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The first two Northrop Gammas, nearly identical, were built concurrently between May and August 1932 and approved for "X" license on August 22, 1932. The Gammas were direct descendants of the landmark 1930 Northrop Alpha which pioneered all-metal stressed-skin fabrication, multicellular wing and empennage construction, integration of the wing center section as a part of the fuselage, and butt-joint attachment of the outer wing panels. Concepts pioneered in the Alpha led directly to, among others, the Northrop Beta, Gamma, and Delta, the Douglas DC-1 (DC-2 & DC-3), and Douglas SBD Dauntless. The DC-1 was built for TWA between September 1932 and June 1933, so was a contemporary of the Gamma series. TWA also purchased 3 Gammas (s/n 8, 9, 10), one of which was used for high altitude "over-weather" research.
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S/n 2 "Polar Star", having a lighter engine and an additional seat aft of the pilot, had the engine mount (new sta. 0) moved 16 inches forward of station 1 (which formed the engine mount for s/n 1). The pilot's seat of s/n 2 was also moved slightly forward, although the windshield and pilot's hatch appear the same as s/n 1. With the exception of the cockpit area and hatches, all construction and dimensions aft of station 1 appear to be the same. |
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S/n 1, Gamma 2A, Texaco No. 11 "Sky
Chief"
Single seat.
Engine:
14 cylinder, twin row Wright
Whirlwind GR 1510, 785 hp @ 2,500 rpm at 8,000 feet, gearing 8:5,
Propeller:
10' 3" Hamilton three blade, fixed 31.5_ pitch.
Weight:
Empty; 3,500 lbs.; Gross;
7,000 lbs.
Speed: Maximum, 248 mph @ 7,000 ft.; Cruising, 220 mph.
Range: 2,500 miles
First flown:
December 3, 1932
Delivered:
The Texas Company, December
17, 1932 for $40,000.
Pilot: Frank Hawks. Record: Nonstop L.A. to N.Y., June 3
1933, 13 hrs. 27 min.
Sold to:
Garfield "Gar" Wood, August
21, 1934, renamed "Kinjockety
III"
Pilot: Joseph Jacobson.
Status:
Exploded September 4, 1936
near Stafford Kansas, during N.Y. to L.A. Bendix Race.
S/n 2, Gamma 2B, "Polar Star"
Built for Lincoln
Ellsworth's trans-Anarctic flight. Cockpit extended rearward for a
second seat.
Engine:
9 cylinder, Pratt &
Whitney Wasp SD, 500 hp @ 2,200 rpm at 7,500 feet, direct drive.
Propeller: 9'
6" Hamilton two blade, two position 17_ and 21.25_ pitch.
First flown:
before s/n 1
Delivered:
To Lincoln Ellsworth November
29, 1932 for $37,000.
Status:
On exhibit at the National
Air and Space Museum.
Both s/n 1 and s/n 2 appear to have concurrently gone through a series of engineering changes, primarily vertical fin and rudder redesign. Engineering drawings for the extended vertical fin and rudder are dated December 13, suggesting that initial flights with the "Polar Star" led to the redesign. The extended fin/rudder was installed on s/n 1 during it's "X" period and before the "NR" license was granted on February 28, 1933. The "Sky Chief" subsequently gained a third support for each park-bench aileron while the "Polar Star" was fitted with conventional ailerons and shortened flaps. A photograph of s/n 1 as Kinjockety III (after Gar Wood's purchase in August 1934) shows the full span flaps, indicating the retention of the park-bench ailerons.
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The Northrop Story, Richard Sanders Allen & McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Since 1920: Volume I, Rene J Francillon | ||||||
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Owner - Pilot - Engine | ||
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Completed | ||
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First flight | ||
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Delivered, Texaco / Frank Hawks - $40,000 - Wright Whirlwind R-1510 | ||
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Speed Record, Los Angeles to New York, 13 hrs, 27 min. | ||
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Sold to "GAR" Wood / Joseph Jacobson | ||
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Exploded over Stafford Kansas in 1936 Bendix. Jacobson OK. | ||
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Completed | ||
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Delivered / Lincoln Ellsworth - $37,000 - P&W Wasp | ||
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Damaged in ice in Antarctica, returned for repairs | ||
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Second attempt postponed | ||
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Donated to Smithsonian Institution | ||
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Delivered, TWA / Jack Frye - Wright Cyclone SR-1820 | ||
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Speed Record, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Newark, 11 hrs, 31 min. With mail. | ||
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Accident | ||
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Chas. H. Babb | ||
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U.S. Army Engineers | ||
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Wrecked in Africa (?) during WW II | ||
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Delivered, TWA / D.W. "Tommy" Tomlinson - Wright Cyclone SR-1820 | ||
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Accident., Princeton N.J. | ||
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Texas Co. | ||
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U.S. War Dept. $11,225 | ||
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Damaged, repaired | ||
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Surveyed @ Kelly Field, Texas, parts shortage. | ||
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Delivered, TWA (mail/cargo routes) | ||
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Texas Co. / H.T. "Dick" Merrill - Wright Cyclone SR-1820 | ||
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Loaned to Frank Hawks for Ellsworth "rescue". | ||
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Sold to Frank Cordova | ||
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Shipped, reported as a bomber for Spanish Republican forces. | ||
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Fate Unknown | ||
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Northrop / Jacqueline Cochran - for MacRobertson Race | ||
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Engine failed on delivery flight, forced down in Arizona & damaged . Missed MacRobertson Race. - C-W Conqueror SGV-1570 | ||
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/ Jacqueline Cochran - 35 Bendix (dnf, engine problems) - P&W Twin Wasp Jr. | ||
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/ Jacqueline Cochran - Fire, repaired - P&W Twin Wasp Jr. | ||
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/ Jacqueline Cochran - Accident, not rebuilt. Parts used to rebuild s/n 12 below. | ||
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M.P. Guggenheim / Russel W. Thaw/Wright Cyclone SR-1820 | ||
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Russel Thaw/3rd place Bendix. (201.928 mph) | ||
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Ellsworth rescue aborted by accident. | ||
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Accident, going to search for Ellsworth (see s/n 10) | ||
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Jacqueline Cochran/Purchased for parts for s/n11, but s/n 11 parts used for s/n 12 | ||
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Rebuilt, licensed to J. Cochran. | ||
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Accident | ||
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Mac Fadden Publications / Edward F. Gorski | ||
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Charles H. Babb/bought as junk for $3,000, rebuilt | ||
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Continental Air Lines/Executive use | ||
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U.S. Army Engineers | ||
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Fate Unknown | ||
