A Tribute to TWA..."The Airline Run by Flyers"
Early TWA History from original TWA documents. |
1930s and 40s
"The Airline Run by flyers"...Transcontinental & Western Air...Inspiration, Innovation, Growth"... |
"From Aero Corp of California 1926, Standard Air Lines 1927, Transcontinental & Western Air 1930 to Trans World Airlines,
Frye, Richter and Hamilton created a global airline and contributed to the world of aviation." RR |
| Western Air Express Acquires Standard Air Lines, 1930 |
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"For sometime Harris "Pop" Hanshue, President of Western Air Express had been eyeing Standard Air Lines. He liked it's promising growth and perfect safety record." RR
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On May 1, 1930 WEA acquired Standard Air Lines and on July 16, due to a government forced merger, T.A.T. and Western Air Express became Transcontinental & Western Air with Harris 'Pop' Hanshue as President.
On Oct. 1, T&WA was awarded a mail contract and Oct 25, inaugurated 36 hour coast to coast all-air service with overnight in Kansas City. In 1931, with Richard Robbins as President, T&WA relocated from N.Y. to Kansas City, Mo.
Thanks to Harold Hyne, 1946 to 1986 , TWA historian for great facts...he served TWA from 1946 to 1986.
Read letters written by Paul Richter to his parents in 1929 Here and 1930 Here
Left, the "Three musketeers of Aviation" in 1928 with Navy Air Ace, Captain D. W. 'Tommy' Tomlinson, 2nd from left, the leader in high altitude, over-weather research, TWA V.P. of Engineering and NATS Operations Officer. Tommy Tomlinson is a TWA Pioneer. Read more about his life. Here
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| "Together, they created TWA 'The Airline Run by Flyers', a world airline and an aviation legacy." RR |
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| TWA and the 1st "Douglas Transport" DC1 |
'Old 300' NC223Y, TWA's first and only DC1.
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In 1931, following the crash of a Fokker F -10A (NC999E) that killed the famous Knute Rockne, the Fokker was grounded. TWA Pres. Robbins requested that Frye write to the industry with specifications for a new aircraft... "The need for a faster, larger and more comfortable plane was apparent. TWA took the lead, with Frye, Richter, Colonel Lindbergh and D.W. "Tommy" Tomlinson, Vice Pres. of Engineering for TWA, drawing up specifications for a plane that would meet current requirements. Donald Douglas accepted the assignment and the result was the DC-1." Wings for Your Work, A Handbook for TWA personnel.
In his book "The Grand Old Lady," Douglas said of TWA's request, "It was the most important letter I ever received." The DC-1 was designed in 5 days.
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TWA was the "the pioneer in high altitude or 'over-weather' flying" an industry 1st and propelled the airline industry far into the future. Richter flew and tested all TWA aircraft, including the "Northrop Alpha" & "Gamma." Pictured right.
On Sept. 20, 1932, TWA signed a contract with Douglas for the DC-1. In Dec. of 1933, the 1st DC-1 was delivered to TWA. "After the airplane was delivered to TWA, (Richter and Frye flew it L.A. to K.C.), it was used for testing, flight training, publicity flights, and evaluation tests." RR |
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On Feb. 9, 1934, FDR cancelled all mail contacts nearly destroying the airlines and bringing death to inexperienced Army Air Corpsmen designated to fly the mail. To prove to the government that the airline could do it better, on Feb. 18, 1934, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker and Jack Frye with a team of TWA pilots, left Union Air Terminal and set a record of 13 hours 4 min from Palmdale, CA to Newark NJ. The usual reports say L.A. to N.Y. but due to fog in the L.A. basin, Tommy Tomlinson did a 'zero zero' take off and ferried the plane to Palmdale. Often disregarded is the fact that Fritz, Richter and others flew part of the flight - Si Morehouse and Paul Richter to Albuquerque NM, Harlan Hull and Richter to Kansas City, MO, Larry Fritz and John Collings to Columbus, OH where "Andy" Andrews and Fritz continued...arriving Newark 2 hours ahead of schedule.
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| The beautiful twin engine Douglas Commercial 2. On the far left, Jack Frye, fourth from the left, is Paul Richter, next to Mr. & Mrs. Donald Douglas. |
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May 14, 1934, TWA took delivery of their DC-2s, the production model of the DC-1. TWA inaugurated service between Columbus-Pittsburg-Newark. June 1934 was the last Army Air Corps mail flights due to many airmen that lost their lives. They lacked the night flying skills of the civilians. TWA regained their mail contracts, but based on conflict of interest, the award was contingent on the resignation of the capable and well liked Pres. Richard Robbins. Paul Richter and Tommy Tomlinson alternated between K.C. and L.A. with mail, testing the Douglas Transport DC-1, NC223Y, for several months in all weather conditions. Tommy said they nearly froze to death. Dec. 27, 1934, Jack Frye was named President and Paul Richter became Vice President. In 1935, Richter was elected an associate to the "Institute of Aeronautical Science" and had logged 3107 hrs. solo flight time, "an incredible number of hours for a 10 year period by an airline executive." RR. Also in 1935, "Tomlinson set 8 world records and 11 speed records in the TWA Gamma, NC223Y. His last of 40 tests was on April 30, 1935, a west to east Transcontinental record of 11 hours 5 min." Col. Fred Betts, TWA historian. In 1936 Richter was elected to the TWA board of directors. Read TWA's 'Skyliner' publication from November, 1936. Here
See the DC2 owned by the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington. Here
TWA ...was the 1st domestic airline to take delivery of the superb Stratoliner and later the Constellation. As with the DC-1, DC-2, Boeing "Stratoliner" and DC-4, Paul Richter was instrumental in the development of the "Constellation," the forerunner of all modern airliners.
Other TWA first Here |
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The Boeing 307B, 'Stratoliner'
"Richter headed a group to Boeing to design the model 307, the Stratoliner"...
"The flat-bellied "Stratoliner"rendered obsolete the Flying Boat." TWA 1936 |
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In Jan. 1937, TWA signed the contract for 5 of the 4 engine Boeing 307B Stratoliners. June 27, 1940 Richter took the 1st flight BUR to NYC. July 8, 1940, TWA inaugurated service coast to coast in 13 hrs. 40 min. with pressurized cabins and an industry 1st, in-flight audio entertainment. It had only been 12 years earlier, with rave reviews, "Standard Air Lines" air-rail connection reduced the N.Y. to L.A. time from 81 to 70 hrs. Above facts contributed by Harold Hyne, TWA historian.
Read TWA's 'Skyliner' publication from April 30,1940 Here and July 15, 1940. Here
In 1939, Richter and Frye convinced Howard Hughes, a friend from the 1920s, to invest in TWA. At that time Richter and Frye owned 6% of the company. Together with Hughes they gained controlling interest due to TWA Board of Director Leland Hayward, LA movie producer/director. The remainder of stock was widely held. Hughes's initially acquired 12% and continued to accumulate shares during WWII unbeknownst to the TWA top men who went to war. To this point Hughes's involvement with TWA was the development of the "Constellation". Not until late 1946 with his controlling interest did Hughes decide to be active in TWA management for the first time. |
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"Some of the improvements pioneered while Richter held a key executive post are the Douglas Transports, Boeing Stratoliner, the "homing" radio direction finder and anti-range static radio antenna, deicers, the written flight plan and navigation log, air brakes or landing flaps, automatic pilots and many other revolutionary improvements. All the above were introduced while Richter was progressing from Sup. of Operations to Vice Pres. in charge of Operations to Executive Vice president in charge of all departments of the airline."
Nov. 1940, TWA-Between Calls, by Johnny Graves. |
Paul E. Richter Jr. is "known throughout the aviation industry for his passion for safety." Herb Preeg
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Amazing insight from Paul Richter, TWA Executive Vice President,
named a "practical visionary," far ahead of his time in 1941. |
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"An Airline Executive Talks about the Tomorrow of Aviation"
by J.D. Bowersock (The Kansas City Star's Aviation Editor) December 07, 1941
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"What the human mind can conceive of we can eventually do, so the possibilities of the future in aviation are almost unlimited," ... "A mind conceived the steamboat and while everyone laughed at the idea they went down and watched it work and they were amazed. A mind conceived the railroad train, met the same public result at the start, but they came, they saw and they were amazed. "The Wright brothers conceived of the airplane and we happen to live in the generation fortunate enough to watch its remarkable progress from that day back in 1903 when the "most foolhardy" stunt of all took place. The public was amazed then and is being amazed today ... And so, with feet cocked up on a table, we listened to the careful thinking, far-seeing Paul Richter, as he talked of the "tomorrow in aviation"...
Read the article. Here
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"Paul was one of TWA's "Million Mile" pilots, he maintained his currency throughout his life."
RR |
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The Lockheed "Constellation"
"They wanted to pioneer and aviation was the newest frontier." RR
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On April 16, 1944 TWA flew their first 'Lockheed Constellation' 049, and then promptly delivered it to the military.
This airliner was the forerunner of all modern passenger planes. It enabled TWA to establish the world's 1st regularly scheduled Trans-Atlantic passenger service.
TWA contributed planes and trained the military at TWA's established "Eagle's Nest" prior to WWII.
Left, Walter Hamilton, Jack Frye and Paul Richter look at the new Lockheed Constellation...The Trans-Atlantic airliner that revolutionized the aviation world.
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| The beautiful TWA 'Connie' Lockheed 049 |
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Richter was the first to fly the Lockheed Constellation in August 1943 according to Ona Gieschen, TWA historian. Ona's knowledge is only exceeded by her devotion and dedication to TWA. RR
Left, Navy Captain Paul E. Richter, center on leave for the 1st "Connie" flight... Jack Frye, John Collings, Paul Richter, Capt. Joe Bartles, Lew Goss. |
"A hand shake from Paul Richter was set in stone."
Clerance Fleming former TWA V.P. |
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TWA's Million Mile Pilots, "A Gathering of Eagles"
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Paul Richter with John A. Collings, early T.A.T. pilot and friend. Collings filled Paul's Executive Vice-President position when Paul was on leave from TWA with the N.A.T.S., Naval Air Transport Service, during WWII.
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