Frye had flown three-quarters of an hour earlier, into the port in his private plane, a Lockheed, on an inspection trip. Gary Cooper, film actor, was on the westbound plane that landed late afternoon en route to Hollywood from the east.

Introductions were made rapidly and Cooper congratulated Lewis on his bride. (The bride is one whose marriage created a sensational stir on the west coast. The divorced wife of a famous director, her romance with Evan Lewis was not widely known.) Cooper referred briefly to the recent trip made through Albuquerque by Mary Pickford and her close friend, Countess de Frasso. He had nothing to say concerning gossip that links the countess’ name constantly with his. They are seen together frequently.

Business of TWA
-The vice president of T.W.A. is in the city for a brief inspection trip. He plans to fly to El Paso Saturday morning and return here that afternoon. He will depart for Los Angeles on Sunday.

After conferring with Major A. D. Smith, mountain division superintendent who makes his headquarters here, Frye toured the T.W.A. grounds inspecting the new construction work and an addition to the main building.

An interesting article by Frye appears in the September issue of “Speed,” a magazine devoted to air travel, entitled, “Hard Work Takes The Romance Out Of Aviation” that shows the young man’s familiarity with the nations-wide air activities.

October 24, 1930- Transcontinental and Western Air "Fleetster"
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Jack Frye, vice president of TWA, left in his Fleetster monoplane Sunday afternoon for El Paso, on a business trip. Paul Richter, superintendent of operations for the line, left for Los Angeles on a regular plane Sunday, in connection with inspection work.

Vintage FAA Airplane Registration Codes- NC (National Standard) NR (National Restricted) NL (National Limited) NX (National Experimental) N- meaning United States Registry.

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