1990.08.TARPA_TOPICS

BOEING STRATO-LINERS BY ED BETTS GRAPEVINE BY DICK GUILLAN TARPA TOURS AFRICAN SAFARI

THE ACTIVE RETIRED PILOTS ASSOCIATION OF TWA AUGUST 1990

BOEING 307 STRATO-LINER - KANSAS CITY

TARPA TOPICS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE ACTIVE RETIRED PILOTS ASSOCIATION OF TWA EDITOR A. T . Humbles Rt. 2 Box 2900 Belhaven, NC 27810 919 964 4655

GRAPEVINE EDITOR Richard M. Guillan 1852 Barnstable Road Clemmons, NC 27012 919 945 9979 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR & HISTORIAN Edward G. Betts 960 Las Lomas Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 213 454 1068

TARPA is incorporated as a non-profit Corporation under the non-profit corporation laws of the State of Nevada. As stated in Article II of the By-Laws, its purpose is social, recreational and non-profit, with a primary goal of helping its members to maintain the friendships and associations formed before retirement, to make retirement a more productive and rewarding experience and to assist those active pilots approaching retirement with the problems that are inherent in the transition from active to retired status.

DEDICATED TO THE PIONEERS OF TODAY'S TRANS WORLD AIRLINES WHOSE VISION, EFFORT AND PERSEVERANCE MADE IT ALL POSSIBLE, WE EXPRESS OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE.

THE ACTIVE RETIRED PILOTS ASSOCIATION of Trans World Airlines OFFICERS and DIRECTORS

1990/1991

Executive Committee President ...................................... Russell G. Derickson 5344 N. Via Sempreverde, Tucson, AZ 85715 ............. 602-299-6325 First Vice-President ........................... Joseph S. McCombs 6977 S. Everest Lane, Evergreen, CO 80439 ............. 303-674-6719 Second Vice-President .......................... David M. Davies 233 S.E. Rogue River Hwy. *18, Grants Pass, OR 97527 . 813-461-4721 Secretary/Treasurer ............................ Charles E. MacNab 1865 Penny Royal Lane, Wentzville, MO 63385 ............ 314-327-1999 Senior Director ................................ A. T . Humbles Rt. 2 Box 2900, Belhaven, NC 27810 .......................... 919-964-4655

DIRECTORS Associate Member ............................... Albert J. Mundo 36 Jane Road, Marblehead, MA 01945 .................... 617-631-7620 Associate Member ............................... William A. Kirschner P.O. Box 3596, Stateline, NV 89449 .................... 702-588-4223 (non-voting Member) ............. Joseph A. Brown, Jr. Ex-President HCR 77, Box 352, Sunrise Beach, MO 650795 ............. 314-374-7028

T ARPA

COMMITTEE S 1990/1991

Alcoholic Counselling - Phil S. Hollar 27271 Calle Anejo, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624 . . . . 714-493-7820 Award of Merit - Orville R . Olson - Chairman 10210 Mission Road, Overland Park, KS 66206 ........... 913-642-2778 J. W. "Chick" Dyer - Member 2420 Bellview Road, Upland, CA 91786 .................. 714-982-9878 Walter H. Gunn - Member 5834 Lockton Place, Mission, KS 66205................. 913-362-4184 By-Laws and Policies - Lyle A. Spencer 5886 El Parque Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89102-1239 . . . 702-876-3332 Convention 1991 - co-Chairman Clifford V. & Mary Sparrow P.O. Box 736, Monument, CO 80132 ...................... 719-488-2323 Convention Site 1992 - Everett R. "Ev" Green 8340 Williams Canyon Road, Cashmere, WA 98815 . . . . 509-782-3006 Grapevine Editor - R. M Guillan 1852 Barnstable Road, Clemmons, NC 27012 .............. 919-945-9979 Historian - E.G. Betts 960 Las Lomas, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 ............ 213-454-1068 Insurance & RAPA delegate - Neuman E. Ramsey 1020 Palm View Drive, Apt #C101, Naples, FL 33942 . . 813-597-3898 Investment Committee Observer - R. C . Sherman 1201 Phelps Avenue, San Jose, CA 95117 ................ 408-246-7754 Newsletter Editor & Directory - A. T . Humbles Rt. 2 Box 2900, Belhaven, NC 27810 .......................... 919-964-4655 Nominating Committee - Harry A. Jacobsen, Chairman 848 Coventry St., Boca Raton, FL 33487 ................ 407-997-0468 B. P. Anderegg - Member 1125 Ramona Road, Arcadia, CA 91006 ................... 818-355-7776 John T. Happy - Member Nine East Lake Drive, Haines City, FL 33844-9320 ......813-439-2223 RAPA delegate and liaison - Hal Miller 17 Glengary Road, Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520 ........... 914-271-4964 "

TARPA Tours - William C. "Chuck Hasler 8 Rustic Way, San Rafael, CA 94901 .................... 415-454-7478

2

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE July 4, 1990 The TARPA Board of Directors has decided not to publish a Directory this year. Our decision was based on our overall work load and the illness of some of our key workers. Joe McCombs is recovering from surgery and A. T . Humbles had a bout with a viral infection, running a temperature of 103 for two or three days. Both are steadily recovering. There were no changes in the By-Laws and Policies at the last convention and so no problem should exist. A. T . still has a lot of last year's Directories in case anyone should want another copy. Our mid-term Board of Directors meeting will take place early in 1991 in St. Louis.

The last three issues of TARPA TOPICS mentioned rumors and reported activities of the TWA MEC and the B Plan Study Committee.

Subsequent to the Hershey convention we learned of a 51-page document that the TWA MEC presented to TWA management which would constitute major changes in the TWA pilots' B Plan. Below is an excerpt from my June 19, 1990 letter to Master Chairman Kent Scott: "Kent, we have read Elizabeth B. Koby's letter to you dated April 10, 1990 and are not pleased with what its contents suggest. We have also learned of a 51-page document and/or proposal that the TWA MEC supposedly has presented to TWA management which would constitute major changes in the TWA pilots' B Plan. This has also caused mass rumblings within the TWA retired pilot group. We are therefore respectfully requesting that the TARPA Executive Committee be advised and/or furnished a copy of any proposed amendments or negotiations planned with TWA management on B Plan changes.

We plan to have our attorneys scrutinize any such proposals etc. in order to properly protect our interests."

I attended the TWA MEC meeting in St. Louis on June 21, 1990 and read my letter to the MEC in session at the membership and guest hour. This generated questions and statements from MEC members and a good general discussion followed.

3

Page 2: President's Message.

Approximately a week after this meeting ALPA mailed me a copy of the 51-page document and/or proposal. I mailed copies to actuarial and legal firms and at this writing (July 4) I am awaiting their analysis.

I am opposed to any further changes in our Trust Annuity Plan by the TWA MEC and TWA management. The MEC does have the right to negotiate changes in the B Plan. The fiduciary duties and responsibilities do not prevent them from making changes. TARPA has been aware of this since 1985-86 when a few of our members urged me to have legal counsel enjoin TWA and ALPA on the original negotiations of a lump sum cash-out.

However, ALPA and TWA are held responsible by ERISA. They do not have the legal right to negotiate language that will adversely affect the benefits of retired TWA pilots. See O'Donnell & Schwartz's legal opinion (dated June 18, 1990) on the next page.

Many TWA retirees have expressed their displeasure with further changes in the B Plan. Having read my letter to TWA MEC Chairman Scott, perhaps some members would like to express an opinion of their own. If you care to write concerning this matter I have enclosed the address of the TWA MEC Office and TWA's offices in Mt. Kisco, N.Y. Mr. Kent Scott, Chairman TWA Master Executive Council Air Line Pilots Association 1801 Park 270 Drive, Suite 260 St. Louis, MO 63146

Sincerely

R. G . Derickson

4

Mr. William Hoar Chief Operating Officer Trans World Airlines, Inc. 100 S. Bedford Rd. Mt. Kisco, NY 10549

ASHER W. SCHWARTZ JOHN F. O'DONNELL JOEL C. GLANSTEIN MALCOLM A. GOLDSTEIN CARL RACHLIN DAVID B. ROSEN CATHERINE J. MINUSE MANLIO DI PRETA

June 18, 1990 Mr. Russell G. Derickson 5344 North Via Sempreverde Tuscon, Arizona 85715 Dear Russ: This will reply to your inquiry regarding the possibility that ALPA-TWA and/or TWA may take some action, in the course of negotiations, that would reduce the value of the pensions of retirees.

In our judgment, both ALPA-TWA and TWA have fiduciary duties to the Plans and to all beneficiaries of the Plans pursuant to ERISA. Any action by them that a prudent man would regard as prejudicing the value of retiree pensions would be a violation of such fiduciary duties, and would be actionable.

Please do not hesitate to contact us on this matter should you require any further comment or clarification.

Very truly yours,

Asher W. Schwartz

AWS/dra

Hutch Thurston suggested that I request O'Donnel and Schwartz to furnish us with a legal interpretation, in writing, of the protection we have under ERISA. I agreed with Hutch that it was a good idea. Here it is.

RGD 5

The Active Retired Pilots Association of TWA

SECRETARY TREASURER'S REPORT JUNE 30, 1990

Gentlemen: The TARPA Board of Directors has elected me Secretary/Treasurer to replace Charlie Dill who resigned a short time ago. I'm happy to be working once again with some old friends on behalf of TWA pilots. Our friends who are actively flying the line are going through some troubled times, as most of you are aware from talking with some of them and reading the newspapers. Perhaps, among other things, TARPA can be a symbol of the good and great times of line flying. I'm certain we all hope that things work out favorably for TWA and all it's employees.

Having just taken on the job, I have a lot to learn about TARPA finances and organization.

Joe McCombs has graciously agreed to help and in fact is doing a lot of the re-organizing of the paperwork and financial records even as he is recovering from serious surgery. I arrived home one afternoon last month to find 19 Federal Express boxes of computer goods, papers, stationery, files, etc on my front door step and it will take a while to get all of this sorted out, even with Joe's help. I ask for your patience and indulgence as we work with the computer system and the files to efficiently handle TARPA's affairs. It'll take time, but we'll do it.

Once again, I'm looking forward to being able to help TARPA stay on top as the best retired pilots organization around. Whatever the result, I pledge that I will give the job my best effort.

Fraternally,

Chuck MacNab TARPA Secretary/Treasurer

6

In Memoriam COLEMAN WELLS ANDERSON LUCIELLE LEWIS (JOCK) TOM TROJAN (BOB'S SON) EDWARD L. WELLS

23 May 1990 December 1989 11 November 1989 24 June 1990

JAMES EDWARD CAREY DONALD E. McKENZIE QUINCY A. TROUP W. DAN GAINES

13 May 1990 30 April 1990 5 June 1990 9 June 1990

DONALD E, McKENZIE Captain Don McKenzie, 70, died April 30 at his home in Saratoga, California. He was born in Hebron, Nebraska, where he attended school including one year of Junior College. In 1938 he went to flying school as World War II was looming on the horizon and pilots were needed. When he transferred to the University of Nebraska he was again pressured into an advanced flying class which he continued again the following year The day after Pearl Harbor he was called to report for flying duty. He was assigned to bases in California, then to Kirkland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as an instructor of pilots, navigators and bombardiers for four years.

He was subsequently put on special assignment and spent some time flying B-17 Flying Fortresses back from England .

He secured his release from military service as soon as possible in 1945 as he had already secured employment with Trans World Airlines. Capt. McKenzie continued with TWA until he retired in 1979, flying in the States until he transferred to over-seas flight, first over the Pacific and finally over the Atlantic.

Don was proud of his flying record with no major mishaps in his forty year career. He is survived by his wife, Barbara.

TOM TROJAN Bob reported his son, Tom, died in the crash of Bob's Cessna 310. Tom had been accepted by TWA for Flight Engineer training. He was 24 years old. Had his degree from the University of Connecticut. Tom would have been hired on or about his father's 35th anniversary with TWA, 6 December 1990.

QUINCY TROUP Capt. Troup died in a Las Vegas hospital and had resided in Boulder City for 20 years.

An Air Force veteran, he was born 18 Nov. 1921, in Bremen, Illinois, and was a retired Trans World Airlines pilot with 36 years service.

He is survived by his wife, Arlene, of Boulder City; a son, Philip, of Colorado Springs, CO; a daughter, Jane Kizer, of Tampa, FL, and 5 grandchildren.

We thank those who took the time to notify us of the deaths of our TARPA members.

It is a pity that it is such a hit and miss thing on receiving news of the deceased.

Are your papers in such order that your survivors will be able to notify the proper parties? You are more able to write an appropriate obituary than anyone!

7

BY CHUCK HASLER We have just returned from Africa a few weeks ago and have just about caught up on our sleep. Everyone seemed to have a great time in spite of some of the foulups which we learned to refer to in Kenya as the "K" factor. The weather & animal viewing were the greatest; we saw the big 51 Our 1991 program is pretty well set and we hope everyone will enjoy the tours (cruises) as much as we all have the past 2 years.

JAN. 5th AMAZON RIVER CRUISE-14 NIGHTS: We have been fortunate in obtaining a block of cabins on the SUN LINE'S FLAGSHIP, THE FIVESTAR STELLA SOLARIS. This beautiful luxury ship is of Greek registry and has an all Greek crew, with an average of more than 16 yrs. Sun Line service.

We will depart Ft. Lauderdale at 4PM Sat. Sun. & Mon. we will spend cruising. Tues. we arrive in St. Thomas, V.I. at 7AM & depart at 3PM. Wed. we visit Soufriere/Castries, St. Lucia, W.I. arriving at noon & depart at midnight Thurs . we arrive in Barbados, W.I. at 8AM & depart at midnight.

Fri. we arrive in Grenada, W.I. at noon & depart at 1 1 PM. Sat we arrive in Tobago, W.I. at 7AM & depart at 2PM. Again Sun. & Mon. are spent cruising .

Tues. we enter the AMAZON RIVER at 4AM & cross the equator at 2PM. Wed. we visit Alter do Chao, Brazil from 9AM until 2PM & Santarem, Brazil from 4PM to midnight Thurs. is spent cruising the Amazon. Fri. we arrive in Manaus, Brazil at 7AM & will spend all day & that night in Manaus. We will disembark at 8AM Sat. & catch our AM flight to Miami where our cruise will end. Visas are required for Brazil. Also consult your Dr. for precautionary health measures. Our average discount for the outside cabins are 46% off list & the inside cabins average 45% off list. Other cruise fares that give you 40% to 50% off list do not include the positive space airfare which is included in the list price. Our fares include the positive space air from Manaus to Miami which is about the same distance as it is 8

from SFO to Hawaii.

COST: CATEGORY: 4- Superior Outside-Golden Deck-Bath w/tub/shower-Window $2713 P/P $2588 P/P 5- Superior Outside-Ruby Deck-Bath w/tub/shower-Porthole 6- Superior Outside-Emerald Deck-Bath w/tub/shower-Porthole$2475 P/P $2378 P/P 7-Standard Outside-Emerald Deck-Bath w/shower-Porthole $2308 P/F 8-Superior inside-All but Boat Deck-Bath w/shower $2238 P/F 9-Standard Inside-Golden & Ruby deck-Bath w/shower $2063 P/P 10-Standard Inside-Sapphire Deck-Bathj w/shower $1853 P/P 11-Inside Upper/Lower Beds-Sapphire Deck-Bath w/shower The above prices do not include $30 P/P registration fee & $115 P/P port charges (1990 subject to change in 1991). A $530 P/P deposit must accompany your application, with final payment due 60 days before departure (Nov. 6, 1990). Also we are limiting this cruise to 40 people (20 cabins) & they will only hold these cabins until 90 days (Oct. 7,1990) before sailing. To secure a cabin get your reservation in early.

MAY 5th, 1991 PANAMA CANAL-MIAMI TO LOS ANGELES-16 NIGHTS: This is the one that I have been working on for two years, a Canal cruise that begins and ends at a TWA terminal. We have secured a block of cabins on the Costa Cruise Lines, DAPHNE , which has a reputation as the cruise world's "little jewel". The Daphne is an intimate ship accommodating 420 passengers who are served by an attentive crew of 250. There are few luxury cruise ships anywhere in the world that can match her space-to-passenger ratio. The Daphne also has the reputation for fine dining & specializes in continental cuisine with Italian specialties. You can dine 8 times a day & have breakfast in your cabin every morning. The Daphne has all the amenities of the new Jumbo cruise liners (where you can get lost & never find your friends), swimming pool, theater, bars, dancing, casino, gym, sauna, beauty parlor, barber shop etc. We leave Miami Sat. at 4:30PM & spend Sun. at sea. Mon we arrive in Cozumel at 7AM & depart at 7PM (for those of you that wish there is great snorkeling in Cozumel). Tues. is another day at sea. Wed. we arrive in the Colombian island of San Andres( where they say you can find beaches with no footprints) at 1 Pm & depart at 8PM,. Thurs. we arrive at the east coast city of Limon, Costa Rica at 8AM & depart at 5PM. Fri. is the Canal crossing from 6:30AM til 8PM. Sat. another day at sea. Sun. we arrive in the West cost ports of Caldera/Puntarenas, Costa Rica at 7AM & depart at 7 PM, where you can take an optional trip to the capital city of San Jose. Mon. & Tues. will be spent at sea. Wed. we will arrive in beautiful Acapulco at noon & depart at 7PM. Thur. another day to relax at sea. Fri. we arrive in Mazatlan at 10AM & depart at 5PM. Sat. & Sun. are 2 more days of relaxation at sea. Mon. morning we arrive in LAX at 8AM and end our cruise.

9

All our cabins are outside with two lower beds, all have baths with shower & tub & are air conditioned. The best part about this 16 night cruise is the price, $1599 P/P. These prices are a very special group interliner fare. The price does not include $30 P/P registration fee & $83 P/P port charges (1990 subject to change in 1991). A $330 P/P deposit must accompany your application. The final payment is due 70 days before departure (Feb. 24, 1991). We are setting a limit of 46 people (23 cabins) & Costa will only hold the cabins until 90 days before sailing (Feb. 4th 1991). This one will not last long so get your deposit in early.

17th 1991 - VANCOUVER TO ASEPTEMBER LSK-ROUNDTIP7 NIGHTS: Once again as in Sept. 1989 we have been offered a fantastic group interliner fare by Holland American Lines for the 7 night Alaska roundtrip from Vancover on their Nieuw Amsterdam. We leave Vancouver at 6PM on Tues. Wed. is spent cruising the inside passage. Thurs. we arrive in Ketchikan at 8AM & depart at 3PM. Fri. we arrive in Juneau at 8AM & depart at midnight. Sat. is spent cruising beautiful Glacier Bay. Sun. we arrive in Sitka, on our way homeward, at 7AM & depart at 1 PM. Mon. is another day Vto ancouver relax as we cruise the inside passage. Tues. we arrive back in at 7AM to end our wonderful adventure. This is truly a luxury cruise as was stated by all the TARPA members on our Sept. 1989 cruise, on the same ship & the same itinerary. The best part about it is the fare, $895 P/P for the best available outside twin 45 days before sailing. The price for our 1989 sailing for the same agreement was $849 P/P which is only $46 more in 2 yrs. & is an increase of 2 3/4% per year increase while the average cruise price has increased 10% per/yr. This price does not include $30 P/P registration fee or $43 port charges ( 1990 subject to change in 1991). A deposit of $330 P/P must accompany your application. The final payment is due 60 days before departure (July 19th, 1991). We are setting a limit of 46 people (23 cabins) & Holland American will only hold the cabin space until 90 days before sailing ( June 19th, 1991). Again get your deposits in early to reserve a cabin. ANY INTERLINER CAN TAKE A NON INTERLINER ON ANY CRUISE IN THE SAME CABIN AT THE INTERLINER FARE. ------------------------------RESERVATION FORM Name(s) Name(s) you like to be called (name tags) Address Cabin Choice(s) / / / Dinner seating-Early—Late Deposit- AMAZON $530 P/P $ PANAMA CANAL $330 P/P $ ALASKA $330 P/P $ Send deposit & check to W. Chuck Hasler -TARPA TOURS-8 Rustic Way, San Rafael Calif. 94901----(415) 454-7478--- Your Phone No.( ).

0

TARPA TOURS PICTURES TAKEN AT THE GET TOGETHER IN LONDON MAY 1990 BEFORE DEPARTURE FOR THE KENYA SAFARI TOP PHOTO PAT HASLER, DAVE MEYERHOLTZ, DON MINSKE & BOB LASCH

LONDON, 21st May 1990 ACTIVE PILOT LOU GORCZYOR AND WIFE, MARIANNE

ROUGHING IT AT THE SAROVESHABA LODGE LOCATED IN THE SAMBURG SHABA GAME PRESERVE MAY 28th. 1990 TARPA WILDLIFE SAFARI, KENYA, AFRICA.

FAREWELL DINNER IN NAIROBI , KENYA JUNE 3rd 1990 AT THE FAMOUS CARNIVORE RESTAURANT (FAMOUS FOR SERVING WILD GAME). L to R; CHUCK HASLER, Dr. JAMES NJORGE (NAIROBI), FORD & JANE BLANEY, GORCZYCAS, GRANDSEARTS, BOB MILFORD, LANGS, GEORGE MILLER, DOROTHY BOSEWELL, ) PRISCILLA NJORGE (NAIROBI PAT HASLER NOTE: PAT AND PRISCILLA ATTENDED UNIVERSITY TOGETHER IN THE STATES IN THE EARLY SEVENTIES.

JANE & PAUL ROACH JOINING IN WITH THE GROUP AT THOMPSON'S T FALLS. TARPA SAFARI MAY-JUNE 1990

12

EDITOR'S DESK Thanks to all those who contributed to this publication. We appreciate your letters and comments. This is your magazine so help us continue to make it interesting. Also, let us know of any change of address right away for returned mail is very expensive. Is your address on here correct for the U.S. Postal Service seems to delight in finding a little something wrong with an address so they can return it: By decision of the Board of Directors we will not publish a directory this year.

There were problems with our membership list and the computer coming from the transition from one Secretary/Treasurer to our present S/T, Chuck MacNab. In the front we have the list of officers, Board members and committees. We also have the officers of the TWA Pilots Retirement Foundation and the minutes of their annual meeting in here. Your contributions are most welcome and should be sent to their Secretary/Treasurer, Bob Thompson.

We are advised that as of the end of June we have 1178 Regular members, 122 Associate members, 167 Eagles, 157 Honorary members and 31 subscribers.

Received the postcard below from our beloved Dave Kuhn;

Dave's note says; Glad to see the "B" plan still solvent. Sorry to learn that TWA is at low ebb. Ichan may sell it--maybe to TARPA. As ever, Dave You do good work.

There's one thing you can say about the Congressmen in charge of running our government. They are running it like nobody's business.

13

EDITOR'S DESK From Jim McIntyre of White Picket Farm; Dear A. T . - Thanks very much for the extra copy of the May 1990 TARPA TOPICS. It was a great honor to receive the TARPA AWARD OF MERIT and an even greater pleasure to take part in the festivities at Hershey with such a great group of people. I don't know of another event where I feel so much at home and at ease.

You guys do a superb job in putting it all together. On the other hand, when you look at the list of names doing the work, it is not surprising at all that it is excellent.

By the way, as an old Flite Facts editor, I can appreciate what you go through with to put out an edition of the TARPA TOPICS. I really look forward to reading each issue - it is first class in content.

As Mitch St. Lawrence says, "If I'd known I was going to live this long, I wouldn't have abused my body near so much when I was younger".

See you in Colorado Springs, Best regards, Jim P.S. You can blame it all on Harry Mokler. 'Twas he who got me started in ALPA safety work. * * * * * * From Dave Richwine of Seneca, SC; Thank you for the nice article you did on young Dave's promotion. It was well done and probably more than the announcement deserved. He did go to school with the kids of a lot of kids of TWA pilots, however, and I'm sure at least some will be interested in his lot. Further, being the father of a family of achievers, I am sure you understand my personal feelings about him. He has been a dedicated military officer, worked hard and done his best to give the government its money's worth. He has just received his new assignment which will be Commander, Marine Corps Air Bases, Eastern Area and will be based over in your neighborhood at Cherry Point.

I enjoyed a nice visit with Al Gettings and his wife when they came down here to check out a Stearman I had located for him up in Pickens County. They were here a few weeks ago. He filled me in on a lot of the details of the SaveA-Connie project and sent me a beautiful picture of it. Had a note from Jack Weiss, talked with Bill Townsend yesterday and we are expecting the Chris Carpers soon, so we are keeping in touch.

Thanks again for your thoughtfulness. Hope this finds things well with you and Betty.

Sincerely, Dave * * * * * * From David Amundsen of Bellevue, WA; Regret to advise that retired W. Dan Gaines was lost on a flight from his home in Florence, OR, to Renton, WA, on June 9th. He was flying his Lake Aphibian.

An air search was conducted in both states but to no avail. With him were his wife, Carol, and her 19 year old daughter, Jackie Miceli. * * * * * * From Joe Brown of Sunrise Beach, MO; The enclosed list of all TWA retirees was passed out at the TWA Seniors Club annual meeting in KC last week. It may of some use to you and then maybe you could pass it on to Chuck MacNab. You are absolutely right about Joe McCombs. He works harder and longer for TARPA than anyone and is really devoted to seeing that it works right. I hope all of TARPA appreciate his efforts.

I also appreciate your and Betty's efforts on behalf of TARPA. Keep up the good work.

The doctor dismissed me last Thursday (middle of June) to resume all normal acivities. I played golf Sunday and enjoyed it very much.

MOJO * * * * * *

4

MORE FROM HERSHEY Left to right; BETTY JARVIS MARIE DALE, ?

RUTH STITZEL BEA WREN

BETH GATES MILLER JACK MILLER ELLA WHITE

WALT STOCK SALLY HATCHER JOHN HATCHER KEITH "BUD" LOURY

15

EDITOR'S DESK From Bob Gwin; Hello A. T . - Just a note to let you know I sent some things on the Stratoliner to Ed Betts and some pictures. If he does not want the report, I told him to send it to you, pictures and all.

Also enclosed my medical for the "Health Exchange".

Just came back from the Seniors Greek 12 day tour and the Seniors Banquet at MCI. They had 600 at the banquet. The tour was great, my wife speaks Greek and has a brother in Athens, so we had an extra good time.

Bob [Bob put in 41 years with Trans World Airlines starting out as a class C cleaner at 42 c per hour and ending up as an IRO on the International Division.] * * * * * * From the Sherman, Texas, Democrat dated 19 June 1990; About a dozen public officials attended the groundbreaking ceremony of an aviation commemorative statue at Grayson County Airport Monday morning.

The statue, a 9-foot tall pilot of the 1930-40 era carved in a grey granite, will be unveiled in October, said Harold Hastings, the donator of the statue. It will stand on a 7 to 9-foot base of polished red granite, Hastings said. The statue alone cost $250,000, Hastings said.

The front of the base will bear the inscription: "If I take the wings of morning and rest in the highest places of the sky". On the back will be inscribed; This monument is an eternal and lasting tribute to these airmen of Texas whose vision and dedication so advanced the science of flight and especially to those Grayson County members of military forces of the United States of America who have given their lives in defense of their country.

"It will be a window to the past", said Hastings. He said the inspiration for the monument came from Grecian works which are centuries old. "One hundred years from now people will be able to look at the statue and see how times have changed," said Hastings.

Hastings is a World War II veteran who flew in the Southwest Pacific Theater He flew for many years with Trans World Airlines following the war.

The statue is the work of William McVey, an elderly sculpture in Cleveland, Ohio.

Grayson County Judge John Crawford thanked Hastings for the memorial on behalf of all Grayson County. "The statue will be a very appropriate centerpiece," Crawford said.

And in a note to Joe McCombs and your editor, Ace Hastings says; The enclosed (above article) is forwarded without comment. Of course, I'll give TARPA everything they might want to know after the fact.

The dedication is scheduled for Saturday,, October 13, at the Grayson County Airport (formerly Perrin Field) in Sherman, Texas.

I do want you to know that all my Ex Jock TWA brothers have a warm and personal invitation from me to come down if they can make it. Gonna have a fly-over, speeches, VIP's etc. I wish I could avoid it so tomorrow I'm fleeing to my Corfu, Greece, hideaway and coming back just before. We've been working on this thing about six years. Anybody remember the Alcott and Brown statue at Heathrow? It gave me the idea; now oil, Teleprompter and TWA have made me rich! and I can do it.

Remember, Joe, how you used to kid me? (Chuckle) Kisses, Ace. [Ace, your editor felt the copies of ground-breaking pictures would not print out well enough but send a good picture of the dedication.]

Whatever carousel you stand by, your luggage will come in another one!

16

LLOYD HUBBARD CHARLIE RICE DONNA RICE FRED LINGENFELSER

KLETUS ROOD LOIS REED BOB DEDMAN ILSE DEDMAN

AL WOLLENBERG FRANK RUEGE AND PHOTOGRAPHER SAYS, "2 FRIENDS".

17

EDITOR'S DESK From John Lattimore; Dear A. T . - You may be aware that our silver tongued president has finally made a blunder! He has conned me into chairing a committee dedicated to the preservation of free/reduced rate transportation in the event of dissolution of TWA. I tried to assure him, as indicated in the final paragraph of my letter which I understand was read at the board meeting, that he needed someone with organizational talents. In case you need the information, the other members of the committee named are Dave Davies and Bill Kirschner.

Didn't Vic Hassler run a fine convention? Now there is a man who can organize.

My best to your Betty.

Sincerely, John * * * * * * From President Derickson to Dr. Lynn Smaha; Dear Dr. Smaha - It was indeed an honor to have you participate in TARPA's convention on April 9, 1990. Our retired pilot membership was most appreciative in the many facets of aviation, medicine and general health issues which you addressed, with the aid of your slide projector. The humor mixed in with your many facts and examples added to the seriousness of your presentation. Your example of the effects of one cigarette over a ten day period was an eye opener to us all.

We may have mentioned to you that over the years several TWA pilots have been killed in small aircraft accidents after retirement.

For the entire TARPA membership I thank you for taking the time and for the effort involved in coming to Hershey to talk to us and field our questions.

Kind personal regards, RGD * * * * * * From Don Peters; Larry Fauci sent me these photos of the Hershey banquet to me to help identify the participants. I've done my best but just couldn't place all the faces, I hope you will recognize some more.

I've been busy since the convention. A major Columbus corporation bought an executive 727-31 that once belonged to TWA (7893). They have taken me on to assist their crews in transition so I'll be flying it with them for about a year. Had TWA 727 training at St. Louis and after three weeks of ground school I feel like a very old new hire but enjoying every minute of it.

Nancy and I, as usual, enjoyed the convention very much and are looking forward to seeing everyone again in Colorado Springs in 91.

Best regards, Don * * * * * * BENT OFFERINGS

Don Addis

"DON'T YOU RECOGNIZE THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN CHAMPION WHEN YOU SEE HIM?"

18

EDITOR'S DESK From Jo Clay; Dear Betty & A. T. - Thanks for thinking of me on my birthday. I prefer to forget them but unfortunately or maybe fortunately my children and friends won't let me. Went out to dinner with two couples, dear friends.

Celetta, my sister, and I are driving up to Cape Cod about the middle of June. Andy and Sue are up there now opening up for us.

I manage to stay busy with bridge, golf, church, friends and children but oh what a different life without Alf! Thanks for invitation - not this time.

Love, Jo From Goldie out on Longggg Island; Sure enjoyed the Hershey Convention. I dropped Vic Hassler a note thanking him for his efforts and enclosed a copy of the wife's impressions of the community which her employer, Austin Travel, printed in their May newsletter.

It was also great to chat with all the folks that I worked with in the past. TARPA Conventions, like TARPA TOPICS, promote great, good feelings within a great, good group of people.

Sorry I wasn't able to chat with you longer but realized that with Joe Brown's absence and Joe McCombs' sudden illness you were right busy keeping the show on the road. However, thanks to you and Russ Derickson everything worked out very well.

I was pleased and honored to meet, for the first time, Captain Ed Betts. I've read his articles in the Skyliner and TARPA TOPICS over the years and greatly admire him for his well-chosen, thoroughly researched and professionally written articles. He certainly has helped make TARPA TOPICS the outstanding publication it has become under your leadership.

I am attaching a short skit which is quite a switch from my usual stuff. A number of the younger TARPA members, such as yourself, may relate to the story (pure fiction) more so than to the ICD or pre and post war tales I usually submit. Hope you can use it.

[Thanks for the compliment, Goldie. A girl working in a fast food establishment the other day made my day by questioning my being a senior citizen.]

From Bill Malone, Secretary & Editor Retired Eastern Pilots Association Dear A. T. - Our congratulations on another great issue of TARPA TOPICS! Fine cover, great coverage of the TARPA Convention in Hershey. We know you will have a fine time next year in Colorado Springs. Last time I was up on Pike's Peak, the cog train was pulled by a little steam engine. You can imagine how long ago that was.

We pass our copy around and everyone enjoys it. We wish you all the best.

Yours sincerely, Bill Malone [Thanks for the pat on the head, Bill. Your magazine is tops and I wish our members were like yours and would send in more about themselves.]

From Earl Heinrich; Enclosed is a notice about Jim Carey. My wife and I visited the funeral home on Tuesday night. Several pilots from the area were also there.

Six to eight pilots from Long Island went to Chuck Lokey's funeral.

Being so soon after seeing Chuck at Hershey made it an extra sad time.

It has been very cool and wet here on Long Island. In Illinois, where the other house is, the farmers have not been able to do the ground work and planting. Guess your area the same.

19

EDITOR'S DESK From Dick Guillan; Hi A. T. - Thanks for your latest letter. July 7th sounds good for a material deadline. Will do my best.

You have probably noted that our towns were omitted from the address on the inside cover of the May issue. Also on the form requesting Grapevine info my address/state is printed as NS though the zip is correct.

[Dick, I seemed to have been rushing too much and those aren't the only errors I committed.]

Am real busy at the "ranch" now plus organizing a family reunion to be held July 13 through 15th. A lot of details still to be worked out. Expect 39 people to be here.

Thanks again for your words of encouragement.

Enjoyed the letter from Herb Becker. He and I worked together as Primary Instructors along with J. B . Bennett, Eddie Gruber and Don Minske in Albany, Georgia, prior to TWA and were in the same Pilot/Navigator class.

Hope to see you and Betty before the summer is over. Regards, Dick P.S. Have been using TWA Identity checks for years.

[Know what you mean about preparing for a family reunion. For years I have had one my brothers and I started. I barbecue a hundred pound pig and we have a pig picking with relatives, friends and neighbors. This year it is on August 25th, a Saturday. Good time for you and Peggy to come over and spend the night or more as we have plenty of room and a three bedroom guest house. Putting this in here to save a 25c stamp.]

The Honorable Captain Guillan also passed on something from one of our members, Enrico Bottieri, along with a note which says, "Richard, you have my permission to reprint this first page article in TARPA TOPICS and anything else you like.

Hope to find time to write some articles about TWA some day. Keep up the good work.

God Bless, H. F. "Enrico" Bottieri.

[What Enrico sent was their newsletter. He is President of the Twin Beech Association, P.O. Box 8186, Fountain Valley, CA 92728-8186. Dues are $35.00. He has a "President's Viewpoint" which is interesting and we may reprint it if space permits.]

Ed Toner says; There is a book, "The Final Secret of Pearl Harbor" Admiral Theobald, author, which proves we had, as did the British, this de-coder called "Magic" and by using it, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill both knew a week in advance of the Japanese plan to attack Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941.

You may recall in our May issue we ran an ad copied from the International Tribune sent in by Mrs. Handy wherein some retired airline captain in the midwest was advertising for a female companion. Well, we received an envelope that had TWA JFK Flight Operations in the return address section but typed above it was Captain Box Holder, Bob 809, Cleveland, OK 74020 and with a postmark of Jennings, Oklahoma. Inside was one of those flimsy little sheets of stationery with Celtic Hotel, 6 Rue Balzac, Paris, on which was written "I even found an old envelope, pilfered from your airline (about 1950) to mail my letter in!! Did you ever stay at this "fun loving" old hotel in Paris? --- Good luck to you!!

The letter included appears on our following page. Does anyone have a clue as to who this mystery writer is? Tell us.

20

P.O. Box 809 Cleveland, OK 74020 June 25, 1990 Captain A. T. Humbles Rt. 2 Box 152 Belhaven, NC 27801 Dear Captain Humbles: I am Captain Box Holder, P.O. Box 809, Cleveland, Okla.

74020. A copy of your splendid magazine, TARPA TOPICS (May 1990), was passed along to me by one of your members (Arlie Nixon of Jennings, Oklahoma) and I noted that you had reproduced my Personal Ad; which had run in the Christmas, 1989, edition of several Internationally circulated newspapers.

I thought that you might, possibly, be interested in a brief synopsis of the results of that ad--I believe you will find them interesting!! To date, there has been a total of 475 answers to the ad (several from North Carolina!). Agewise, they ran from two 16 year olds to one eighty-five year old (who professed that she could "perform better than most 60 year olds").

Educationally, there were several that were barely literate; up to one lady that had TWO doctor's degrees. "Poor little poor girl" or "poor little rich girl"--brought answers, at one end of the scale from those on unemployment, welfare, and food stamps to at the other end of the scale several multi-millionaires (giving financial references--one checked out with million dollar race horses; a yacht; airplane; residences in North Carolina, Florida, and Ireland; and a checking account "in the lower six figures"...43 years old). At the welfare end of the scale, I took their word for it!! Racially? All major races have been represented. Of course there were kooks, crooks, kranks, prisoners, and homosexuals (6 or 7 men that "just knew that they could make me happy"). But the answers were, mostly, sincere and tender letters from lovely, lonely women--scattered all over the world! In response to my request for a photo--there were 8 or 10 nude or semi-nude photos (one girl, from New Jersey, was wearing just high heel shoes--I call that "semi-nude"). Many showed great depth of intellect--often mixed with humor; one 56 year old Medical Doctor (Los Angeles area), who was also a graduate nurse, assured me: that "Buddy before you are done with this old world, you will NEED both of us!").

I have answered ALL of these letters either with "regrets" or to something over seventy, with a "here's more about me, now tell me more about yourself" letter. I have interviewed ("dated"-no sex, because of AIDS) 7 or 8 of them and lightening has not yet struck either my mail box or my heart!

Captain Humbles, I believe that what I am looking for--I will not find. I believe that my TRUE QUEST is for my own 25 year old youth, when I was the young Captain of a Douglas DC-3 airliner... and Sir, THAT IS GONE!!

21

EDITOR'S DESK Dick Beck sent us some information about the Pennsylvania Dutch country which we couldn't include last issue so here tis; I was born in Bala-Cynwyd (it's Welsh and I dare you to try to pronounce it properly) just outside of Philadelphia . My Dad was a wholesaler of paper products and he travelled Lancaster County extensively. Sometimes he took me with him, although I was a young teenager. Some of the stories and incidents I still remember.

The soil of Lancaster County was recognized as perhaps the richest in Penna.

In the spring, red roses used to cling to the wooden fences that lined all of the roads.

The so-called "Pennsylvania Dutch" were a very thrifty people...they still may have the first dollar they ever earned. Yet, my Dad and I were invited to a Thanksgiving dinner one year. A long table was loaded with turkey, ham, chicken, duck, every kind of vegetable imaginable, jellies, jams, nuts, bread, rolls, a plum pudding, a variety of pies and all kinds of sweets. It was said that one little boy was still sitting at the table after everyone else had left. When asked if he had had enough, his answer was, "You may lift I and carry I but do not bend I" When a freight train is passing by and the red caboose appears, then the train is "all".

Two overweight couples walked into an ice cream parlor one afternoon. Two of the wives and one husband "squinched" themselves onto one sofa. Directly across from them, and seperated by a small table, was a second sofa where the other husband sat down. After watching the squirming for a few seconds, he reached over and tapped his wife on the knee saying, "Mama, why don't you come over and sit loose by me?"

A little boy walked into a drug store one day, ambles over to the ice cream counter. He said to the kid behind the counter, "Please, may I haf a plain soda?

The kid behind the counter asked, "Vot is a plain soda?" The rest of the conversation reputedly went as follows: "A plain soda is a soda with anything in it."

"Yah, what do you want it mitout?"

"You got chocalate?"

"Yah, I got chocalate."

"You got vanilla?"

"Yah, I got vanilla" "You got butter pecan?"

"No, I don't got butter pecan" "O.K., gif me a plain soda mitout butter pecan."

"Yah" A man driving through Lititz stopped by a couple of "locals" walking down the street. He rolled down his window and asked them if they knew where the Harrison Umbrella Factory was. One of them shook his head and then asked his companion, "Joe, do you know vere is the Harrison Umprella Factory?" Joe also shook his head and said no. The man started to drive on when suddenly he heard whooping and hollering behind him. He stopped and looked into his rear view mirror. These two guys were chasing him waving their arms. They came up to the car and asked the man, "You mean the Harrison Umprella Factory across the viaduct by the water works?" The man said, "Yes, that's the one." " yell, we don't know vere that is either."

The hurrier we go, the behinder we get.

A recent TV show indicated that the Mennonite men wear flat-topped black hats, have trimmed beards and they drive around in horse drawn, four wheel surreys with the fringe on top. Women wear bonnets.

In the days of the DC-3, the aeronautical maps showed several towns in this area as having somewhat unusual names such as Blueball, Paradise, Virginville and Intercourse.

22

THE TARPA

GRAPEVINE AUGUST 1990 It is indeed encouraging to see the new members listed with each publication of the TOPICS. Many names I recognize as former crew members and I ask, am I getting old? These guys are too young to be retiring.

So my opening comments this issue are directed primarily to the new members and also as a reminder to the older members as to the purpose of the GRAPEVINE. Since TARPA and the TARPA TOPICS are the main sources of communication we have, we encourage you to tell us of your activities and interests in retirement. Many send their letters directly to me, some to our Editor, A. T . and some to our Secretary/Treasurer who hopefully forwards them to me. If the spouse of one of our members should pass away, please advise one of us, as the "In Memoriam" section generally only contains the names of members. Also if someone is ill, please let us know as someone may want to send a card or make a phone call.

So, my friends, share your travel experiences or whatever through the GRAPEVINE. Use the form in the back of the TOPICS if you like or write a letter. OK ? ********

RUSS DROSENDAHL followed up a promise he had made to me at Hershey and sent me the following account of an interesting experience: "It was nice to see you as well as other TWA friends at the TARPA Convention at Hershey this year.

I am sure that many who attended had a good time as I did.

Earlier this year, February to be exact, a Super DC-3 arrived at the Camarillo Airport. As you remember the Super DC-3, came about at the end of World War II as a conversion of the standard DC-3.

Because of higher horsepower engines, still the Wright 1820, it was necessary to put a larger tail assembly on for control. Otherwise it looked pretty much like the standard. There were of course other changes not related to the story, ( continued)

23

( RUSS Cont'd) "I last flew the DC-3 in 1952, out of YIP as TWA was replacing them with Martins.

That is until February of this year. It came about when a company in the Philippines had purchased three of the Super model, an ex-Navy one, and a pilot was ferrying it to the The airplane came out Philippines . of Sault Ste Marie, Michigan where it had been painted and with an "N" registration. On the flights westward it had many problems along the way. It took about three weeks getting to Camarillo where the fuel tanks and oil tanks were installed for the long over water flight. It was here at CMA (Camarillo) that two new jugs were put on an engine, carburetor and some flight instruments replaced. On a test hop it was determined that the gear doors were not closing, or gear retracting fully on the plane.

Yes, that is one difference to the Super model, gear doors.

I am a member of the Confederate Air Force and since we have a C-46 as well as some other planes at CMA, it was at our facility that the DC-3 was parked for repairs, because we have the space.

I got to know the people working on the plane, the pilot on the ferry trip and the mechanic. When it came to check out why the gear doors didn't close it was determined that we would take the DC-3 aloft and have a chase plane fly along side. I am part owner in a Navion and offered to do this. When final plans were made, because I had flown a DC-3 many years ago, it was determined that I would be co-pilot on the 3 while the mechanic would ride in the Navion with glasses to look at us in flight. The airport is not far from the ocean and we planned to fly just off shore at 2500 feet for the formation flight. About 12 minutes out in the DC-3 we had to feather the right engine, loss of oil pressure and quantity. We turned around and the Navion didn't realize this engine feathering was for real, but in our radio conversation I told my friend flying the Navion to hurry and get a look at us for we were headed back. We were airborne about 25 minutes all together and made it back alright. Final analysis was that the overseas oil tanks were not plumbed correctly and as a result it caused the gear doors not to close and a line separated therefore losing oil overboard.

In all my time with TWA I had experienced only one engine failure, the right engine too, and that was with Jim Wheeler after we had just taken off YIP bound for DAY. Another sidelight to this story is that we have been having ground school on our C-46 and the topic that evening was props and propeller feathering. I passed.

I hope this isn't too long. Sometimes I wonder why I do all this crazy stuff at my age." (Signed) Russ ( Thats what keeps you so young looking, Russ.) ********

24

FORD and JANE BLANEY, my most loyal correspondents, have been traveling again and have sent me two letters, which follow, with accounts of their trips.

"Since the Hershey reunion, Jane and I drove to Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. Jane found some dress shops in nearby Lewisburg that she liked. I attended a lecture on how to save one hour a day by managing your time in a better way. We practiced new dance steps taught to us by the same instructors who were there when we visited last Christmas. I played golf on the Greenbrier course where Sam Snead shot a 59 and also on the Old White course. We danced every night and had a very enjoyable time. It is only 300 miles from Indiana (PA). We plan to visit again at Thanksgiving.

The enclosed photo is of my TWA team who walked in the March of Dimes April 28. In 1938 President Roosevelt founded the March of Dimes to eradicate polio. The Salk vaccine, funded by the March of Dimes, changed the course of history. Now, attention is focused on child health and birth defects. The mission is to promote healthy babies by preventing birth defects and by reducing the incidence of low birth weights and infant mortality. The walk this year was 20 kilometers or 12.4 miles. There were 233 of us walkers that Saturday morning at 0900. We raised over $16,000 in pledges. My TWA team raised $800. I came in fifth at the finish line in 2:29 elapsed time.

Next week we're going to Kenya on safari with Chuck Hasler.

This morning I mailed a much larger package to North Carolina. It was the main part of my Kangaroo golf cart-28 pounds of it to Columbus, N.C. UPS will have it there in 2 days.

It was good to see some of the younger retirees there at Hershey.

Klete Hood, Curt Rodgers, Wes Jacobson and Bob Thompson were there from the old MDW base." ( Now to the Kenya trip) Chuck and Pat Hasler took 30 of us for a two week safari.

That included TARPA members, spouses and sons as follows: Jane and Ford Blaney, Jeannette and Al Grandsaert, Marianne and Lou Gorczyca, Verna Jacobs and son Scott, Angela and Bob Lang, Barbara and Bob Lasch, Jane and Paul Meyr- Roach, Betty and Dave holtz, Ruth and Bob Milford George Miller, June and Don Minske, Marguerite and Bill Stewart, Joan Tarbox and son Grant, and Evelyn Vovolka.

We arrived in Nairobi on May 23 and spent the first night in the Hilton Hotel after an afternoon bus tour and BBQ ( cont'd) 25

(BLANEY - KENYA cont'd) dinner at Safaris Co.

the

home

of Jacky Parmar, the operator of the Big Five

Kenya's wildlife is being conserved in forty parks and refuges having a total area the size of Switzerland. The game lodges where we stayed were zoos in reverse. The watering holes were drinking fountains, mud baths and social gathering places and lured the animals to the tourists.

Our Tarpa group was very lucky to be able to see the Big Five--elephants, lions, leopards, Cape buffalo and rhinoceroses. I should say leopard because we saw only one. Too many women wearing leopard skin coats. In Kenya, over 10 years the elephant population decreased from 65000 to 19000 due to poaching. For rhinos, about 500 are left. Lions and buffalo are plentiful. Other animals we saw were gazelle, impala, zebra, giraffe, warthog, cheetah, hyena, hippopotamus, wildebeste, crocodile , oryz, waterbuck, baboon, ostrich, gerenuk, antelope, topi, and thousands of birds.

We went on game drives every morning and afternoon in Taita Hills, Tsavo East, Tsavo West, Amboseli, Nairobi, Aberdare, Samburu Shaba, Mount Kenya, Lake Nakuru and Masai Mara National Parks. At Mt.Kenya Safari Club we played a 9 hole, par 3 golf course and danced the evening away to a six piece band.

The ultimate extravaganza in game viewing was photographing a cheetah as he stalked, attacked and killed a gazelle.

The last three days of our safari were spent in the Great Rift Valley. It furrows north from Mozambique for 3500 miles to Ethiopia on the red sea. Escarpments 50 miles across and over 1 mile deep run through Kenya. It is here that sediment and protective volcanic ash has protected hominid fossils over 4 million years old.

In Masia Mara, we viewed animals from aloft in a hot air balloon.

As we moved silently across the plains at 200 feet above the ground, we spotted the one leopard we saw on the entire safari. After one hour air time, we landed and were treated to Champagne breakfast.

The last night in Kenya was at the Hilton, after a farewell dinner at the Carnivore Restaurant. Flight time from Nairobi to London was 8 hrs. 45 mins.

Today wildlife draws tourists and badly needed foreign money. 57 elephants in Kenya's Tsavo N. Park have been killed by poachers since January.

Game rangers are authorized to shoot poachers on sight in Kenya. Anti-poaching laws in many African nations are weak or nonexistent. So Africa must decide quickly how and whether to preserve its remaining safari attractions." (signed) Ford S. Blaney ( Picture of group on following page) ******** 26

The TARPA Safari Group in Kenya ******** I reported about a year ago on the activities of ELMO JONES and his 1932 Ford Tudor. I had the pleasure of meeting Elmo, at his invitation, at a meeting of the National Street Rod Association at Tanglewood Park, near my home in Clemmons. There were approximately 300 cars being shown at this show and it was indeed interesting to see the way the street rodders have modified older model cars.

Below is a picture of Elmo and his car, the brown one. He has good reason to be proud of it.

******** "DIRTY ED" TONER sent me a copy of KIT PLANES magazine for May which contained an article Ed had written about flying the Para-Plane. We carried an article on him and the plane in our February TOPICS. He is so enthusiastic about this machine that he has decided to buy one and should take delivery in about a month. He told me that his will have the "parachute" made in the form of an American Flag which will measure 17' X 34'. He has promised to send pictures of it for our next TOPICS. In the meantime, if you have a chance, get a copy of the magazine and read all about how this Para-plane flies.

27

HANGAR FLYING & SIPPING CLUB ON ALASKA CRUISE SAM LUCKEY, DAVE WAGNER AND BOB LANG

HARLAN JESPERSON, LARRY FAUCI & SIM LOWE

28

VON DURHAM AT HERSHEY

CHARLIE STRICKLAND

EDITOR'S DESK Beck on PA continues; Flying enroute from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, some of us used to report to Harry Davis, the radio operator at Harrisburg, that we were over Virginville, coming up on Intercourse, Paradise very soon and that we would try to avoid Blue Ball. When the CAA got wind of our radio calls they deleted the names from the maps. I've checked the up-to-date maps and can't find any of them! Maybe those towns actually changed their names.

No, Dick, your editor was in Intercourse while at the Hershey get together. I will take the privilege of adding a little something in this area. I flew the Martins so much from Newark to Pittsburgh making stops at Allentown, Reading and Harrisburg. You learn the tower people too. There is a town just east of Harrisburg named Hummelstown. I used to call Harrisburg tower approaching from the east and say, "I'm over my town" and the HAR tower would say, "Okay, A. T ., you are cleared to land". * * * * *

BOB BILLIAN, JEANNIE WHISENHUNT, JUDY FAUCI, DON PETERS, JOE STACK, MARY PETERS & FRAN STACK. THOUGHTS TO PONDER As we age, there seems to be a tendency to hunch our shoulders, lower our heads slightly (possibly searching for lost coins), and leaning a little bit forward.

We should be very careful not to trip on anything because we might fall and break our nose or crack our skull...which might lead to What's - His - Name - Disease!

Those of us who have retired and entered the theoretical "Golden Age" should be thankful if we and our spouses snore during our sleep period. That way we know the other person is still alive and we don't have to be completely awake to prove it! * * * * It is the policy of TARPA to allow non-members, at the discretion of the Secretary/Treasurer, to be placed on our mailing list for TARPA TOPICS for the sum of $15.00 per year. Those eligible to be members are not permitted to be subscribers. Flight deck crew members over the age of 50 are eligible for membership in TARPA. Don't forget TARPA when you have a change in address! Returned mail is costly and should be unnecessary.

29

KG5FP - GETTING "AIRBORNE"

The above sent in by Gordon Hargis-KG3FP of Fort Worth. Captain, TWA, Retired.

Colonel, USAF, Retired. Pilot "California Warbirds" P51D, N 546OV, "Strawboss 2".

Dear Senator A. T . - Since I'm a low-tech type with no typewriter or word processor, I guess you will just have to try to decipher this as best you can with your "Ben Franklins" hanging on your nose. Of course, due to my usual procrastination, we may have both forgotten the contents of the Feb. 90 TARPA TOPICS issue, about which I have a few words, hopefully of interest or information.

I am enclosing a copy of my version of railroad whistle calls which may add a little to the one you published. Hope you enjoy reading what there is of it.

During my childhood years (some say I'm still in 'em) my mother's parents lived about 500 feet from the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe railroad tracks in East Texas. The GC & SF was division of the AT & SF and operated between Carthage and Beaumont, TX. It was not a busy route, there was only one freight round trip and one passenger round trip a day. Occasionally the Kirby Lumber Co. would operate a log train which was pulled by a wood burning locomotive with a "diamond" smoke stack on it.

There was a long steep up-hill grade on the track southbound which ended at Grandpa's house. This created a need for a side track there because the freight train could not pull up the hill with the locomotives used. So, on most days, the train would be "cut" at the beginning of the hill and part of it would be pulled up the hill and parked on the switch track. The locomotive would then return and pull the rest of the cars up the hill. The caboose would be about in front of the house, parked while the engine pulled the first half out onto the main line and the two parts were then reconnected to continue the trip. My Grandfather and the conductor were good friends and Grandpa would take me out to the caboose while he visited the conductor. You can imagine my thrill each time I got on the caboose, got a dipper full of ice water out of the oak keg, and sat up in the cupola mentally directing the business up at the head of the train. "Kid" Hunt always had the previous day's Beaumont newspaper for Grandpa so I got to read the comics later (Mutt & Jeff, Moon Mullins, Katzenjammer Kids etc.). On days they didn't "double Kid would throw me the paper as the train passed.

I was a big railroad "buff" in those days and read every pulp railroad magazine I could get hold of, when I wasn't reading Science-Fiction or World War I airplane pulps like "Battle Aces".

30

HOGHEAD HARGIS cont'd Grandpa ran a gravel business, supplying iron-ore gravel to the GC& SF for track ballast. He plowed up the gravel pit with a Fordson tractor and the gravel was then hand-shoveled into Model T Ford dump trucks for transport to be loaded into railroad hopper cars. This was done at another side-track at Steep Creek, Texas, about a mile south of Grandpa's home by "Venable Switch".

On cold winter mornings it was very difficult to get the Fordson tractor started by cranking it. I remember my uncle building a fire under it with pine splinters (lighterd ) to heat the oil and then lighting up a gas-soaked rag wrapped around the carburetor bowl to help vaporize the fuel and get the tractor cranked up. All the time this was going on I, of course, was standing as near the action as possible and throwing more kindling on the fire. This didn't set too well with Grandma, who distrusted all machinery, and she would finally from a distance holler, "Gordon, you get away from that thing before it blows up and kills you"! Apparently, it was okay for her son and husband to blow up but not her precious (?) grandson.

This Fordson had the big steel rear wheels with the diagonal steel cleats about a foot apart for better traction. It also had steel front smaller wheels with about a two inch protruding circumferential flange to help steer it.

[Another subject] Thanks much for giving us TWA Amateur Radio "Hams" a little publicity via the letter from Dave Spain. However, Dave should know he only has to pass a 20 word per minutes code test to become an Extra Class Ham, not 22 as he mentioned. Further, it's not too hard. Even I "are" an Extra Class Ham and I wasn't in management. I'm also a designated volunteer examiner by the American Radio Relay League to give Ham tests for license upgrades.

For those in TARPA who might be interested, you might consider publishing that Paul A. Shaw, 5624 Ash Ave., Raytown, Mo, 64133 (WAQSLR) publishes a list of about 200 TWA Hams. He charges $1.00 for the book and will include all who send him their call and address in the next annual update.

The MCI TWA Ham group have a "repeater" at the overhaul base on 147.33 MHZ. Also, another airline Ham group is the International Association of Airline Hams, P.O. Box 82412, Atlanta, GA, 30354-0412. Dues for membership and quarterly bulletin are $5.00 per year. They operate a weekly HF radio "net" on 14,280 KHZ (+1- for QRM) from 1400Z-1700Z each Sunday and Wednesday 1500Z-1800A during standard time months and on 21,380 KHZ each Thursday, same time. All airline Hams are welcome to "check in". They also publish a roster in the Bulletin, about semi-annually.

Finally, I'm enclosing a copy of my ham "QSL" card. Hams use them for written confirmation of radio contacts.

I'm looking forward to more episodes of the Martin 404 story. I was prompted by the first installment to review my log books. I found that (like most of our contemporaries) I had flown all of the 202's and 404's except 404 and 437. As I recall, one these two went to Howard Hughes and perhaps the other one went down at CVG. Incidentally, Jack LeClaire tells a great story of his flying Howard's airplane on the delivery flight to Tucson, I think. You should get him to write up the details for the TOPICS. No shoes on the rugs, socks over refuelers' shoes etc. no night flying.

My Martin flying started 10/3/51 and ended 4/17/60, was rated 12/28/56 by Bronson White. It was a really tough 30 minutes flight. Took off at MKC, turned to 330 degrees and levelled at 4500'. Did a 180 degree steep turn to 150 degrees and a dirty stall. Descended to 2500' and did an ILS back to runway 18 at MKC. Perhaps the many times I had already flown co-pilot for Bronson helped him make up his mind. He did the same routine when he rated me on the L-49.

Digressing to DC-3's a minute, how many times do you suppose we hollered, "Cowl flaps trail, throttle tension tight, tail wheel locked" before takeoff and "Gear down, handle neutral, latch locked, pressure up" before landing? (Was there a green light in there somewhere?)

3I

AVIATOR HARGIS cont'd On April 9, 1990, I was privileged to be the co-pilot from PHX to MKS on the "Save A Connie" 1-1049H, N6937C flight. '37C was used in the movie "Last Call for Passenger Faber" starring Sam Sheppard at Blyth, CA about 10 days, including semi-burying her for the crash scenes. She was on display for 2 days in PHX and many active and retired TWAers were among the 2000 or so folks who came by for a look.

We flew 9500' direct ABQ, direct Liberal and 5500' direct MKC. Made a low pass which was captured on many Camcorders before we landed. Great trip, both in distance and time travel - had been 26 years since my last Connie flight.

I've swapped a few letters with Peter Marson of England who wrote the pictorial "Connie Book". He sent me a great black and white shot of # 821 (N6021C) taking off from MIA after TWA sold it and a ground shot of * 503 (N86503) taken about 1948.

On another note, I hope to fly our P-51 in Hollister, CA, next Sunday.

Best regards, Gordon Hargis (37797) Note from editor; Gordon, not many Yankees will know fat pine splinters are called lighterd. For their edification, this is heart pine and will burn like it is soaked in gasoline. My neighbors still use them to light fires in their fireplaces.

Your tale about the Fordson tractor brings back memories. Papa used to set 3 lighted truck flares under ours before breakfast to warm the huge crankcase.

It had 2 tanks, one for gasoline and the other for kerosene. You would crank it on gasoline and after a few minutes warm-up switch to kerosene. There was a worm baffle on the exhaust manifold through which the kerosene flowed to warm it before arriving at the carburetor. Kerosene was more powerful in that due to the slow burning. I recall you would make a few runs up and down the field pulling an implement and the thing straining and then you would switch to kerosene and the thing would sit there and purr all day long using only 10 or 15 gallons of kerosene. Those steel cleats made for a bumpy ride on hard ground and power steering hadn't been heard of yet. After it was stopped being used for plowing it saw many years service as the power unit for my Pa's grist mill.

FLYING A B-24 IN WORLD WAR II WAS HALF THE BATTLE

By MURRAY GRAINGER OF SOUTH ORANGE, NJ The March 7 General Dynamics advertisement asking for donations "to help restore a B-24 to its original condition" just happens to strike this former B24 pilot as a piece of supreme irony and unmitigated chutspah.

True, "forty five years ago our freedom was on the line" and on the night of Nov. 14, 1944 at the ripe old age of 22 I flew a B-24 and a crew of 11 out of Fairfield-Suisun (later renamed Travis Air Force Base) in California to join the 868th Bomb Squadron (The Snoopers) of the 13th Air Force, for combat in the South Pacific: Noemphor, Morotai and Okinawa.

Aside from being variously called (with no affection), "the flying prostitute" (no visible means of support) "the prop hangar," "the flying brick" - and enjoying its own notorious version of the Air Corps song: "Off we go, into the wild blue - c ASH!" I yonder t was the worst, misbegotten, wrongly conceived, improperly designed and negligently slapped together piece of junk ever to needlessly take the lives of American flyers.

I flew and survived 35 missions. But 7 out of my original 11 crew members died - not from enemy action, but from mechanical failures of the B-24! If they restore a B-24 "to its original condition", then God help and have mercy on whoever continued next page.

32

B-24 continued If they really want to symbolize "the American Spirit", that honor belongs to the brave crews of the B-24, who fully knew it was a horrible death trap but went up in it anyway, because "forty-five years ago our freedom was on the line".

[Editor: This should generate some letters from other survivors, eh?]

Herman

BETTY RODENBAUGH HUMBLES 1946-1949

"No smoking, no talking during the movie, and just one trip to the restroom.

Have a nice flight."

WHEN WAS THE FIRST COAST TO COAST FLIGHT MADE? (ATLANTIC TO PACIFIC) Surprise, surprise, surprise..it happened in 1912 when Robert G. Fowler flew ocean-to-ocean over the Panama Canal..Don Thomas has the 25th Anniversary flight cover from Panama in 1938 to prove it. According to "Florida's Aviation History"

by FAHS member Warren J. Brown..On April 27, 1913, Bob using a home-built 60 hp tractor biplane flew across the isthmus of Panama to complete the first non-stop coast to coast flight. Fowler (California to Florida) finished second behind Perry Rodgers (N.Y. to California) in the Great Transcontinental Air Race of 1911. This was also mentioned in FAHS member John Ingle Jr.'s book "Jacksonville's Aviation History" [Copied from the Florida Aviation Historical Society newsletter] GATHER'S LIFE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SAVED Hank Gather's life might have been saved if the Loyola Marymount star's heart was shocked with a defribillator within 5 minutes after he collapsed, a heart specialist said. Dr. Douglas P. Zipes, professor of medicine at Indiana University Medical school and a heart arrhythmia specialist, also acknowledged there may have been medical conditions that prevented the application of a shock in time to save Gathers. "I can't second guess those people without more information about what was actually happening", Zipes said. However, he did say time was precious once Gathers began having what appeared to be a seizure. Gathers was pronounced dead less than two hours after collapsing in a game on March 4.

33

Dear A. T .: The handsome group of TARPA members in the above photo were attending the annual Oxnard / Santa Barbara Hangar 99 of the "Quiet Birdman" get together on June 11th. This was held at Jack Brome's ranch located on the final approach to the Point Mugu N.A.S. (south of Oxnard, CA) with about 450 members and guests attending.

What an afternoon and evening it was: during the cocktail hour there were three parachute jumpers who made precision landings on the proverbial dime, 'flybys' and acrobatics by eight T-6's from the "Condor Squadron", precision stunts by Frank Manelski's son with a Pitts Special and the same by Joanne Osterud (a F/E for United). After dark there was a great Bar-B-Que. We tried to round up all of the TARPA men for a photo but missed Al Lusk (busy tending one of the bars), Bill Towner and Bart Anderegg. In the photo: (standing)...Jack Wallace, Lum Edwards (my host), Dick Ruble, Perry Schreffler and Tom Anderson. (kneeling) Ed Betts, Russ Drosendahl and Roger Salmonson.

My local Pacific Palisades paper had a short notice about one of our former TWA pilots, John Cable, who was a resident here 1937-39. It is titled "AVIATOR HONORED POSTHUMOUSLY" and tells how John was inducted into the Iowa Aviators Hall of Fame in Greenfield, Iowa. He was born in 1904 in Waterloo, Iowa, and after learning to fly, returned to his hometown to establish its first airport, becoming the manager of the Waterloo Municipal Airport. Cable ran his own airline, Cable Airways, as well as flying for Yellow cab Airways and TWA and testing airplanes for Douglas Aircraft. As a private pilot to Colonel Clarence Young of the Department of Commerce during the 1930's, he charted all of the airports and air routes existing in the United States.

My notes show that John was hired by TWA 6/24/35 and was one of the "instant Captains", checking out on 8/7/35. He resigned in 1937 and was killed while testing a Douglas DB-7 (British version of the A-20 attack bomber) in 1939.

A good friend of many TARPA members, John (Jack) Hughes passed away on June 17th. Jack started out as an assistant mechanic (LGA) on 6/13/44, later was with crew schedule and for years was in Flight Crew Administration at 605 or Mt. Kisco until he retired on 12/31/85.

(Ed Betts)

34

1991 CONVENTION UPDATE #3 - COLORADO SPRINGS - Co-Chairman / Chairwoman Cliff & Mary Sparrow (Please refer to TARPA TOPICS issues of Feb., p. 84 for Update #1, and May, p. 58 for Update #2 for information on the Hotel & Motor Home prices and number of TWA flights available at the present time. Also, Car Rental prices are mentioned, but we hope to have more information on this matter, at a later date. TWA has 8 flights a day into the Denver and/or Colo. Spgs. area. Also, there are 7 other Airlines operating in and out of Colo. Spgs. at the present time.)

Yes, the 1991 Convention will be at the base of the Majestic "Pike's Peak" in Colorado Springs, Colorado and September is the most beautiful month of the year in Colorado with the sunny, warm days and cool nights. It's also the height of the "Aspen Gold" period. (the changing colors of the Aspen tree leaves) The Tour, offered to TARPA MEMBERS, SPOUSES AND GUESTS by TWA Seniors Tour Director Robi Mueller, will start immediately after breakfast on the morning of Sept. 14th, the " morning after the banquet and will take you right into "Aspen Gold territory of the Royal Gorge, Durango/Silverton mining, steam train ride, Mesa Verde, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, The Maroon Bell Mountains, Aspen, Vail, Colonial Central City, The Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, Coors Brewery with dinner and libation, and end with the Denver Mint and farewell dinner near Evergreen, (Joe McCombs home). The scenery is fantastic. THIS IS AN ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR TOUR. IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT, GO, GO, GO. If you've never been through the Colorado Rockies, NOW IS THE TIME. The overnight accommodations and restaurants that Robi has been able to obtain for the Tour are outstanding. You cannot get these prices on your own. Cliff & Mary have tried.

A $200.00 deposit must be in Robi's hands by October 10, 1990, to assure reservations at these great hotels and restaurants. MORE DETAILS ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES. As mentioned in the Feb. and May issues of TARPA TOPICS, we have already scheduled a trip up Pike's Peak on the Cog Railway, then lunch and a tour of the 18,000 acre United States Air Force Academy where 4000 Cadets are prepared for lieutenancy in the U. S. Air Force. The Academy is situated in a strikingly beautiful area at the foot of the Rampart Range nestled right into the base of the Rockies. The beautiful Cadet Chapel, the planetarium and the USAFA Visitor Center will be open for viewing as well as many other outstanding athletic buildings on the Academy grounds. The Olympic swimming and diving trials are often held here. Then, back on the bus for a ride through the fabulous Garden of the Gods where you will see the over 200 million year old red sandstone formations and the craggy rock cliffs towering into the sky. The park itself is home to a unique collection of plant and animal life. A special trip can be arranged another day to the Garden of the Gods for a closer look and picture taking with the background of Balanced Rock, the Scotsman Tam, Kissing Camels, Cathedral Rock, the Three Graces and many more of the spectacular rock formations. Then a walk or visit to the Visitors Center which gives a history and movie of the Garden along with the geological origin.

A visit to the Trading Post constructed in the style of Pueblo Indian Homes is a treat.

NEXT ISSUE - U.S. Olympic Complex in Colo. Spgs. & Santa's Workshop at the Northpole in Cascade, Colo., just 30 minutes from the hotel.

35

REVISED FINAL NOTICE

REVISED FINAL NOTICE

T.A.R.P.A. - COLORADO ROCKIES COLOR TOUR SPECTACULAR IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE 1991 CONVENTION DATES:

COST:

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1991 - SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1991 7 DAYS, 7 NIGHTS VIA 47 PASSENGER MOTORCOACH & BASED ON A MINIMUM OF 35 PASSENGERS PER BUS $ 1260 PP SINGLE $ 1021 PP DOUBLE $ 955 PP TRIPLE

INCLUSIONS:

$200.00 deposit by October 10, 1990** ALL TAXES & PORTERAGE ARE INCLUDED

TRANSPORTATION VIA 47 PASSENGER " BIG WINDOW " MOTORCOACH VEHICLE IS AIR CONDITIONED, HEATED, IN VERY GOOD CONDITION WITH KNOWLEDGEABLE, EXPERIENCED DRIVERS. RESTROOM ON BOARD. A WELL TRAINED, KNOWLEDGEABLE, ENTHUSIASTIC TOUR GUIDE/ESCORT TO PROVIDE NARRATION OF TOUR AND TO COORDINATE ALL ARRANGEMENTS FOR LODGING, RESTAURANTS AND ATTRACTIONS.

LODGING:

MEALS:

2 1 1 1 2

NIGHTS - MESA VERDE OR DURANGO NIGHT - REDSTONE LODGE NIGHT - VAIL NIGHT - ESTES PARK NIGHTS - DENVER

For more information, call or write to: Mrs. Robi Mueller 6960 E. Girard Ave. #303 Denver, CO., 80224 Tele: 1-303-757-1208 FULL AMERICAN BREAKFAST EACH MORNING IN THE HOTEL DINNER UPON ARRIVAL IN DURANGO OR MESA VERDE CHUCKWAGON LUNCH SERVED ON THE MESA AT MESA VERDE DINNER AT THE HISTORIC STRATER HOTEL - DURANGO DINNER AT LEISURE AT THE INN AT REDSTONE LODGE DINNER AT PEPI GRAMSHAMERS - VAIL DINNER AT THE HISTORIC STANLEY HOTEL - ESTES PARK CATERED DINNER AT COORS. DELICIOUS & BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED SOUTHWESTERN AND AMERICAN ENTREES AND ACCOMPANIMENTS. COORS ALSO MAKES THEIR PRODUCT AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE EVENING, GRATIS. FAREWELL DINNER AT " THE FORT " RESTAURANT, NEAR EVERGREEN, CO. ALL TAXES AND GRATUITIES ARE INCLUDED FOR MEALS - LIQUOR IS NOT, EXCEPT AT COORS.

ATTRACTIONS: & some ADMISSIONS:

ROYAL GORGE BRIDGE, WORLD " S HIGHEST SUSPENSION BRIDGE, PLUS ONE OTHER RIDE OR ADMISSION TO AERIAL TRAM, INCLINE OR MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATION ADMISSION TO MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK SPECIAL GUIDE AT MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK ADMISSION TICKETS TO DIAMOND CIRCLE THEATER AT STRATER HOTEL - DURANGO DURANGO AND SILVERTON NARROW GAUGE RAILROAD, FARE PAID IN FULL ADMISSION TO BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON MAROON BELL MOUNTAINS ASPEN & VAIL SUMMER & SKI RESORTS ADMISSION TO ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK TELLER HOUSE & OPERA HOUSE TOUR - CENTRAL CITY COORS BREWERY WITH DINNER & FREE LIBATION ADMISSION TO THE DENVER MINT - THE LAST WORKING FEDERAL MINT RED ROCK AMPHITHEATER IN DENVER FOOTHILLS & BUFFALO BILL MUSEUM & GRAVE FANTASTIC SCENERY & MUCH MORE 36

LAST CHANCE FOR T.A.R.P.A. - COLORADO ROCKIES COLOR TOUR - SEPT. 14 TO SEPT. 21, 1991 TOUR STARTS THE DAY AFTER THE 1991 CONVENTION Day 1, Sept. 14

$200.00 deposit by October 10, 1990 ALL TAXES & PORTERAGE ARE INCLUDED

ROYAL GORGE with World ' s Highest Suspension Bridge Lunch - enroute to: DURANGO MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK

Tour begins after breakfast in Colorado Springs, going directly to the World's Highest tram, looking Suspension Bridge, the "Royal Gorge" and see it from above via Aerial " down, or see it looking up by riding the "straight up and down rail car-- the Incline Railroad; or walk across as the bridge slightly moves from side to side. Leaving here, . we go to Durango and possibly onto Mesa Verde National Park, with a lunch break reroute If space is available at the Lodge in the Park, we go there that night and will be able to see the view at sunrise. If not, we stop in Durango for dinner and the night and go onto the the Park the next day. (We're waiting for confirmation) Day 2, Sept. 15

MESA VERDE, outstanding view of sunrise FULL AMERICAN BREAKFAST "LAND OF THE ANASAZI " CLIFF DWELLERS CHUCK WAGON LUNCH DINNER AND SHOW at historical Strater Hotel in DURANGO RED LION INN for overnight -

" Most of the day, we will be seeing the "Land of the Anasazi , cliff dwellers of centur ies ago who built homes and kivas (a place of worship) in the cliffs of the canyon.

A chuck wagon lunch in a picnic area, with liquid libation is served. Return to Durango with dinner and a Show at historical Strater Hotel and overnight at the Red Lion Inn.

Day 3, Sept. 16

FULL AMERICAN BREAKFAST SILVERTON via SANJUAN MOUNTAINS by OLE NARROW GAUGE STEAM ENGINE RR. FREE TIME TO BROWSE and have lunch BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON FABULOUS RED STONE LODGE for dinner and overnight

Travel to Silverton via the narrow gauge railroad, thru the San Juan Mountains, around the mountains and thru the valleys with magnificent scenery, stopping for water enroute and allowing hikers, fishermen, etc. off for their own exploring. Arrive in Silverton and choose your own quaint restaurant for lunch--Zhivagos on Notorious Blair Street is ' one place, then walk the streets of one of Colorado s most famous mining towns before we continue on to the famous and incomparable Black Canyon of the Gunnison. From here, we travel on thru magnificent mountain roads to Redstone Lodge built in the heyday of silver mining and visited by Presidents and Royalty from everywhere. Dinner, and we spend the night here. You can drop a fishing line in the babbling stream or wiggle your toes in its' icy water, or just sit and drink in the quietness and peace and beauty and wonderment of it all.

Day 4, Sept. 17

FULL AMERICAN BREAKFAST RIDE THRU THE FAMOUS MAROON BELL MOUNTAINS ASPEN - Free time to browse and have lunch VAIL - elegant hotel "LODGE AT VAIL" and unique village.

Famous PEPI GRAMMSHAMERS RESTAURANT for dinner

Breakfast and an early departure to see the most famous Maroon Bell Mountains, over 14,000 ft. We'll view their height, but will not ascend them. A view in the very early morning is "a must " . A short ride and we're in Aspen, home of the Rich and 37

Famous and playground for us all. Free time - see it all, just walking; perhaps a stop at the very old, famous and refurbished Jerome Hotel. After lunch, it ' s on to VAIL, Queen of the Rockies. Check into "Lodge at Vail " , an elegant hotel where you will enjoy a bountiful buffet breakfast the next morning. Wander thru this unique town via free bus all thru the city or just have a leisurely walk thru the Alpine section where no motor vehicle is allowed. We will have dinner at famous Pepi Grammshamer's and perhaps enjoy the nite spots before retiring. Both are famous Ski Resorts.

Day 5, Sept. 18

FULL AMERICAN BREAKFAST Free morning to browse and have lunch, then: Bus ride to "TOP OF THE WORLD" (high observation point) ESTES PARK for dinner and Overnight at FAMOUS STANLEY HOTEL

Free morning; would you like to take a float ride, about 4 hours, return for lunch wherever you wish (Vail has many eating spots) Observe the many snowless ski slopes or even play a short game of golf on their wonderful golf course. Shortly after lunch, we leave for a spot known as the "Top Of The World" via Trail Ridge Road, longest and highest continuing paved road known. Stand here and almost see " into tomorrow": Back down on this road to Estes Park to have dinner and spend the nite at the famous Stanley Hotel, built by the " Stanley Steamer Man " . All buildings are painted white, and are located near the top of a mountain, overlooking the city.

Famous people from the whole world have been guests here.

Day 6, Sept 19

Peak to Peak Highway to CENTRAL CITY, Famous mining town Famous TELLER HOUSE &OPERA HOUSE, GOLD MINE, ETC. Browse and have lunch PANNING FOR GOLD in Clear Creek Canyon DENVER - (hotel to be announced) Dinner and evening at COORS BREWERY WITH FREE libation.

Leaving Estes Park, we step back into Colorado's "Glory Mining Days", via the Peak to Peak " highway, arriving at THE most famous of all Colorado ' s mining town, CENTRAL CITY. Here was the Matchless Mine of Horace Tabor and Baby Doe fame, the famous Opera House still in use every summer and where the most famous of all opera stars have, and continue to perform. Visit the museum, take a gold-mine tour, visit the Honky Tonk bars, have a souvenir picture taken in " Old Fashioned Photo" shops, via the Teller House and, of course, see the world famous painting, the " Face On The Bar Room Floor": On our way home, to Denver, go Panning for Gold in Clear Creek Canyon then time for relaxing at your hotel before we head for a real fun, fun evening at Coors Brewery. Our hosts offer a short "look-see " as to how it's made. A free open bar of all their special brews, a full catered dinner and the Nickelodeon Plays On! Day 7, Sept 20

FULL BREAKFAST UNITED STATES MINT - The last working Federal Mint Sightseeing and lunch in DENVER RED ROCK AMPHITHEATER - supposedly acoustically perfect LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN BUFFALO BILL MUSEUM and GRAVE SITE FAREWELL DINNER at "THE FORT" Restaurant OVERNIGHT IN DENVER

After breakfast, we go directly to the U. S. Mint to see how they make and bag currency.

Very strict security clearance here. See their displays of coins and items they sell as souvenirs. We will see a few of Denver ' s beautiful high points of the city, perhaps a trip to the gold-domed Capitol and you may have your picture taken on the outside step showing " 5,280 feet " at that very spot where you are standing. Time for shopping the famous 16th St. Mall and refurbished Larimore Square is where the very first building of Denver was located. You have many choices for lunch here, after which it's off 38

' to Denver ' s foothills to visit Red Rock Amphitheater, so named for the color of it s " red-blood color of rock built by fellows in the CCC camp days of the Roosevelt era " where world famous performers maintain that it is the most acoustically perfect Amphitheater known. Then a drive up Lookout Mountain and see all of the Denver and surround ing area as it looks in the day time and a visit to the Buffalo Bill museum and grave site.

Our farewell dinner will be Special, high above the city near Evergreen (Joe McCombs' home) at "The Fort " where you can dine on Buffalo steak, Venison steak, Beefalo steak, or just plain Cow steak, or an assortment of other foods. And from here, you will see Denver and its ' surroundings areas as it looks after dark. Then, back for overnight in Denver. (Hotel to be selected.)

Day 8, Sept. 21

FULL AMERICAN BREAKFAST

Transfer to Stapleton Airport, or return to Colorado Springs, at no charge Cost:

Single - $1,260.00 Double - $1,021.00 Triple - $ 955.00

Cost Includes:

7 nights Lodging - includes tax and baggage handling; 1 plus 1 carry on 7 American breakfasts, includes tax and gratuity 1 Lunch, includes tax and gratuity 7 Dinners, includes tax and gratuity

$200.00 DEPOSIT BY OCTOBER 10, 1990.

ALL TAXES & PORTERAGE INCLUDED

WE SHOULD HAVE ---- " FUN - FUN - FUN " For more information, call or write to :

Mrs. Robi Mueller 6960 E. Girard Ave. #303 Denver, CO., 80224 Tele: 1-303-757-1208

HERSHEY MICKEY PAHL FLOYD & DIANA EVANS CLAUDE & SONNIE BETTINGER CLIFF & MARY SPARROW SLIM PAHL FOTO BY FAUCI

39

-

The TWA Pilots Retirement Foundation, Inc. PRESIDENT Capt. Fred G. Arenas 1622 Canterbury Court Arlington Hts., IL 60004 312-398-1331

VICE-PRESIDENT Capt. Harry Jacobsen 848 Coventry Street Boca Raton, FL 33432 305-997-0468

SECRETARY/TREAS. Capt. Robert R. Thompson 807 W. Hintz Road Arlington Hts., IL 60004 312-259-9718

TRUSTEE Capt. Robert D. Essaf 1095 Carteret Road Bridgewater, NJ 08807 201-526-0217

TRUSTEE Donald C. Ulrich 15 Circle Drive Algonquin, IL 60102 312-658-7581

May 3, 1990 Mr. A. T. Humbles, Editor

TARPA TOPICS, Route 2, Box 152 Belhaven, NC 27810 Dear A. T . : The TWA Pilots Retirement Foundation, Inc., held its annual meeting April 17, 1990, at the ALPA Chicago Field Office in Rosemont, Illinois.

All of the current Trustees and Officers have been elected to continue in their present capacity.

Fred Arenas, President Harry Jacobsen, Vice President Robert Thompson, Secretary/Treasurer Robert Essaf, Trustee Donald Ulrich, Trustee One of our beneficiaries died in December 1989.

The Board of Directors determined we could hold our present level of monthly expenditures and use this money to relieve the remaining beneficiaries of some of the effects of inflation. We are, thus, holding our expenditures to the 1989 level of $2,300/month.

Sincerely,

Robert R. Thompson, Secretary/Treasurer TWA Pilots Retirement Foundation, Inc. RRT jaa Enclosure cc:

Foundation Board of Directors

40

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL OFFICERS MEETING THE TWA PILOTS RETIREMENT FOUNDATION, INC. APRIL 17, 1990 (Condensed) Meeting convened at 10:30 A.M. on Tuesday, April 17, 1990, at the ALPA Chicago Field Office in Rosemont, Illinois.

Secretary/Treasurer's report; Beginning balance 1989 Contributions & Interest (ALPA Credit Union) Distributions State Registrations Resident Agent Fees Ending balance - 1989

$114,173.12 32,497.06 $27,600.00

$146,670.18 $118,910.18

160.00 $27,760.00

The Florida State Corporation filing fee ($35.00) mailed for 1990.

All required forms and information to complete the 1989 IRS return for non-profit organizations was mailed to Don Ulrich, Trustee.

Blanche Mollineaux, widow of Captain C. H . Mollineaux, died December 31, 1989.

The number of beneficiaries now stands at five.

New monthly benefits were established. Annual applications for assistance to be mailed to all recipients.

No new nominations for Trustees were presented or entertained. Current officers will remain in their positions. Meeting adjourned at 1:00 P.M. Attachment * 1 .

Since incorporation in 1982, the Foundation has aided 5 pilots and 2 widows The total benefits paid through 1989 have been $154,300. In 1989 the Foundation expended $2,300/monthly for all recipients.

Our "nest egg" (the principal of our ALPA Credit Union account) stands at over $100,000. The present rate of dividend is 8Âź%. The Trustees believe it would not be prudent at this time to dilute the principal. The dividend covers about 1/3 of our annual costs.

It is, therefore, requested that members continue to contribute to the Foundation.

All contributions should be made out to THE TWA PILOTS RETIREMENT FOUNDATION and addressed to: Robert R. Thompson, S/T 807 W. Hintz Road Arlington Heights, IL 60004 The Trustees encourage all TARPA members to contact us if you have knowledge of any person you believe to be eligible for benefits.

41

Ed Toner 52 Newbury Rd. Howell, NJ 07731 Dear A.1. ; I've done some investigating into this Japanese situation myself, and I'd like to pass on my views, in case others may be interested.

There was a bill passed on 10 Aug. 1988 known as Public law 1 00-383. Under this law, payments of $20,000 will be made under an automatic settlement program to each and every surviving person of Japanese descent who was excluded, re-located, evacuated, or , both from Hawaii and the West Coast during WWII. interred On the surface, it seems innocent enough, and it would not make a major dent in our budget, but there are a few principles involved that I think are worth mentioning. First of all, these people, 27,000 families, have ALREADY been paid for all losses of personal and real property under the 1948 Evacuations Claims Act. Two supporters of the bill, Congressmen Mineta and Matsui of California, are in obvious conflict, as they will be among the recipients of the money. No such money will be paid to German and Italian nationals who suffered likewise when they found themselves in the USA on 7 Dec. 1941. That is because the sponsors of the bill called the impounding of Japanese to be " racist". Now, that's a good one. The word "racist" did not even appear in the dictionaries of the time. I have a 1950 Websters New Collegiate in front of me, and it does not appear in either.

The bill is being challenged by Case # 89-607-JGP Dist. of Columbia, filed 9 March 1989, and will probably end up in the Supreme Court. Among the things presented at the time was the de-classified data from the secret code machine called "MAGIC", which broke the Japanese code. It turns out that there was in fact a Fifth Column referred to as "TROJAN HORSE" up and down the West Coast, comprised of first and second generation Japanese Americans, who were U.S. citizens.

Our Congress instructed the Justice Dept. to set up two toll-free hot-lines in Tokyo for the use of those who decided to go to Japan after the war (presumably to escape prosecution as subversives and spies). Within the first 2 weeks, 500 applied.

Now, think about that. These people, including many who were probably spies and subversives, are to be rewarded for the human suffering they endured, safe in the camps in the USA, and the U.S. veterans, who really suffered, don't have a penny coming to them. Japan was not charged with any retribution to American families who suffered, and we, the victors, will pay them reparations. Cheeezze.

Very Respectfully,

42

TARPA is proud to list those members who have reached 75 years of age.

A unique group of hardy pioneers. We are very proud of you. Be good to yourself.

Harlin, John E. Harrison, William L. Hawkins, Walter M. Hays, MacDonald H. Heath, Delbert W. Hellar, Richard C. Hereford, Edgar T. Herman, William R. Higginbotham, James N. Horstman, C. Marvin Howell, Gail A. Hoyt, Harry G. Jenkins, Francis E. Jesperson, Harlan V. Jomo,Jr., John Jones, Sr., Frank L. Kadoch, Robert A. Kampsen, U. J. Kidd, Kenneth M. Kirkpatrick, Melvin E. Klotz, Alexis Knobler, Charles H. Knudsen, Alvin R. Korf, Earl W. Kravitz, Irving S. Kuhn, David B. Kulp, Clarence E. Laakso, Edward O. Lambert, Gordon W. Larson, Robert M. Le Claire, John B. "Jack" Leypolt, Miles K. Lloyd, Bernard M. Lontz, John P. Mac Krille, Alfred E. Morehead, Clem W. Magden, John L. Manning, M. J .

Manning, Robert F. Maynard, Charles W. McCarty, Paul T. McClimans, Hillery F. McFerren, Phares McIlwraith, Andy A. McReynolds, Robert A. Middlekauff, R. H ..

Miller, Adair Miller, William "Willie " Montgomery, John M. Moorhead, Leigh S. Morehead, Clem W.

Abiuso, John Ainsworth, W. L . "Arky" Allman, Robert O. Ambrose, William M. Anderson, John H. Austin, Fred L. Babson, Robert G. Bassford, Stephen A. Beaton, Andrew O. "Andy" Beck, Richard H. " Berry, Elmer L. "Lyn Billings, E. O . "Ed" Blaney, Ken Bowen, Russell A. Bracken, Paul Brick, Albert A. Brister, Roy L. Brower, Robert W. Buchholz, Walter F. Buck, Robert N. Burcham, Frank W. Busch, Frank E. Byl, David A. Carlson, John A. Carper, Norwood G. Carr, Joseph P. Chapman, Ivan M. Cooper, Bertrand M. "Bert" Creswell, J. A .

Davenport, Chauncey C. Dio Guardi, Orestes J. Downing, Robert C. Duvall, George C. Dyer, J. Willard "Chic" Edwards, Floyd D. Erickson, O .L .

Falkin, Louis R. Fisher, Jacob "Jake" Flanagan, William M. Frank, J. J. Gilbertson, John J. Gerow, Eugene "Gene" Glaeser, Ernest H. Goetz, Joseph U. Goldthorpe, R. W . "Goldie" Goss, Lewis W. Graham, John Grant, Joseph W. Hall, Howard E. Hanson, Omar L. Hanson, Osborne H. 43

THE

EAGLES

OF

Morris, Cecil T. Munger, Lester D. Neuman, Harold E. Newman, Glenn E. Niven, John W. Nixon, Arlie J. Noland, Ray A. Olson, Lloyd W. Orr, H. Dayton Ottewill, H. A . "Herb" Overman, Robert E. Painter, M. Rex Pastorius, Fred R. Peasley, M. Grant Peek, John T. Pennock, Edward G. Pettigrew, Bruce Philpott, James A. Piper, William F. Popp, Lowell H. Poquette, T. S. Pretsch, Ernest Proctor, R. L .

Pusey, Ralph L. Quinlivan, Don J. Rae, Roger Don Raub, Clifford G. Reynolds, I. George Richardson, Fred G. Richwine, David W. Roddy, Casey A. Russell, John H. Saylor, Frank C.

*

*

TARPA

(continued)

Schemel, Gerhard M. Schildberg, Cecil W. Schmidt, Arthur C. Schnaubelt, John I. "Jack" Schulz, Homer Selby, David C. Shoalts, Allen D. Simmons, Edward N. Smith, Darrow H. Soule, John H. Springer, C. Robert Stewart, Cyrus E. Stitzel, Harry B. Strachan, Seth S. Stubbs, Charles E. Stuessi, B. Kieth "B. K ."

Tate, Jr., Charles O. Taylor, Harry C. Therwhanger, John N. Thomas, David W. Thomson, John E. Tomlinson, D. W. Townsend, William E. Trimble, W. L . "Larry" Truesdale, Harold W. Valentine, Floyd Voigts, Busch Welch, Lawrence K. Wells, Edward L. Wells, Ray W. Wolf, Everett C. Young, Lester E. Zerbone, Clifton A. "Jerry"

*

*

*

Eagle: Two strokes under par. As rare as the bird of the same name.

Equality: All golfers are born equal but Arnold Palmer managed to outgrow it.

Fairway: Well kept portion of ground between tee and putting green. We include this because many golfers have never seen it.

Class: Demonstrated not by whether you win or lose but by how you tear up your scorecard.

The problem with being retired is that you never know what day it is, what time it is, where you are supposed to be, or what you are supposed to be doing.

It's a lot like working for the government.

44

HERSHEY 1990

JEAN & LARRY MURCHAN DAVE & JACKIE BROWN

GUY CAPIN LLOYD HUBBARD

GENE LORY J. T. HAPPY C. T. WILLIAMS

Note: THESE SAME THREE WERE IN A TWA NATIONWIDE AD IN LIFE, NEWSWEEK, TIME, U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT AND MANY NEWSPAPERS IN THE MID SIXTIES.

45

Thursday Afternoon May 3rd, 1990 y a pologies, A. T . - I have been very busy until Tuesday - well, even until today as I try and catch up. My granddaughter Lynn, (Pat's daughter) was married Saturday - all five of my daughters showed up - some for ten days. Also, Lynn received her M.D. in O.B. on the 21st and it has taken me until today to get half way back to normal.

I never did get in touch with Frank Busch again - he 'had called before I wrote you and he's doing great though still using a cane to get around due to his stroke. I told Orville about it and he wanted me to write it up. I wanted to verify that he had flown to Florida with a Delta pilot in a twin engine plane - the Delta Captain was in charge but Frank flew the plane and, as he said, with one eye. I sort of suspect all the flying was done at Camarillo, but it could be to Florida as the Delta Captain was based there and lived in Camarillo. Since there were so many stories (some said Frank had Alzheimer's and that isn't true) I thought it would be good to pass on to TARPA TOPICS. I'll guarantee I'll have a story re Frank for the next issue.

Enclosed is the latest re TWA in the KC papers. Also the Headline News on cable emphasized that American West was non-union. Anyway, I am thankful that my retirement pay comes from Equitable though I wonder about the life insurance we had when we retired. Just a letter, no policy. Dorothy Rich is going to check on it. She already checked on the retirement pay from the insurance companies - -that's good for life and has no connection with the Company as it's paid for.

Keep charging and I imagine by the time you receive this you can relax a little.

"73" Parky

Your editor says it is shocking that one man can play so fast and loose with other people's money and property. I think Icon's shenanigans have been in most of the papers around the country so that our members are aware of the picture. How very frustrating it must be for our TWA employees.

KEEP S MILING

IQ test - One of the questions asked a banker, an electrician and a politician was "What term would you use to describe the problem that results when outflow exceeds inflow?"

Banker says - "Overdraft" Electrician says "Overload" Politician says "What problem?"

He was a very cautious man, Who never romped or played.

He never smoked, he never drank, And he never kissed a maid.

And when he up and passed away, His insurance was denied.

For since he hadn't ever lived, They said he never died.

46

June 28, 1990 Chuck Hasler 8 Rustic Way San Rafael, Calif. 94901 Dear A. T ., The 4th day into our Kenya Wildlife Safari, Ruth Milford the wife of retired TWA Capt. Bob Milford, started to feel ill but wanted to continue on our journey. The 5th afternoon we arrived at our lodge, the Sarova Shaba located in the Samburu Shaba Game Reserve. This is a very plush Lodge and had a full time resident physician on duty. Bob took Ruth to the Dr. and she was diagnosed as having a strong reaction to the malaria pills she had taken. She was given several types of medication to take but did not seem to be responding very well. Both Ruth and Bob (with the concurrence of the Dr. elected to continue on with the group. 5 days later we arrived at the Sarova Mara Camp located in Masai Mara Game Reserve ( about 150 miles from Nairobi). By this time Ruth had become very ill with a high fever and asked to go home. We ( Pat, myself, our head Van driver Jackson & staff at our lodge) contacted our Safari Tour Operator (The big 5 Safari Tour Co.) in Nairobi by radio telephone. Within 2 hours after contacting the company Jackson, myself, Bob & Ruth were at a small airstrip about 10 miles from our lodge where a small ambulance plane landed, complete with a stretcher, nurse & of course a pilot. We placed Ruth on the stretcher along side the nurse and Bob climbed in the back seat. They landed in Nairobi 45 min. later where they were met by an ambulance and a representative from Big "5" and she was driven directly to the Nairobi General Hospital. The attending physician immediately called in a tropical disease specialist and blood tests were taken. She was diagnosed as having a very bad and dangerous case of Malaria. She was treated at the Hospital for 5 days and was released as well enough to return home. I have talked by telephone to Ruth several times and just received a letter from her and she is recovering nicely. Enclosed is a picture of the flying Dr. airplane with Bob along side just before takeoff. This service was provided as part of the Safari at no extra cost. The Big "5" did a great job for Ruth & Bob. The owner Jacky Parmar and his wife visited Ruth and brought flowers the next day. Jacky also had his personal physician (and old schoolmate) standing by when they arrived at the hospital. Bob was put up by the Big "5" at the Nairobi Hilton and well taken care of. They arranged to have the Milford's flight to London changed at no extra charge and transported them to the airport and saw them safely on the plane. It pays to deal with a reputable company. Also enclosed is a picture of Bob & Ruth a couple of days before she started feeling ill.

Regards Chuck Hasler 47

CAPT. BOB & RUTH MILFORD 5/26/90 (Before Ruth became ill)

BOB MILFORD standing beside Flying Doctors Ambulance plane just before takeoff with Ruth & Bob for hospital in Nairobi.

6/1/90

48

TARPA TALES John Lattimore says my first trip on the line with TWA was from Natal to Accra on 24 Feb. 1942 flying with Capt. R. L . Brown. This was the first crossing of the first C-54A. I still wonder at what a marvelous machine! Certainly state of the art for its day.

My most interesting flight was on a trip from Newark to Zanesville on 21 March 1948. I had been checked out for some two weeks which was about the same amount of time my First Officer, Sam Luckey, had been on the line.

We were flying down the main line with all good intentions of landing at CVG. Dispatch called with the information on a severe line squall having passed DAY and all agreed we should stop at CMH until it passed. We got past the Newark fan marker (remember enroute fan markers?) a dozen miles or so from CMH and the squall beat us there, there was a nasty looking roll cloud with that greenish color between us and the field. We turned and ran for Zanesville and barely beat the squall there.

There was only time for a hurried deplaning of the passengers and taxi to the only tie-down which unfortunately was tail to the storm. With control lock boards installed and all the station personnel holding on for dear life and two of us in the cockpit holding the controls as firmly as possible, we still lost our elevators, broke the hinges on the right side and completely separated the elevator on the left side.

We spent a relaxing two days sight-seeing in the Zanesville area while the mechanics put the ship back together then test hopped and ferried back to EWR to try it again.

PAUL McNEW WITH A NOW IT CAN BE TOLD STORY In Convair 880 days we were flying direct Goshen to Bradford overflying ORD due to freezing rain. The controller gave us flight level 330 and I asked, "Are you sure that is what you want?" He affirmed. About south of Chicago in between layers at night I heard "You fly right and I'll turn right". Next thing I noticed was a red light passing over our left wing. Had I turned right our wings would have collided. That was during the time when we had an extra pilot riding the jump seat. The EXTRA PILOT was the one who saved two TWA airplanes from disaster.

All the money TWA spent getting our Flight Engineers pilot ratings was saved many times over by that one pilot.

The other flight was a TWA SFO-JFK. The Eastbound flight had been at 370 and had requested 330 to the previous controller. I called Jack Schnaubelt the next day not to fire the controller but to find what caused the problem. After that happened the procedure was changed to announce your altitude to each new controller.

When asked if I have had any serious problems in my career, I say no but have had a few instances of professional concern.

I always admired, when riding jump seat, the guys that could nail the airspeed right on bug but I nearly always gave myself 10 knots extra and a few times it saved my butt.

Taking off HNL to the east and starting a right bank with the 10 kts. pad had severe compressor stall on the right side so bad the airplane and I were shaking so bad I could not read the instruments. Letting the aircraft fly itself since I had the extra speed caught #4 EGT and shut that engine down. Leveling at 400 feet over water I slowly get flaps up as speed came up.

49

TARPA TALES McNew continued; As it spun down the compressor still was stalling and shaking the airplane as if it was stalling even with flaps up and speed over 250. Maybe some of you guys can explain why it is we could always make smooth overweight landings?

A confession. Many of you thought I was conceited and had a superior attitude.

What you did not recognize was an inferiority complex. All of you seemed to have such great capabilities and education beside your good job with the airline. It was always a privilege to fly with you.

And in regards to Paul McNew we condensed the following from a full page of pictures and article about FLIGHTS FOR LIFE, an organization Paul helped start and flies for. It appeared in the Mesa / Tempe / Chandler newspapers.

FLIGHTS FOR LIFE is a Phoenix based group of pilots who deliver blood, body parts and, in some cases, patients. McNew's 4 seater Cessna acts as a cargo plane.

The director with United Blood Services said, "The pilots with FLIGHT FOR LIFE are a very hard-working group of volunteers who love to fly. They are also dedicated to providing a beneficial community service. These guys do a tremendous job for the community and no one has really ever heard of them".

When they began in 1984 there were 68 flights, last year there were 189 trips.

These unheralded and unpaid volunteers are ready to go at any time day or night.

The success of FLIGHTS FOR LIFE is attributed to its cost-efficiency. Flying to pick up blood eliminates excessive overtime for drivers, vehicle wear and tear, fuel usage and on-the-road hazards. The product is a lot less expensive to the patient than it would have been.

McNew is a quiet sort who goes about his job like an assembly line worker.

His flight pattern is deliberate and accurate, a reflection of his 55 years of flying experience. The 71 year old Mesa resident is a retired TWA pilot who began flying at the age of 16 in Indiana.

Pilot Elder, an All-State insurance agent, is president of the organization and says, "We have an accountant, a doctor, insurance agents, computer operators, 'a beautician, tool & dye maker and a computer engineer. We are all dedicated to the community service we are providing".

Expenses fall solely on these volunteers although at times United Blood Services will reimburse the pilot. They have people who love to fly and, while they do it, help out with a cause.

Your editor says we all should be proud of them and thankful and their reward will be in heaven.

Our illustrious former TARPA President, Joe Brown wrote Nancy Pender, owner and manager of Matthews-Whitford Printing Company thanking her for the fine job she and her employees do in printing our TARPA TOPICS. It was appreciated so they framed it and hung it on their lobby wall. I certainly appreciate the fantastic job they do assisting me in lay-out and in reproducing my material.

6 August 1945 - B-29 "Enola Gay" dropped atomic bomb on Hiroshima. 9 August 1945 - Second atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki by B-29 "Bockscar".

Major James H. Doolittle set new world speed record averaging 294 mph over a 3 kilometer course on 10 September 1932. 22 September 1950 - First non-stop flight of Atlantic made by jet aircraft. P-47's escorting B-17's on a raid on Germany set a distance record of over 800 miles on 27 September 1943.

50

TWA DC-3 ASHTRAY AND TWA STRATOLINER The DC-3 is over 50 years old and the Strato-Liner is about 45 years old.

Both are owned by Bill Dixon, President of the TWA Seniors Club.

Bill says, "I had given the DC-3 to my father in the late 30's and the StratoLiner was mine. I don't let anyone use them as "working" ashtrays anymore. I had hoped to hand these down to my son but it wasn't to be,

MIKE 1989 LUCKOVICH-TIMES PICAYUNE

HARRY CLARK Vice-President

51

TRAP & SKEET SHOOTING 1990 HERSHEY CONVENTION BOB SMITH, CHAIRMAN Bob in a preface note says Hi A. T . - Will get this off now so I don't forget it and let you print in August TARPA TOPICS. Getting warm here in Tucson, 98 degrees yesterday, but we had a nice going away luncheon at Russ Derickson's for Jim Froelich who is moving to ABQ next month.

Ed Flynn, Lew Cook, Jack Miller and Charlie Rice also attended. Russ has a nice cool patio and Ulie's meal fantastic.

Have a good year and see you at Colorado Springs in 1991.

AND NOW HIS SHOOTING REPORT Two highlights of this year's trap and skeet shooting were: (1) Bob Michel's high score of 98/100 in winning the high gun trophy and (2) 6 of our 12 shooters who shot with the TARPA group were new shooters. Bob Michel, Walt Stock, Dave Davies, John Callamaro, Ray Bertles and Bob Jarvis joined veterans Russ Derickson, Earl Heinrich, Lloyd Hubbard, John Happy, Bill Kirschner and Bob Smith.

Thanks to the Harrisburg Hunters and Anglers Association and their members including President Larry Plemple and his wife, we had good shooting Sunday and Monday afternoons. The cool and gusty winds made for interesting shooting.

Other winners were: High Trap - Earl Heinrich, winner of a plaque and a cap and High Skeet - co-winners John Happy (cap) and Bob Smith (plaque). Ties next year will be settled by a shoot-off to make it more interesting.

Any of our members who enjoy hunting or target shooting are welcome to join us in September of 1991 in Colorado Springs; scores will not be published to protect the innocent.

52

BUSCH VOIGTS, GEORGE DUVALL, ANDY MCILWRAITH, BOB SPRINGER, ROGER DON RAE AND WIVES AT HERSHEY. Photo by Ed Betts.

TARPA TOUR DIRECTOR CHUCK HASLER SAYS OUR COOK AT CHAMPAGNE BRUNCH OUT IN THE BUSH AFTER OUR BALLOON RIDE. KENYA SAFARI.

SAVE A CONNIE, INC.

.

FRANK D. FITZGIBBON (816) 452-2383

53

P.O. Box 914 4 Riverside, MO. 64168 .

(816) 421 3401

THE BOEING "STRATOLINER" (1935 thru 1940)

by Ed Betts 307 Approximately fifty years ago, on July 8, 1940, TWA introduced the Boeing "Stratoliner" on its transcontinental schedules. The company fleet consisted of only five aircraft which would immediately make aviation history. This was the nation's first 4-engine airliner with cabin pressurization - the first to fly "over the weather" with a luxurious interior and accommodations with a cruising speed in excess of 200 mph. More important was the "Strats" wartime record when they were assigned to the Army's Air Transport Command and flown by TWA crews.

The B307B wasn't the nation's first four-motor transport as Western Air Express introduced the 32-passenger Fokker F-32 (two aircraft) in early 1930. When WAE and TAT- Maddux merged to form T&WA later that year, the two F-32's were part of WAE's ante for their 47 % ownership of the new airline. The F-32's, however, proved to be "turkeys" (very expensive to operate and maintain airworthy) and they were sold in early 1931. The major airlines operated the tri-motor Fokkers and Fords (with a few exceptions, such as the bi-motor Curtiss "Condor") on the passenger flights and single-engine equipment for air mail. United was first to introduce a "modern airliner", the 10-passenger Boeing Model 247, in 1932. This was the same year when TWA was reorganized and Richard Robbins took over as the company president. He was also chairman of a special committee to evaluate and select a "modern airliner" to replace the cumbersome Fords and Fokkers. Others on the committee included Charles Lindbergh, Jack Frye and D. W. "Tommy " Tomlinson.

Tommy was the working member of the committee and was responsible for the specifications and eventual choice of the 2-engine DC-1 (prototype for the production model DC-2). Lindbergh, in the interim pending tests and certification of the plane, convinced North American Aviation to build a tri-motor transport; just in case the DC-1 couldn't fly on one engine. The DC-1 passed all tests and TWA introduced the DC-2 in May 1934. The NAA plane was about 80% completed when the DC-2s were introduced and the project scrapped. The 14-passenger DC-2 proved to be more economical to operate than the B247 and the 21-passenger DC-3 was the utopia for its day (introduced by American in 1936).

There were two other important developments in May of 1934. Once again the Post Office contracted with the airlines to carry the air mail. Since February 19th, the Army Air Corps had been flying the mail with sometimes disastrous results, although this was largely due to a severe winter and inexperienced pilots. The military brass realized how inadequate their flight equipment was, particularly the bombers, when compared to nations in Europe. The two-engine Martin B-10 was the latest produced, and it was already considered obsolete. It was made known to the manufacturers that contracts for new multi-engine bombers would be made the following year. It was up to them to design, build a prototype and fly it to Wright Field (Dayton) in August ]935, for evaluation tests. These were still the depression years and it was a big gamble for the manufacturers as there was no guarantee of a contract and no help from the government with the design and development costs.

Douglas was able to use a modified version of the DC-3 (still under development for American) to produce a two-engine bomber (later dubbed the B-18), at a similar cost of about $]25,000. Boeing took a larger gamble and decided on a fourengine bomber which would incorporate numerous design features of the Model 247 and an experimental XB-15. Boeing's odds against success were increased by the theories of certain Army brass that a 4-engine giant was too complex and overburdened the pilots. Two or three smaller bombers could do the job required at the same cost of one larger one.

54

THE STRATOLINERS The Boeing entry was their Model 299, dubbed the "Flying Fortress", which made its first flight on July 28, 1935. The performance and other data about the new bomber was a top secret, although it was no secret when the plane set a record the following month on the flight from Seattle to Dayton (2,100 miles, nonstop) averaging 252 mph!

The beginning of 1935 had seen numerous changes in TWA's management and owners.

The Lehman Brothers investment firm and John D. Hertz (Yellow Cab) were now the principal stockholders.

Richard Robbins had been forced to resign (per a Post Office edict) and Jack Frye was elected president. Paul Richter was named VP of Operations.

Lindbergh was no longer active with the airline, although his name was still used for publicity purposes ("The Lindbergh Line"). After the DC-2's were introduced, Tommy was 'flying the line' until mid-1935, when Frye appointed him as his Technical Assistant (with an adjoining office at the KC offices).

TWA had orders for the DC-3, with deliveries set in mid-1937, but Frye, Richter and Tomlinson agreed that TWA's future was with a four-engine plane capable of "over the weather". TWA, with Tommy the pilot, would conduct its own research into the unknowns of high altitude flying. This would include engine and aircraft performance, carburetors, fuel, etc. For the balance of 1935 and most of 1936, Tommy was in the air with these tests. First with the DC-I and then the single-engine Northrop "Gamma". One of his recommendations was for certain, the airplane of the future had to be pressurized.

In 1935, five of the major airlines, including TWA, agreed to co-sponsor with Douglas the development of a 4-engine transport (the DC-4E). The original plans called for the cabin to be pressurized but, much to Tommy's disgust, this feature was nixed as too costly and unnecessary or impractical. TWA was still involved with the DC-4E until 1938, when the prototype flew, and proved to be too overweight and underpowered.

In the interim, Tommy through his military connections, had learned of the B299 (it was now dubbed the XB-17 by the Army) tests at Wright Field and he was able to arrange an inspection of the plane and a test flight. However, on October 30, 1935, the plane crashed and killed all on board. The Army test pilots had failed to disengage the elevator gust locks prior to taking off. This crash furthered the skepticism of the brass who believed the plane was too complex.

This was also the "probable cause" for an earlier incident where the Army pilot burned out two engines, the brakes, and stood the plane on its nose after landing.

However, the non-skeptics were impressed with the plane's potential and a total of 95 planes were ordered. The War Department cut this order to 13.

Eventually Tommy got to fly the second XB-17. He gave it a "damn good wringing out" for over an hour and was more than satisfied with the plane's performance.

With a modified cabin, and pressurization, it would put TWA way ahead of its competitors who were involved with the DC-4E. This was his report to Frye and Richter. A meeting was arranged in KC with four Boeing engineers and Sales Representative, Fred Collins. Also in on the meeting were Walt Hamilton and Jack Franklin.

Tommy had prepared TWA's specs, which included an improved landing gear (the B-17 had a stiff gear at the time). N o bounces or ballooning with a 500' per minute sink rate. Boeing agreed to study the specs and return within a few weeks with a firm proposal.

Another party to TWA's specs was Howard Hughes. It isn't known just when Hughes began secretly buying TWA stock as it wasn't made public until early 1939. The

55

THE BOEING STRATOLINER

#1 Boeing craftsmen looking for air leaks during pressurization check of the fuselage. #2 The cabin skeleton before furnishing the interior. It was perfectly round. #3 Flight Engineer's desk and panel. The tall lever behind the copilot's seat was to adjust the amount of cabin pressurization. This was mechanically linked to an outflow valve in the rear of the fuselage. It was a tedious job for the F/E to monitor and constantly make adjustments (the cabin pressure, temperature and circulation of air). #4 The original rudder and vertical fin (the same as used on the B-17). Modifications included an extended dorsal fin.

56

THE STRATOLINERS millionaire aviator bought TWA's DC-1 in 1935, presumably for a record-attempt flight around the world. In 1936 he was a copilot (under an alias) with AmeriFrye told Tomlinson that Hughes would fly in to review the specs. He arcan. rived near the appointed time, barged into Tommy's office looking like a tramp, and introduced himself.

Hughes had a good knowledge of airplanes, and the discussion went smooth with no objections or suggestions. After he departed, Tommy went to Jack's office with his report: "I said, Jack, that S.O.B. is CRAZY, do I have to put up with him? For a minute Jack looked a bit sheepish, and replied ...Tommy, he owns the airline!" There are no accurate records for this period other than ]]% would be the controlling or majority interest.

The second meeting with Boeing produced a contract whereby TWA would purchase 6 aircraft with an option to order an additional 13 (a $1,590,000 order). It was signed on 1/29/37, with deliveries promised in mid-1938. Pan Am also ordered 6.

Pan Am, at the time, already had an order for 6 Model 314 flying boats and made an additional order for 6 Model 314A's. These were the largest production aeroplanes in regular airline service in the world. Concurrent with the production of the B-17 and B307, a new Plant (#2) was built on the west end of the Boeing field for final assembly of these giant aircraft.

Ralph Ellinger was TWA's resident engineer at the plant when construction began in mid-1937 . In September, after delivering a number of DC-3's at Douglas, John E. (Johnny) Guy was transferred to Seattle as an inspector, working with Ralph.

Johnny made an important discovery when he examined a rack full of tubing to be used for wing spars on the 307 (as well as the B-17 and B 314 models). He found minute cracks in the sides of some of the tubes, some so fine they could not be seen without a magnifying glass. This created quite a stir with the Boeing engineers as many of the B-17's were already flying, a number of the 314A's were in final assembly and the wings for others were completed or in the 'jigs'. The production assembly for the B307's had not started. Ralph insisted that Johnny personally inspect and approve every piece of 24SRT tubing to be used in TWA's airframes.

Boeing set up a special bench about 100' long with rubber rollers.

This permitted Johnny to roll the spar cords back and forth (and examine all 4 sides) under a high-powered magnifying glass. He had a special stamp used which identified all tubing that went into a TWA airframe, not only for the spars but also other structural tubing. At least TWA's fleet would start out clean so far as cracks.

Later investigation showed the problem to be stress corrosion cracks caused by cold rolling the tubing to increase the tensile strength of the 24ST material to a new designation of 24SRT. Although the Boeing design was such that these cracks did not present a serious structural flaw (such as on the Martin 202), it could (and did) cause a lot of extra maintenance in later years. Johnny's alertness probably saved the US taxpayers untold thousands of dollars when the B-17 program accelerated.

By the end of WWII, 12,726 B-17's had been produced by various factories at an average cost of $238,329 each (including engines and all accessories).

The largest hurdle for Boeing engineers and craftsmen was to make the fuselage air tight for pressurization. Specifications called for the fuselage structure to be designed for differential operating pressures of 2.5 psi, which was sufficient to maintain a cabin altitude of 8,000' cruising at 16,000 ' , 1 2,0Q0' at 20,000' cruise altitude. The 16,000' cruise altitude was considered the minimum for flights out west to avoid the usual uncomfortable summertime "chop" and to be able to fly around thunderstorms.

57

PILOTS 'M. C .' WILLIAMS and CLARENCE KULP in STRATOLINER COCKPIT

58

THE STRATOLINERS The fuselage was perfectly round at any point so as to equalize the pressure.

It was 3 1/2' wider than the B-17, which gave it a rather bulbous cigar-shape compared to that of the bomber; this increased the wingspan from 103'9" to 107'3".

Boeing designed their own pressure regulator system. Each fuselage, when it was completed, was polished to a mirror-like finish and then tested for air leaks.

The outer skin was covered with soapy water, the cabin pressurized and workmen watched for any bubbles to collect indicating a leak. Structurally, the cabin, windows and doors were designed to withstand 6" of differential pressure.

Throughout the years since TWA stock was available on the various exchanges to the public, starting in 1934 (and ending when Carl Icahn made it private), an independent audit was made as to the company's financial status at the end of each fiscal year. The CPA's report verified the statistics (profits or losses, liabilities and assets, net worth etc.) used in the Annual Report to the stockholders.

In late 1937, Jack Frye decided to have an independent survey made to find out what was wrong (or good) about the company and its operations. The NYC firm of Coverdale & Colpitts (consulting engineers) was hired to make this survey and make their report to Jack. They were given a limited time to interview certain executives or supervisors, inspect all of the various ground facilities (airport, city, hangars, flight operations, etc.) and to fly on any TWA flight they chose. A fellow TWA historian (Ed Peck) sent me a copy of the preliminary 21-page report to Jack Frye, dated 12/30/37. This is a very abridged summary of their conclusions as to why TWA was losing money: During the current year ('37) the industry was losing money because of: (1) The natural seasonal drop in the winter months. (2) The present business recession. (3) The crashes from December of 1936 through 1937. (4) Because of the crashes the airlines were super weather conscious and cancelled too many flights. (5) Railroad competition through improved equipment and service.

TWA's problems are more specific: (1) The authority held by the Vice-Presidents directing the principal divisions is not commensurate with their respective responsibilities. (2) The present plan of administration control requires the approval of the President, he is frequently absent from the home office. (3) There is definite need for a more closer cooperation and coordination between certain departments. (4) There is a lack of constructive thinking and planning on the part of TWA executives (not Flight Operations) toward developing and improving operating policies and practice. In summary they stated; The whole matter of administrative control and coordination of executive and service functions, in their opinion, is subject to improvement. NOTE: Their recommendations approved the B307 order. It was expensive, but represented progress. Jack Frye requested a further investigation by the same company in early 1938.

In June of 1938, three of TWA's Strats were in the final stages of assembly and nearing flight tests and delivery. Two were already painted with TWA's logo and colors on the wings and fuselage. Johnny reported for work at Plant 2 and discovered the paint job had been removed from the two planes. Nobody on duty had an answer as to why, as it was done by the graveyard shift. He called Ralph at the TWA office in Plant 1...Ralph thought he was loco, but after checking with Boeing officials he learned the TWA contract was suddenly cancelled because of default in payments of the monthly invoices due. A phone call to Jack Frye confirmed this. Ralph and Johnny remained at the plant, and Johnny continued his inspection duties; writing up 'squawks' or other items needing attention on the

59

Left to right (the two hostesses unidentified); Richard DeCampo, H. J. "Jack " Zimmerman and Otis Bryan

THE STRATOLINERS planes originally due for TWA. Boeing employees kidded him as he was now doing In early December, Ralph informed him TWA was going to cancel the their work. contract on the 22nd, which was the date specified for delivery, and file suit for damages.

Ralph returned to KC as Chief Engineer (under Tomlinson): Johnny transferred to Douglas to supervise repairs on a DC-3 that bellied in at ABQ. On December 31, 1938, Eddie Allen made the first flight with the Stratoliner, a 42 minute test, and his report was that it "handled beautifully".

By March 1939, it was no longer a secret that Hughes (Tool Co.) was TWA's principal stockholder (46%) and the Lehman Brothers-Hertz group were out. TWA had made a total of $397,000 in payments towards the $1,590,000 due, and filed suit against Boeing for default of contract ($1,000,000 ). Boeing was suing TWA for the entire $1,590,000 and breach of contract. Neither case came to court as TWA ( with the Hughes backing) was again showing interest, and Boeing was desperate to sell the planes.

TWA's System Chief Pilot, Harlan Hull, visited the factory and was an observer aboard a demonstration flight (a Pan Am Strat) for two KLM representatives, on March 18th. According to witnesses on the ground, the plane was trying to recover from a diving spin when the wings and tail fell off. It literally "pancaked" into a forest as there was no forward or side movement when it hit, some small trees had impaled the wings like a spear. All ten men on board were killed.

The pilot, Julius Barr, was an Army cadet classmate of Lex Klotz. It was several months before the "probable cause" was determined by the CAA and Boeing engineers. This set the entire B307 program back almost a year.

It appeared the right outboard wing panel failed first. When the wing failed, the heavy aileron cables held on, and the failed wing went over the top of the fuselage, went aft and tore off the vertical and left section of the horizontal stabilizer.

Parachutes were on board but the gyrations of the plane made this escape impossible. Modifications included extending the inboard flaps to reduce im- buffeting, "letter box" slots were fitted along the outer wing panels which proved lateral stability at slow speeds (prevent outer wing stall at high angles of attack), and adding a dorsal extension forward of the tail which reduced the possibility of yaw conditions. Although Tommy agreed with the modifications, it was his opinion the accident cause was the pilot let the big plane progress too far with a spin (more than half a turn) to recover. The resultant centrifugal force could help tear the plane apart.

TWA's Flight Operations staff had some changes by mid-1939 .

Larry Fritz was VP Operations and Otis Bryan was Chief Pilot. Steve Welch went to BUR as a Flight Superintendent and John Collings took his place as System Supt. of Ops., based at KC. Joe Bartles succeeded Collings as Supt. Eastern Div. (CHI ). Gladys Entrekin was the System Chief Hostess. Walt Hamilton (and Bill Coyle) resigned and went with Douglas, and Bill Maxfield headed Maintenance and Overhaul.

In about August of 1939, TWA, Hughes and Boeing resumed negotiations. A final agreement was made whereby TWA would receive five aircraft and Hughes would buy one.

Pan Am reduced their order to three aircraft. Deliveries were promised in the spring of 1940. Presumably, Hughes intended to equip his plane with extra fuel tanks in an attempt to break his own record for a round-the-world flight.

This was set in July 1938, flying a Lockheed 14, when he (and crew) set the new record time of 3 days and 18 hours. In September, Ellinger and Guy returned to the Boeing factory.

In early 1940, Hughes Tool bought 119,154 shares of TWA stock at $14 per share to make the final purchasing arrangements for the five Strats. Following this

61

Aug 30, 1940 (KC). What might appear to be the NYC 'Rockettes' is a group of hostesses lined up in front of Boeing Stratoliner. All were Registered Nurses, had to be single (and remain single) and pass frequent weight checks. The pay was $110 a month with no flight time limitations. Chief Hostess Gladys Entrekin on the far right.

The white uniform was easily soiled and difficult to keep prepared for the next flight and was soon changed to a light blue.

It is obvious the girls weren't hired by telephone.

THE STRATOLINERS sale, TWA had used up all but 50,000 of the 1,000,000 shares authorized by the Certificate of Incorporation.

The 50,000 remaining had been reserved original for employee purchase. Other TWA orders during the year included fifteen of the latest 24-passenger DC-3s and 111 of the new 1,200hp engines to retrofit all of the older 21-passenger DC-3s and DSTs. Credit arrangements were made with seven banking institutions with $7,500,000 available through December 31, 1944, at a 2 3/4% interest rate.

Although operating costs still exceeded all revenues, TWA's future was looking bright. Passenger load factors, which were typical of the industry, had dropped from 63% in 1936, to 51% in 1937, 45% in 1938. In 1939 it was 50% and in 1940, a raise to 60%. The hiring of new copilots was reflected by these figures; 10 hired in 1937, 17 in 1938, 63 in 1939 and 165 in 1940. At the end of 1939 there were a total of 208 pilots / copilots on the seniority list, at the end of 1940 there were 312...a 50% increase! The Navy Class of 1936 (Pensecola) were well represented by the 1939-1940 hiring as there were 24 men who joined TWA (12 are among our TARPA "Eagles" today and 4 by their wives as Honorary). Although it did not materialize, consideration was given to having all Stratoliner pilots qualified in celestial navigation (a pet project by Pete Redpath). Former Navy pilots had this experience. Copilot pay started at $190 a month, with a $20 a month raise every six months to a maximum of $350 after four years.

Back in the Maddux years of flying the Fords (1927-1929) a mechanic rode along in the copilot seat. His title was "Mate", and he was generally assigned to one airplane. His duties were to make certain the airplane was in perfect condition and ready for flight each day it was scheduled to fly. A number of the "Mates" got enough flying time and experience on the line to later qualify as pilots. A new position (complete with desk, operating controls and panel) was created on the Strats, the Flight Engineer. Back when delivery and service was expected in the summer of 1938, Paul Richter issued a four-page letter to all TWA personnel outlining the qualifications and duties for this position. Al Brick sent a copy which is dated 10/26/37. The expected "tour of duty" might be of interest: the F/E would stay with the airplane from origination to destination (such as NY to LA), be off duty from 24 to 36 hours and then return. After checking with the Foreman or Crew Chief he would off duty from 36 to 48 hours. This would not be a "white collar" job as the men would be expected to accomplish any mechanical work necessary to expedite a flight. Starting pay was expected to be the same as was established for Inspectors.

It wasn't until early 1940, when the F/E training began, with preference given to men from the shops or mechanics with an A&E license. Howard K. Morgan was in charge of training and there was lots of homework! One of the subjects was to be able to send and receive 12 words per minute via Morse Code (a radio key was mounted on the F/E desk). The first group went to the Boeing plant where they received a complete checkout on the aircraft, engines and systems. Those with a May 5, 1940 date as Flight Engineers included (alphabetically, as the first F/E seniority list wasn't published until about 1946): Al Brick, Ray Dunn, Lloyd Hubbard, Frank Parent and Fred Perk. Other early F/E's included Dick Decampo, Ted Vreeland, John Henley, Zig Vincze and Ed Carneal. Starting pay was $200 a month with $25 raises each six months.

Although the TWA, Pan Am and Hughes Strats were very similar, there were enough differences to require separate ATC tests, numbers and certification. From the outside the most noticeable difference was the triangular external wing flap hinges located below the wings on the SA-307B Version (TWA's). The S-307 (for

63

July 6-7, 1940 (ABQ). Crew of Frank Burcham, Virginia Reed, Meredith Gravelle and Melvin 'Mo' Bowen on the last dress rehearsal flight MKC-ABQ-MKC. They were the crew on the inaugural westbound flight (with F/E Frankie Parent) MKC-BUR. Frank wooed and won his wife (Meredith) flying the "Strats" and they were married on August 17, ]940. PS: I asked Meredith how come she is holding Mo's hand? Her answer was "he was a great guy!" (agreed). Congratulations on the Gold Anniversary.

64

THE STRATOLINERS Pan Am) received its ATC certification on March 3, 1940, and TWA's on May 4th.

Deliveries to both airlines began in May. The final cost to TWA was $1,750,000 or $350,000 per plane (three times as much as a DC-3). Pan Am's were referred " to as 'Strato-Clippers' with individual titles such as "Flying Cloud", "Rainbow They began their proving runs from Miami to Mexico, Central and and "Comet".

South America.

Due to the escalating war in Europe, Hughes gave up on his attempt for a round-the-world record and his plane was later converted to a plush "flying penthouse".

Long before the proving runs, publicity and scheduled service began, TWA's Public Relations Department was ballyhooing the new addition to the fleet. Each of the five planes was given an Indian tribal name: Zuni, Apache, Cherokee, Navaho and Comanche. The names were more familiar to TWAers than the fleet numbers and were a personal identification for the decade to follow, including their military service.

Some of the new features as released to the press included: Four miles a minute (246 mph) maximum cruise at 17,3000 ' , average cruise speed of 225 mph and, with 60% power at 10,000', 197 mph. Empty weight was about 30,000 lbs and the maximum gross weight was 45,000 lbs. It had the ability to climb to 20,000' with a full load and an engine inoperative, and could maintain 150 mph at 10,000' with any two engines out. Landing speed, with full flaps, was 70 mph. Maximum range with 1,700 gallons of gas was 2,390 miles. The landing gear (the tailwheel was and flaps were operated by individual direct-connected electric retractable) (motor) drives. The main feature advertised was the "over weather" comfort with a pressurized cabin and the 5 years of research by TWA to make this possible.

In spite of these impressive statistics, TWA and Hughes were already committed to Lockheed with the development of a five mile a minute airplane. The Connie contract was agreed to on July 10, 1939.

The Stratoliner cabin was divided into four compartments on the right hand side and each of these areas had two non-reclining divan-type seats. For daytime or standard seating, each divan could seat 3 passengers comfortably (a foldup armrest separated the individual seating). The center seat was not sold for night flights where berths were available. For sleeping purposes the divan seats were were used for the lower berths. The divan backrest hinged (from the top) to a level position and, with supporting braces, was the base for the upper berth.

Along the left side of the cabin were nine (reclining backs) chairs that made a total passenger capacity of 25 at night or 33 by day. There was a 26" space between the divans or lower berths (not enough if there was somebody snoring). It would not be necessary for crew or airport personnel to pass through the cabin sleeping area as there was a direct pilot's entrance to the cockpit (a hatch in the belly).

The interior was designed by Raymond Loewy, the furnishings were supplied by Marshall Fields of Chicago. In the rear cabin was the "Ladies Charm Room" which had two dressing tables complete with sinks, an expanse of plate glass mirrors and soft (upholstered) stools. The lighting was soft and indirect. There was a separate cubicle for the toilet. The men's lounge was located up front, behind the cockpit door, with two metal sinks (and outlets for an electric razor) and a separate cubicle for the toilet. The galley was a 'U' shape area in the rear cabin, which looked huge on a diagram, but didn't allow much space for the two hostesses (all were registered RNs in those days) to maneuver. The "first" hostess, the most senior, was the 'official greeter'. Other features promoted was the latest in cabin sound-proofing and engine mounts which reduced the vibration throughout the cabin.

65

Upper and lower berths made up

The Galley: not too much headroom or legroom

The table could be used for cards or meal service (four passengers).

66

THE STRATOLINERS Prior to delivery, Tommy made the acceptance tests with Eddie Allen. One was to demonstrate a landing with a 500' per minute sink rate. Lloyd Hubbard was along and verified how they hit hard! Tommy added how, over his objections, Allen insisted upon a 800' sink rate. It did prove, however, the landing gear assembly was rugged and could "take it" under unusual circumstances. Another of Tommy's objections was not corrected; the amount of carburetor heat available under all conditions of temperature, humidity, moisture and altitude. Boeing engineers had cut down on the amount of heat available (about 100 degrees less than what was available on the DC-3s) because pilots tended to use too much heat. Boeing blamed this excess heat for engine detonation and an excess of engine changes.

Three aircraft were accepted and delivered in May and two in June. Boeing crews flew the planes to Swan Island (Portland), Oregon, where TWA crews took over (I guess it was for tax reasons, similar to TWA accepting California-built planes in Las Vegas, Nev.). Tommy told about his last flight with Eddie Allen: he had a TWA check for the airplane and, after landing at Portland, the two men went to a local bank to deposit same and verify it was good.

TWA immediately began a series of publicity flights along with the usual proving runs required by the CAA. Otis Bryan had delivered one of the first planes to KC and was informed by Jack Frye there would be a special local flight with a load of dignitaries the next day. Otis griped, but agreed, and the flight was set up. Sometime after they were in the air, and the pressurization system was engaged, there was a loud banging on the cockpit door by one of the hostesses.

The temperature in the cabin was unbearable! This was the first clue that, with hot and humid outside air conditions, there was insufficient cooling for the compressed air to the cabin (it worked fine in the Seattle area). The TWA engineering staff went to work on a new design for the aftercooler.

Howard Hall was pilot on one publicity flight out of SFO, with Alton Parker the copilot. They were luncheon guests with the local Chamber of Commerce. However, the audience was more interested in hearing Alton talk about his trips to the North and South Poles with Admiral Byrd than the merits of the Stratoliner.

Ted Hereford told of a special flight Jack Frye and Paul Richter were piloting out west. They were on the ground at ABQ where a huge crowd was admiring the plane, and were about to depart on the next leg to Winslow. Ted was on a DC-3 trip due to depart shortly after, also going to INW...and was at the bottom of the steps to wish the two executives 'bon voyage'. The Strat departed, followed by the DC-3. At 18,000' cruise the Strat ran into strong headwinds, at 8,000' the DC-3 had little wind and slowly overtook the faster (true airspeed) plane.

Ted feigned radio troubles and his position was unknown to the other flight... until after they too had landed at INW, deplaned and noticed Ted standing there with a wide grin. Jack and Paul said "Hello Ted", walked about 20', stopped, turned around and exclaimed: "How in the hell did you get here?".

Al Brick enclosed a memorandum on one of the proving runs issued by Otis Bryan which listed the crew, passengers and intended flight plan. This was Flight B of May 13th. Otis was pilot with Jack Zimmerman the F/0 and 'Doc' Mesker the Relief F/0.

Fred Pirk was F/E with assistants Al Brick and Lloyd Hubbard. The cabin crew was Esther Benefiel, the Hostess in charge, with assistants M. Clark and Frances Ice. The passengers consisted of 5 CAA observers, one from Wright Aeronautical, 4 from TWA (including Lew Goss and George Koch) and Dick Rouzie (B307 Project Engineer from Boeing). The departure was from the Burbank Union Air Terminal to KC via the southern alternate route with stops at Palmdale, Riverside, Palm Springs, Phoenix, El Paso and Fort Worth.

67

Artist painting of Stratoliner cabin for publicity-type booklet. Walls / ceiling a beige color with light brown drapes and window curtains. Blue seats with white stars (other color photos show brown or green seat / divan upholstery). Oak wood paneling separating the four 6-passenger (day seating) compartments.

Carpeting a light rose or rose. The lower berth was 30" wide by 6'9" length with 30" of headroom. The upper berth was 30" wide by 6'4" in length with 42k" headroom. It was advertised that it took less than five minutes to convert one compartment from the six-seat configuration to four berths.

THE STRATOLINERS Apparently the plane was weight restricted for the short runway at BUR as the Palmdale stop was for an additional 500 gallons of fuel. They weighed 42,000 pounds out of BUR, 45,000 out of PMD. Their next stop was at the Army's March Field (Riverside) where Jim Philpott happened to be 'Officer of the Day' (this was a duty, not an award). Jim hosted the crew at the Officer's Club for lunch and mentioned he was interested in an airline job...he was hired, and reported for work on July 22.

On May 17th, on a westbound proving run, Otis was again pilot with Fred Richardson the F/O, Dick DeCampo and Lloyd Hubbard were alternating as F/Es, and hostesses Ida Staggers and Benefiel in the cabin. There had been a mechanical delay at KC, so Otis was trying to make up time by flying a direct route to ABQ instead of the usual dog-leg route over AMA. They were cruising 16,000', nearing the foothills of the Rockies when they entered a solid overcast. Carburetor heat was applied, but after about a minute or so in the clouds, one engine quit (carburetor ice). Otis made a 180 degree turn to get back to clear air when two other engines quit. None of the DC-3-type methods worked to clear the ice, such as working the throttle back and forth, trying to backfire by leaning them out, etc., and they were in the clouds gliding towards what was probably mountainous Fortunately there was a break in the overcast and about 600' from the terrain. ground a clearing was spotted. The gear had been lowered, then retracted, and was in the process of lowering again when they made a belly landing. During the landing the lower cargo door broke open and was scooping up dirt. This acted as a brake as they stopped within a 600 ' distance...just short of a deep ravine.

There were no injuries, although one of the CAA inspectors pushed hostess Benefiel out of the main door, then jumped and landed on top of her, injuring her back. They had landed between the towns of Pritchett and Kim, about 40 miles south of LaMar, Col. Decampo and Koch started out in the direction of Kim and it was 9 hours later (3am) before they located it and spent the night. The town of Pritchett had sent out a rescue party during this time and the remainder of the crew and passengers (Hubbard stayed with the plane) spent the night there.

TWA maintenance crews were able to jack the plane up, lower the gear, install new propellers and other necessary repairs to ferry the plane (gear down) back to KC. On June 8th the plane was ready. Arlie Nixon piloted the single-engine from KC to Pritchett with Bryan, Ned Stinson SR1O (TWA's instrument trainer) MacKrille and Hubbard. Arlie had a problem on the return flight (solo) with the Stinson as he ran out gas and had to make a "dead stick" landing short of KC. According to Ned, they planned a departure using the longest cross section of the field, which was about 900'. They walked the proposed area checking for any rocks or ditches which might be a problem. The field was in pretty good condition, the weather was clear and Otis had a minimum fuel load for the trip. He taxied near the departure area, the runup checks made, and made a rolling start to the end of the 'runway' and then as they were lined up he "poured the coal to it" for the 3 hr 2 min flight to KC. Adding to the suspense was they had no airspeed indication as the pitot tubes were damaged in the belly landing. The plane (#400) was out of service for several months for the rest of the repairs.

The incident proved Tommy ' s complaint about the inadequate carburetor heat. A new system was designed by TWA's engineers which took the heat from the engine exhaust manifold instead of from around the lower cylinders. NOTE: I happen to have Tommy ' s logbooks on hand and can quote the numerous test flights to check

69

ARTIST CUTAWAY VIEW OF STRATOLINER CABIN (LEFT TO RIGHT): MEN'S LOUNGE. CURTAIN DRAWN (DO NOT DISTURB) #1 COMPARTMENT. BERTHS MADE UP #2 COMPARTMENT. #3 AND #4 COMPARTMENTS DAYTIME SEATING. REAR IS LADY'S CHARM ROOM AND THE GALLEY. LEFT SIDE OF CABIN ARE NINE RECLINING SEATS. DAYTIME SEATING CAPACITY WAS 33 SEATS. NIGHTIME, IF ALL BERTHS OCCUPIED, WAS 25 TOTAL PASSENGERS.

THE STRATOLINERS on the new system. 5/22 with Mesker and Kline, 5/22 with John Harlin and Frank Parent, Other flights on 5/24 and 5/25 with John Collings and Ray Dunn. Again on 6/1 with Bryan and Dunn, another on 6/6 with Bryan looking for ice. These were all icing problems. Other tests included propellers, a new fuel injector, intercooler (pressurization), oil temperature regulator, vibration, Stromberg carburetor, cabin heating and ventilating systems.

Jim Young was working in the shops when #400 was undergoing repairs and modifications and told how work was done on the heat muffs and several other systems, especially the hot water heating system.

On May 26, Plane #402 was flown to Bolling Field (Wash. D.C .) for an elaborate christening ceremony. On the 27th, Board Chairman T. B . Wilson dedicated the TWA fleet of five planes and hosted dignitaries for tours of the plane. It was on display for three days and over 100,000 guests viewed and admired the plane's size and interior. On the return to KC, Collings, Tomlinson and Dunn made all of the stops: PHL, HAR, PIT, CMH, DAY, IND and SDF. At each station a 20 minute scenic hop was made with invited guests. Between June 11-19, Ned MacKrille was with Otis on six cross country flights (more proving runs) with plane #401. On the last day, at CHI, they made four courtesy hops before returning to KC. Bill Townsend spent one Sunday (a hot day) with John Collings flying 10 local scenic tours. Another flight, with Otis Bryan, they took 30 "Conquistadores" (a group of Jack Frye's influential friends) complete with their saddles, bags, western gear and cases of liquid refreshments to one of their outings at Raton, NM. The "airport" was a sod (dirt) field. Al Brick was on 2 trips to Raton with groups from Hughes Tool Co, of Houston. One night they experienced a loud bang (and it was dark in the cockpit) when a fuming battery blew its box cover off.

The full dress rehearsal flights began on June 23rd. Frank Burcham told how he received 1:45 familiarization in the Strat with 'Mo' Bowen in late June. He was copilot with 'Mo' (Frank Parent the F/E) on July 6th, on Flight 7B (a rehearsal flight) to ABQ and returned the next day on 8B. Pan Am got the jump on TWA (as they did with the 049 Connies in 1946) when they inaugurated Stratoliner service on July 4, 1940. TWA chose to begin service on July 8, which happened to coincide with the day (in 1929) TAT inaugurated the air portion of their 48-hour coast-to-coast service (train by night). The following is copied from the July 1940 timetable (with modern station codes): Eastbound FLT 8 Lv BUR 06:OOpm Ar ABQ 10:28pm Lv ABQ 10:43pm Ar MKC 03:29am Lv MKC 03:44am Ar CHI 05:52am Lv CHI 06:07am Ar LGA 10:40am

Westbound FLT 7 Lv LGA 08:30pm Ar CHI 11:40am Lv CHI 11:55pm Ar MKC 02:15am Lv MKC 02:25am Ar ABQ 05:46am Lv ABQ 06:01am Ar BUR 08:38am

FLIGHT 40 MKC 09:30am CHI 11:38am CHI 12:05pm LGA 04:38pm

FLIGHT 45 Lv O1:00am LGA Ar CHI 05:50am Lv CHI 05:15am Ar MKC 07:35am

FLIGHT 42 Lv CHI 05:05pm Ar LGA 09:38pm

FLIGHT 4] Lv LGA 12:05pm Ar CHI 03:15pm

Lv Ar Lv Ar

The total elapse time of 13:40 east and 15:38 west on the BUR-LGA flights were about two hours faster than American or United (Western between BUR-SLC) DC-3 flights.

It will be noted that all flights operated between NYC and CHI, which was then the most important market. The fare was $44.95 ($80.90 rt) and a berth cost $5.60.

71

THE STRATOLINERS Another note on the fares. Today it takes a computer, and a computer expert, to quote the fare from NYC to LAX. It depends on the season or day you travel, the time of day the flight departs (and returns), the class of seating (and frills) and variables such as your age and other discounts (such as group rates). From 1932 through 1936, the fare on any airline was $160, with a 10% discount for a round trip. An extra service charged for a berth on a DST (Sleeper) varied from $1.50 to $8.00 (the length of trip). In 1937, the fare was reduced to $149.95 ($269.90 rt); the same surcharges for a berth."Regulation" took effect in 1938 when the CAB was formed, but the fares remained the same until the end of WWII. All frills and discounts were dropped for the duration and a 10% transportation tax was imposed. During its brief tenure prior to WWII, TWA charged an extra $19.95 for a berth and $8 for a seat on the Stratoliners on a LA-NYC trip.

The "jumbo" of its day attracted most of the senior pilots, although there was not too much increase in pay over the DC-3. Since the days of "Decision 83", in 1934, pilot pay was a base pay according to years of service ($1,600 a year to $3,000 after 8 years) plus hourly flight pay.

Night pay (6pm to 6am) paid an extra 50% and the rate depended upon an average speed bracket during the month.

The bracket between 140 and 155 mph paid $4.40 an hour (day), 155 to 175 paid $4.60 and 175 to 200 paid $4.80. However, on 8/1/39, the TWA pilots negotiated their first contract with TWA. Jimmy Roe was the MEC Chairman, and headed the negotiating committee which included: Milo Campbell, Dan Medler and Frank Busch (the copilot rep). There was no raise for the DC-3 pilots (the usual protests that they were "sold down the river"), but it created a 200+ speed bracket that paid $5.00 an hour. If an 8-year Stratoliner pilot was in the 200+ mph bracket and had an 85 hour (1/2 day, 1/2 night) month, this computes to a monthly salary of $937.50, Domicile Chief Pilots, according to Phares McFerren (Regional Chief Pilot at CHI 1939-1944), were paid $800 a month.

The scheduled Stratoliner flying time called for about 20 bid captains on an 85 hour month formula, plus reserve pilots. In addition there were about 20 supervisor pilots checked out. The pilots usually chose their copilot for the month.

The KC-based pilots flew to ABQ and return, the BUR-based pilots to ABQ and return. The KC-based F/Es went all the way to BUR and, after a layover, returned.

The inaugural flights drew a huge crowd of onlookers and press as there were a number of famous Hollywood personalities among the passengers. Among those on the eastbound flight were: Tyrone Power, Brenda Joyce, Nancy Kelly and Paulette Goddard.

"Swede" Golien, George Rice, Bob Babson and Ray Dunn were the cockpit crew. According to Bob, Paulette got a little "lap time" when she visited the cockpit and sat on George's lap. I don't know the other crew members other than Jack Zimmerman was pilot from MKC to LGA. Otis Bryan was pilot on the westbound LGA to MKC, where Mo Bowen, Frank Burcham and Frankie Parent took over. On the inaugurals (only) the usual stops at CHI and ABQ were omitted. As a result the elapsed times of 12 hr 13 min east and 14 hr 9 min west set new commercial records which would last until the Connies were introduced in 1946. According to 'Mo', the flight from KC to BUR took 7 hrs 58 min flying at 18,000, Ray Dunn logged 6 hrs 4 min on the eastbound flight BUR-MKC. Passengers aboard the Strats were given a scroll (signed by them into the "Stratoliner Club", signifying they had flown proximately 31/2miles (the crews referred to it as the 31/2 to the exclusive "Mile High Club"...you try to explain that

Jack Frye) honoring at altitudes of apMile Club, a successor one).

On December 1, 1940, PHL and PIT were added as stops on Flight 45 (only). Passengers occupying berths were allowed to board an hour early at LGA. Other than a few changes in departure and arrival times, there were no other major changes with the Stratoliner schedules until they were turned over to the Army in 1942.

72

THE STRATOLINERS The Strats were an immediate success, both on the NY-CHI and the NY-LA markets.

The latter was very popular with the members of the entertainment industry commuting between appearances on Broadway or the movies in Hollywood. TWA's public relations department capitalized on this added publicity. They were also quick to point out some fast times such as, on 9/26/40, Dick Hansen had a lulu of a tailwind and averaged 387 mph cruising between DAY and CMH at 17,000'.

There were some initial engine problems besides the carburetor heat. There were occasional valve, piston and cylinder failures. One night on Flt 8 Al Brick had a section of cowling on #1 engine blow off and expose several cylinder heads.

The electrically-operated main gears had a manual crank system as a backup that was operated from the lower accessory compartment. A similar arrangement was in the tail for operating the tail wheel. The access was through a small removable panel located on the wall of the ladies toilet. Although it wasn't an emergency (at the time) "Lewie" Proctor created a problem one night on a return trip from LGA with Stan Stanton. They were bringing home a gunny sack full of oysters and the logical storage space was in the tail section which was cool and out of the way. Going into CHI the tail wheel wouldn't extend; Stan said "oh oh", as Lewie took the crank and headed aft (a hostess made certain the "Charm Room" was unoccupied). The sack was tangled with the gear mechanism and rubber protective boot and it was necessary to cut the obstruction free...the oysters were strewn to the winds and the wheel went down. Stan's remark upon Lewie's return was how surprised some Illinois farmers were going to be the next day with the unusual find. Upon return to KC the foreman was informed that the boot had to replaced, and why. He grinned and said he would take care of the "squawk".

The making up or tearing down the berths was a "bearcat", especially the upper one for a short hostess (without stepping on the lower berth). The taller male crew members usually had to assist. This turned out to be a boon for a tall man such as Frank Burcham. Hostess Meredith Gravelle decided that a copilot with this bed-making ability might be handy to have around the house in future years and finally accepted one of his frequent proposals of marriage. They married on August 1 7 , 1940. Hostess Dotty Burgmiller went through all of the Strat training but, before she got to fly a trip on the plane, she married C/P Joe Carr.

There weren't any cockpit crews for the Strats based at CHI although Phares McFerren kept very busy giving instrument or line checks and test flights following an engine change (and there were many). "Mac" told about his checking out: 3:03 transition with Mo Bowen, 2:30 with "Doc" Mesker, 1:20 night landings with "Swede" Golien, 1:10 rating ride with Inspector Jensen, then two line checks by Jack Zimmerman and a final ride with Mesker. It was a lot more complicated than the days when the DC-2 was introduced (an hour or so of landings).

TWA had its best year ever in 1940 with a 50% increase over 1939 with the number of passengers carried, a 67% increase with express and 46% with mail. total operating costs ($11,596,000) still exceeded operating revenues ($11,572,000) for a net loss of $24,000. A great deal of the expenses for the year were due to the introduction of the Strats with the non-revenue flying and the costs of the publicity campaign with the press.

The next chapter on the Stratoliners will deal with its experiences during WWII and will be combined with TWA's wartime Intercontinental Division (ICD) story.

TO BE CONTINUED

74

M Y TURN

A Fed-Up Pilot Speaks Out

BY PAT BRODERICK n March 4 of last year I joined 3,000 of my fellow professional pilots at Eastern Air Lines and went out on strike. I believe I'm a typical mainstream American who dislikes unions. I'm opposed to strikes. No one wins, everyone loses in a damaging job action against a company. I've always been convinced that reasonable people could find a mutually agreeable resolution to any problem. Then what was I, a well-educated, licensed, professional airline pilot, doing on March 5, out on strike against Eastern? What was I doing out walking a picket line, wearing a stupid sign that read,

O

MILLIONS FOR LORENZO, ZERO FOR EASTERN!

My friends didn't understand. My creditors certainly didn't. The federal government, the justice system, the Department of Transporta tion and the FAA seemed to join hands against us. The press never took the time to find out what the bitter dispute was about, and the flying public was annoyed with us because they had to find an alternate way to travel. One enraged individual grabbed me as I walked the picket line and screamed in my face, "Go get a job, you bum!" He did not know I was already working two part-time jobs to keep food on the table.

Apparently everyone assumed the strike was over higher wages and let it go at that. Nothing could be further from the truth. The strike was not over more money. In fact, the pilots of Eastern had given back to the company money and benefits in 11 of our last 13 contracts. Each concession was made in the hope of shoring up the profitability of the corporation.

Only my family, bless them, seemed to understand. They had watched my frustration, anger and dismay grow over the last several years as I struggled to meet what I considered to be my responsibility to the passengers who flew with me. They suffered the fallout from my discouragement as I fought a corporate mentality more obsessed with selling off parts of our company and creating employee dissension than running an airline.

I fought with supervisors over generators, altimeters, parts missing, parts broken, inaccurate weights and improper dispatches. I could not understand why they did not seem as concerned about the welfare of the 200 men, women and children in that Boeing 727 as I was. I embraced the Air Line Pilots Association as the only group that appeared committed to defending an individual pilot's right to insist that everything be working properly before he "slipped the surly bonds of earth," and I joined with fellow Eastern pilots equally concerned about what was happening to our airline.

We joined the ranks of hundreds of employees around

the country. Dedicated, sincere workers at R. J . Reynolds, Bloomingdale's, Rich's, West Point-Pepperell and dozens of other businesses with workers who had devoted years to building their company. Workers who were caught in the machinations of financial wheeler-dealers with no interest in their future or that of their company. Manipulators intent on lining their pockets without thought for the product, the consumer or the laborer.

We chose to join our mechanics and flight attendants in a sympathy strike we hoped would force someone to look at the situation and realize that capitalism can run amok.

That even free enterprise must act responsibly, and that government must maintain some degree of oversight to prevent self-destructive excesses within the system.

'Beyond the obvious': If we walked out in sympathy with the mechanics, we reasoned, someone in authority would recognize the seriousness of the situation. Surely someone in the government or the court system would say, "Wait a minute. These pilots are jeopardizing well-paying jobs and a profession they love for reasons that go beyond the obvious. They are willing to stand up for their belief that the American air-transportation system is not a grocery store, not an auto dealership, not a publisher. It's a system that can kill people! It's a system that requires sincere, conscientious, capable businessmen running it. It 's a system that should not tolerate financial manipulation, acrimony, public-relations dishonesty and internecine warfare. What is going on here is not in the best interests of the traveling public."

Such a hope was naive.

We could not get our message across. With every effort stymied by the bankruptcy court, and with the possibility of an investigation into the situation vetoed by the president, the sympathy strike was ended.

At 52, physically fit and able, with close to 30,000 flight hours in Navy fighters and commercial jets, my career appears over. Texas Air Corp. has not allowed a single one of the sympathy-striking pilots back on the property since Nov. 22, 1989. Frank Lorenzo tells those who rushed in to take our jobs that we will never be back. Our punishment for challenging a vindictive management is severe. Our commitment to provide safe, quality air transportation means nothing. Our years spent building flight time and experience mean nothing. One cannot transport such experience, invaluable though it may be during an emergency, laterally to another airline. In our system a pilot starts over at the bottom of the seniority list as an engineer and moves up by virtue of his or her seniority number. Experience, ability, skill have nothing to do with it. We join the thousands across our country today who have been caught in restructurings, leveraged buyouts, bankruptcies, selloffs and mountains of debt.

This development of the laissez-faire system has not produced better products, greater companies, more efficient services or more wealth for anyone other than those few who have learned how to manipulate it without being bothered by their conscience. I do not regret having fought to save my company and improve the quality of its service. I do regret that no one seemed to give a damn.

Deregulation has not produced greater companies or better service

8 NEWSWEEK : APRIL 23, 1990

75

A 22 year veteran Eastern pilot, Broderick, now a stockbroker with Dean Witter Reynolds Inc., lives in Atlanta , Ga.

CURTISS

"

CONDOR"

NEW METHOD FOR CHECKING ALTIMETER ...This

is a true story. It happened just after take off from Daytona in an Eastern Air Transport T-32 Curtiss Condor in 1933. The Captain was Ervie Ballough, a real character, and the co-pilot was Buck Hudgins.

It went something like this: Co-pilot Hudgins Captain Ballough, why are you touching the wheels on the ocean? Captain Ballough, Buck, I just want to set the altimeter accurately to sea level. Submitted

by An Furchgott, 6901 SW 96th St., Miami, Fl., 33156.

Politicians follow a simple rule. If there's no proof, deny it. And if proof turns up, deny you denied it. * * * * * * Bunker: A depression filled with sand. The original bunkers in Scotland were holes that protected sheep against strong winds. Golfers know that Hitler wasn't the first guy to get killed in one. * * * * * * Father to teenage daughter, "I want you home by 11 o'clock". "But, Daddy, I am no longer a child". "I know. That's why I want you home by 11".

76

TWA ... 1990 (TWA'S FIRST YEAR of OPERATIONS)

by Ed Betts One of the most familiar set of initials in commercial aviation are the capital block and colored red letters TWA. Probably the first time this officially came about was on July 15, 1930, when the original Memorandum of Agreement was signed by Daniel M. Sheaffer, who represented the interests of Transcontinental Air Transport - Maddux (TAT-M), and Harris M. "Pop" Hanshue, who represented Western Air Express Inc. (WAE ). This was during the preliminary negotiations with regard to the two companies possibly combining their interests (certain air routes and other assets) to form a new airline. It wasn't exactly a merger as the two air lines would now be a holding or parent company, each owning equal shares of the offspring. It was termed a "shotgun marriage" at the time. The first few paragraphs are similar to a birth certificate (name of newborn, parents, size and where it takes place) and read as follows:

This memorandum continued with a complete inventory of every tangible asset the two parties intended to transfer to the "New Company", tentatively referred to as TWA, as their share of the "ante". Included were properties owned or leased, improvements, buildings (terminals, hangars, garages, offices), air and ground equipment, airway and airport lighting plus any other object that is used by an airline. The tentative totals, which were subject to appreciation, depreciation and further audit read: TAT; $2,461,437.23 less land and improvements at Dodge City, Las Vegas (NM), Gallup and parts of Clovis (total deduction $428,570.86) for a net $2,032,866.37. Maddux deducted $90,000 for property at Monterey for a net $832,757.29. WAE added $209,785.36 appreciation for their Alhambra Airport and facilities and netted $2,258,752.14. The combined TAT-Maddux-WAE total was $5,224,376.80.

Instead of a cash investment, T&WA was to receive one half interest in PAIC's PIT-Butler Airport (total $500,777) and free use of their facilities at Harrisburg.

About the only item which all concerned agreed on was that the name of the "New Company" would be T&WA. Aircraft would be depreciated over a two year period to ] 0% of original value minimum and engines over 1,500 hours of use. About everything else was to be the subject of much controversy and debate for over a year to follow. T&WA had anything but a harmonious beginning when it was officially incorporated on July 17, 1930. The new company outline was on paper pending the award of an air mail contract...without this, there would be no T&WA (or TWA).

77

T&WA'S FIRST YEAR of OPERATIONS This was just three months after President Hoover had signed the McNary-Watrus Bill on April 29, 1930, which was the latest amendment to the famous Kelly Bill of 1925, that paved the way for commercial carriers to carry the air mail under contract with the Post Office Department. The latest bill spelled out a new pay scale arrangement which replaced the former pounds-per-mile method with a space per mile: one cubic foot of space equalled nine pounds of mail to be paid at a maximum of $1.25 per pound. The intent of this change was to encourage larger and more productive aircraft which would include passengers and express, a form of subsidy to the struggling airlines of that period. It also stipulated that to qualify for a contract, a bidder had to have owned and operated on a fixed and daily schedule over a minimum distance of 250 miles and for a period of six months or more. There were other causes (not written, but applicable) for rejecting a bid such as no experience in night flying, insufficient capital, etc.

These stipulations gave the Postmaster General, Walter Folger Brown, almost unlimited powers as to who was, or was not, qualified to bid on new routes under consideration at the time. There was one established transcontinental route between NYC and SF, with numerous "feeders" to this "main line". Brown announced there would be a "central route" connecting NYC direct to the LA area, plus a "southern route" between the two cities. He also made his intentions clear that there would be only one bid accepted for the entire central route rather than a series of segments or pieces of same. Two of TWA's predecessor airlines, TAT-M and WAE, were favored by Brown to get together and make one joint bid on this proposed new air mail route. Both airlines had hoped for all, or part of, this contract on their own but reluctantly agreed to his initial proposal. WAE was, bat the time, also a contender for the "southern route" or part of same.

As a recap of the company backgrounds: WAE was formed in 1925 to bid on a feeder route to the 'main line' from LA to Salt Lake City by way of Las Vegas. They began operations on April 1 7 , 1926, which is the date TWA uses for its birthday or anniversary.

Later that year passengers were accepted, subject to space, in the open-cockpit single-motor mail planes. In 1928, they inaugurated passenger service LA to SFO on their "Model Airway" using tri-motor Fokker F-1OAs . This was in cooperation with (and a $180,000 loan) the Daniel Guggenheim Foundation.

Other expansions or acquisitions included a flight to San Diego and Tia Juana, a short shuttle to Catalina Island using amphibian aircraft, an air mail route from Cheyenne to Pueblo via DEN and COS, West Coast Air Transport operating a passenger run from Seattle to SF with intermediate stops. In mid-]929, WAE entered the fly by day / train by night transcontinental service by flying to LA to KC with stops at Kingman, Holbrook, ABQ, AMA and ICT. Train connections to the east were made at KC. Although operations had moved to WAE's new Alhambra Field (just to the east of downtown LA) in 1928, the official dedication ceremony was held on 4/17/30 (also Western's anniversary date) along with the introduction of the giant 4-motor 32-passenger Fokker F-32 on the run to SF (OAK and then by ferry across the bay to SF).

Jack Frye, Paul Richter and Walt Hamilton were among the founders of Aero Corporation of California which was incorporated in February 1926. The company had numerous aviation-oriented activities such as a flying school, aircraft sales, maintenance, tie down or hangar rental, etc. In late 1927 they formed a subsidiary company, Standard Airlines, flying LA to PHX and TUC. This was later extended to El Paso where connections were made with Southwest Air Fast Express (SAFE) to MKC or STL and then by trains to the east. Although WAE and Aero Corp were closely associated (Hanshue on the Board of Directors) for over a year, a final merger agreement (sale to WAE) was not completed until May of 1930. WAE

78

T&WA'S FIRST YEAR of OPERATIONS now flew Standard's former route and extended it to Dallas. Also in WAE's route structure at the time was an extension from AMA to OKC and TUL, and another between AMA and Dallas. Jack Frye was Operations VP, Richter his assistant and Hamilton was in charge of maintenance and overhaul.

Jack Maddux organized his Maddux Airlines with just one Ford tri-motor and began a 3-times-a-week schedule between LA (Rogers Field) and San Diego (Dutch Flats) in September ]927. Larry Fritz and Eddie Bellande were the pilots. With additional Fords it became a daily schedule plus an extension to Agua Caliente.

Maddux also flew north to Alameda (then by ferry to SF) by way of Bakersfield and Fresno, plus a spur route from Alameda to Monterey. In January 1929, Maddux was re-organized and re-financed, which was the same time D. W. "Tonmy " Tomlinson joined the company as Operations VP, and the move was made from Rogers Field to the new Grand Central Air Terminal at Glendale.

Clement C. Keys headed a group of NYC investors who organized Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT) in May 1928, with a capital outlay of $5,000,000. Keys was Chairman of the Board, Daniel M. Sheaffer was Chairman of the Executive Committee and Charles Lindbergh the Technical Committee. Sheaffer was also the Chief of Transportation for the Penn Railroad, a large stockholder in TAT. It wasn't until July 1929, after a year of construction of airports, facilities and their own system of communications, airway lighting and meteorology (observations and forecasts) that TAT inaugurated its 48-hour coast-to-coast service. This was by flying TAT Fords by day and train by night (between NYC and CMH, and Waynoka to From its beginning, TAT lost money on this venture. TAT was closely Clovis). associated with Maddux (both used the Glendale Airport) and they merged in November 1929. Maddux was the company president, Tomlinson Manager of the Western Region and S. D. "Steve " Welsh was Manager of the Eastern Region, based at CMH. George R. Hann lead a local civic group that formed Pittsburgh Aviation Industries Inc.(PAIC) in December 1928. This was to promote aviation in the State of Pennsylvania, particularly at Pittsburgh. Hann was president of the parent corporation which had seven aviation-oriented subsidiary companies. Richard W. Robbins was president of the PIT-Air Transport Corp., and represented their interests with the T&WA negotiations. PAIC did not own an operating airline at the time, although they were soon to take over Clifford Ball's air mail route between PIT and CLE (the beginning of Pennsylvania AL). PAIC's main asset was their PIT-Butler Airport located north of the city which was formally opened in September 1929. PAIC was making a claim to be a 13% partner in the proposed new company based on its "pioneering rights" in the State of Pennsylvania.

The PM General held a series of meetings at his office between May ]5 and June 9, 1930, with various airline representatives. The "uninvited" termed this the "Spoils Conference", as Brown and the representatives made plans for a sweeping new air mail route structure. On May 19th, TAT-M (Sheaffer), WAE (Hanshue) and PAIC (Robbins) met with Brown to plan the central route. Brown used his Czarlike powers to dictate the terms: PAIC would own 5% of T&WA instead of 13% and WAE would sell their LA-El Paso (former Standard AL) route to American Airways.

These were just a part of his stipulations. Bids were to be submitted by August 25, and the results announced on September 30. T&WA was not the lowest bidder, but was the successful bidder on CAM#34, a route which now included: NYC (EWR)PHL-HAR-PIT-CMH-IND-STL-MKC-ICT-AMA-ABQ-INW-LA, plus a spur route from STL to AMA via Springfield, TUL and OKC. This route, including the spur, was for mail, passengers and express.

T&WA continued to fly, with passengers only, the LA-SF run (nonstop), but dropped the schedules to San Diego and Agua Caliente.

79

T&WA'S FIRST YEAR of OPERATIONS T&WA's fleet was a mixture of Fords and Fokker aircraft plus three Stearman biplanes.

By way of WAE there were two F-32s, 8 F-1OAs and 3 F-14s; the original cost was $568,089, the depreciated value $189,065 (a new F-32 was $72,155, the depreciated value was $54,364 after 6 months use). Also included was a mixture of 57 "Wasp" and "Hornet" engines; original cost $390,607, new value $110,737.

Ten Fords and one Stearman formerly with Maddux were included, aircraft had an original cost of $433,081, new value only &68,350; 43 engines from $222,329 to $63,604. TAT's eleven Fords and two Stearmans were newer: aircraft depreciated from $510,576 to $183,035 and 5] "Wasp" engines from $318,416 to $56,094.

First there was the route survey work to be done east of CMH which was flown by Lindbergh, John Collings, Ted Weaver and Bob Leroy. T&WA planned no night flying with passengers pending completion of necessary airway lighting systems so the original schedule was to depart EWR, or LA, in the morning and arrive KC in the evening. The mail continued east or west at night, but the passengers were taken to a hotel for a 12-hour stay (also on the flight by way of TUL) and continued to their destination the following morning. The mail crossed the country in about 24 hours, the passengers in 36. Although there were exceptions (such as the F-14), the former WAE pilots flew the LA-KC and LA-SF routes using the Fokkers and the former TAT-M pilots to the east of KC using the Fords.

Unofficially, T&WA began operations on October 1, 1930; officially on the 25th.

During the interim there were three minor accidents. On October 1, Lew Goss had the left wheel collapse on a F-14 at ABQ which caused $611.88 damages.

On the 13th, R. E . Supple had a gear failure with a Stearman at Trenton, NJ, with total On the 19th, Wes Phillippi was the pilot of a Ford that damages of $1,097.50 . had $3,221.67 damages to the left wing tip and landing gear landing at CMH. Wes was considered at fault and released from the company.

Fokker F1OA" with T&WA's first paint job: •TRANSCONTINENTAL & WESTERN AIR INC. along with "Transcontinental Air Transport-Maddux-Western Air Express"

80

T&WA'S FIRST YEAR of OPERATIONS On the official inauguration of service (the 25th), "Andy" Andrews, Carl Rach and Joe Bartles (with a F-14 ) were the pilots on three flights departing EWR to CMH, where Earl Fleet, Jack Zimmerman and Cliff Abbott took over to MKC. Then on to ABQ it was Joe Kuhn and "Swede" Golien where Jack Walsh and Bill Dowling flew on to LA. Eastbound the pilots were LaMar Nelson and Orm Gove on the first section, Larry Chiappino and Alton Parker with the second section to ABQ, Ralph Montee and Ted Moffitt on to KC, Otis Bryan, with the mail only, to CMH where John Collings took over to EWR. Pat Gallup flew the inaugural westbound on the STL. spur route to AMA, and Howard Hall the first eastbound. State governors, local mayors and Post Office officials were on hand at the various stations for brief ceremonies.

Once the contract from the Post Office had been awarded, the series of letters of agreement between the principal owners took effect. By prior agreement Keys was Chairman of a 15 member board; 7 each representing TAT-M and WAE, and one Sheaffer headed a 7 man Executive Committee (3 each from (Robbins) from PAIC. TAT-M and WAE and one PAIC) and Lindbergh continued as Tech. Advisor. Hanshue was company President, Maddux #1 VP and and Frye the VP of Operations. The BOD or Exec Committee were seldom in accord with decisions or policy, usually split evenly with PAIC's one vote deciding an issue. Company headquarters was located in the Graybar Building in downtown NYC. Hanshue hated living in a hotel and he loathed flying as it made him airsick (he was still President of WAE with headquarters in LA). Another important partner to T&WA was North American Aviation which owned a large block of TAT-M stock (all of Eastern Air transport). Keys, at the time, was Chairman of their Board of Directors.

T&WA's mail pay for 1930 was $]40,904.27 for transporting 48,933 pounds a total distance of 361,293 miles. This was for 2 months and one week of operations: in 1931, the first full year of operations, it was $1,811,191.46 for 587,624 lbs a total miles of 3,073,553. This averaged to about $140,000 a month income from mail...however, T&WA was losing an average of $200,000 a month! There were many problem areas and no easy solutions except "trimming the fat". In December all employees took a pay cut. This was a "take it or leave it" situation as there were no employee unions or contracts. A few pilots quit as there were a number of new airlines hiring or established companies expanding.

A great deal of T&WA's woes were brought about by the consolidation of the two routes between LA and KC where there was a duplication of facilities and equipmerit. This included shop tools and year, trucks and other vehicles, ticket offices and furniture, ground radio equipment, advertising signs and, in the case of WAE, parachutes. In most cases TAT owned their facilities, which were transferred to T&WA. Besides the Alhambra Airport and an alternate field (Miller's, for LA) in the Mojave Desert, WAE had leased all of their property. As a consequence, T&WA inherited a lot of property, or the rental of same, that wasn't of any use and was more of a liability than an asset. TAT spent $173,787.97 for 99 airway beacons between Waynoka and Clovis (in anticipation of night flying), $]01,145 on airfield beacons and lights and $148,403 for ground radio equipment that were included with the merger. The sites for the beacons were on an annual lease basis. WAE included their one airway beacon ($21,513.75 ) at Seligman, AZ, a $49,843.2] hangar and $7,248.21 passenger station at ABQ. T&WA didn't inherit any outstanding loans with interest to pay, but it did receive a number of long term leases with rent to pay...some effective into 1934.

8 1

T&WA'S FIRST YEAR of OPERATIONS A NOTE by Ed Betts: A number of years ago I had a lot of help with my research on early TWA history from Richard Robbins and George Hann. Mr. Hann cleaned out all of his old files (with regard to PAIC's involvement with TAT-M and WAE when T&WA was formed) and gave them to me. Hann was a lawyer by trade. This included contracts (or Memorandum of Agreements) and correspondence between the parties involved.

Excerpts from one letter, dated 2/7/3], to Daniel Sheaffer describes the situation:

Another letter, dated February 14, 1931 , to the Board of Directors has more details with regard to T&WA's losses. This was at a time, for whatever reasons, T&WA management was considering a move from the Alhambra to Glendale Airport.

T&WA'S FIRST YEAR of OPERATIONS (Hann letter continued)

These two letters by Hann came just after Hanshue sent a ten page letter to the Board of Directors, dated 2/5/3], outlining a plan to cut operating costs by as much as $954,900 annually. There were hundreds of cost-cutting suggestions such as: voluntary salary reductions of $]0,000 a year for Hanshue, Maddux and Lindbergh (all protected by a contract), a change in first pilot pay schedule from a mileage to an hourly rate basis ($58,000 per year saving), a new gas and oil contract ($48,000 saving), cancelling unnecessary leases ($5],560), disposal of unnecessary property ($69,225 through depreciation alone), negotiate a new insurance contract ($74,242), discontinuing the LA-SF and STL-CMH runs during the months of December ($15,233 and $6,187). The STL-CMH run was an extension of the spur route from AMA to STL, not the main route. There were numerous other proposals to cut costs...very few, except the change in pay rates for pilots... were implemented at the time of Hann's protests.

Despite Hann's protest, the move to Glendale was made on March ]4. Western also moved from Alhambra, to the United Burbank Airport. As a sequel; for the next 15 years T&WA listed in the Annual report to Stockholders the following, under the heading "Other Property Not Currently Used In Operations"...Alhambra land, $607,449.77 (net book value), buildings and improvements had been amortized to $175,989.99 (from $375,145.35 ) and the land at Miller's $]2,068.94. In January 1945 , the Alhambra property was sold for $350,000.

March of ]931 also saw the General Motors (Ernest Breech) influence coming into T&WA's Board of Directors. Through a subsidiary, General Aviation Corp., they bought 50,000 shares of WAE stock ($10 a share). At the same time T&WA began a passenger only schedule from CHI to CMH via FWA, with direct connections on the main route to or from NYC. On April 17, T&WA inaugurated air mail service using the single-motor Northop "Alpha" monoplanes. This speedy service was greeted by local Chamber of Commerce officials with ceremonies at each stop on the system.

83

T&WA'S FIRST YEAR of OPERATIONS This service was further improved on July 20, with the completed airway lighting between CMH and EWR. T&WA was authorized two transcontinental trips a day: one departed EWR at 9:30am and the other at 9:45pm. Departures from LA were at 3:00am and 7:00pm. Eastbound it was a total elapsed time of about 23 hours, the westbound schedules about 26 hours (still 36 hours for passengers). In August, an experimental schedule called the "First Freight Train of the Air" was made between KC and NYC using the single-motor F-]4s. This was an "all nighter" both directions at reduced rates for air freight only, but it wasn't popular.

After one year as company president, Harris Hanshue resigned effective July 3], citing health problems as the reason. There was no way the Board of Directors could agree on his successor. Excerpts from a letter Richard Robbins wrote explains how he was chosen:

Mr. Robbins took over as President on September 24, ]931. By this time T&WA's equipment picture, except for the mail planes, was in sad shape and needed replacing. A special committee of Charles Lindbergh, Jack Frye and D. W. "Tommy " Tomlinson was appointed to evaluate and make their recommendations.

The number of aircraft accidents or incidents during T&WA's first full year of operations also was a contributing factor to its excessive losses. Insurance covered the major losses ($2,000 deductible and then 80% coverage), but the adverse publicity had its effect on passenger loads regardless of the cause.

The Fokker aircraft had a shady reputation among the pilots, particularly those used to flying the all-metal Ford, because of the basic structure of the wings.

These were of wood framework and covered by plywood panels. At times there was a condition in turbulence (and sometimes in smooth air) where one of these plywood panels would fly off on its own...termed "shingling" by the pilots. During the winter of ]930-]931 there were three F-1Os seriously damaged. On January 5, LaMar Nelson experienced a windshift or violent downdraft while landing at Hesperia (an emergency field near Victorville, CA) due to weather in the LA area.

A total of $16,]67.99 damages were done to all of the prop blades, center engine mount and a twisted fuselage. There were no injuries. On January 25, Eddie Bellande had a gear axle failure after landing at Glendale which resulted in a ground loop and $]1,070.68 damages to the right wing and engine (no injuries).

84

T&WA'S FIRST YEAR of OPERATIONS On March 31, 1931, a T&WA accident made the nation's headlines when a F-10 came out of an overcast and crashed on a farm near Bazaar, KS, killing all on board.

The pilots were Bob Fry and Jesse Mathias and among the 7 passengers was famed Notre Dame football coach, Knute Rockne. This accident received more than the usual press coverage and subsequent investigation by the Bureau of Commerce. At first their verdict for a "probable cause" was pilot error, then possible icing conditions and several months later it was attributed to structural failure of the wing. A routine inspection of another airline's F-1O had uncovered evidence of wood rot in the wing structure (which was normally covered by the plywood panel). The "Feds" ordered an inspection of all F-10's inner wing structure at the time of the usual 1,000 hour overhaul check. This was near impossible without completely removing all panels, making the inspection, and then gluing them back in place again. As a consequence the T&WA fleet was gradually phased out, and destroyed as there was no market for used F-10s .

The "jumbo" F-32s had a different situation...they were uneconomical to operate and sometimes dangerous, as a loose part from an engine, such as a bolt, could be slammed back through the fabric-covered fuselage by a rear engine propeller like a piece of flak. Passengers were discouraged from using the seats opposite the rear engine propellers. The two aircraft were grounded in June...one became the base for a gas station on Wilshire Boulevard in downtown LA. Other accidents during 1931 were: on 7/27, Alton Parker misjudged the wind direction from a smokestack near the Winslow Airport, landed downwind and had to ground loop in order to stop ($3,213.53 damages to the "Alpha" wing and gear).

He "sat on the beach" for 15 days, without base pay, for not having circled the field to determine the wind direction. On 8/1, pilot R. Supple had a structural failure on the landing gear of a Stearman after landing at Trenton...no injury, but the plane was a total loss. On 8/14, Ralph Ritchie landed a Ford short of the runway at HAR and struck an embankment. No injuries, but the aircraft was a total loss. Ritchie was reduced to copilot status indefinitely. On 8/19, A. D. Smith landed at PIT during a thunderstorm, overshot the landing area, and tried to groundloop in order to stop the Ford on the wet runway. Smith, his copilot and 3 passengers were injured, and the aircraft was a total loss ($22,9]0.76).

On 9/18, Harry Taylor had a motor failure with an "Alpha" and made an emergency landing near Antrin , Ohio, ($4,829.53 damages). On 10/l0 William Williams had a motor failure on takeoff from CMH with a Lockheed "Altair" and crash landed. No injury but the plane was totaled...since this was a rented plane, the only cost was $284.58 to ship it back to the factory. On 31/7, Wesley Smith had troubles landing an "Alpha" at CMH, and ground looped ($1,540.51 damages). On 12/22 , T&WA had its second fatal accident. It was not an approved procedure, but sometimes used on a ferry flight if one motor failed to start on a 3-motor airplane: take off with 2 engines and by compression (such as pushing a car with a stick shift in gear) get the other one to start. George Price was attempting such a start from OKC with a faulty outboard motor on a Ford and crashed. The copilot later died from injuries and Price was severely injured.

A total of 36 accidents / incidents were reported during T&WA's first year of operations...22 of these involved the single-motor aircraft. Most were of a minor nature, such as a wingtip damaged following a groundloop. One Ford incident was when the copilot, Bob LeRoy, forgot to wind up the 25' trailing antenna (with a lead weight attached) and it cut a telephone wire ($20 expenses).

Despite this inauspicious beginning, or first year of operations, T&WA managed to survive, grow and become a great airline. It didn't show an operating profit until after the DC-2 was introduced in mid-1935...but it didn't go bankrupt.

Fokker F-]4 circa August 1931, with block letters "TWA". Used for Air Freight on KC to NYC run.

T&WA Ford with first logo. The information over the cabin door reads: Gross weight 13,250 lbs, Empty weight 8,444 lbs, Useful load 5,806 lbs and Maximum passengers authorized (less crew) 12.

The first four-motor transport produced in the USA, the 32-passenger Fokker F-32.

The front two propellers had 2 blades, the rear or tandem engine propeller had 3.

With a near-full load it was necessary to make a fuel stop on the LA-SF run.

PILOTS HIRED 1930 (by seniority) (* TARPA MEMBER, # WIFE HONORARY MEMBER) (Read down) Eccles, Robert A. Smith, Albert D. "A.D." #Dowling, William H. Snead, Harold B.

*Ericson, Orville "Swede" Snowden, John P. #Converse, Lawrence F. #Vance, Arthur S. "Babe" Hulburd, John B. Blackmore, George V. Lundberg, Arnold C. "Arne" *Townsend, William E. *Carr, Joseph P. *Kampsen, U. J. "Urb" Deffendall, Forrest H. Leohner, R. R. "Rupe" Michelson, John A. "Mike" Foster, Arthur F. "Red" Grant, William H. #Thrush, Roy L. Strait, Robert G. *Flanagan, William M. Keller, J. T. Miles, Orson, F. "Jack" Wardlaw, Thomas L. Hedenquist, W. .R Hempel, Warren L. Hughes, E. T. Perrin, William A. May, G. F. *Marls, John M. *Valentine, Floyd #Harrington, John E. *Judd, William F. (TWA '35) Kreyssler, J. David

#Golien, W. G. "Swede" Parker, Alton N. *Hereford, Edgar T. "Ted"

Fritz, Lawrence G. Wilkens, Ardell M. #Eischeid, James O.

PILOTS HIRED 1940 (by seniority) uuniop, mrtnur v. riartlneK, o.

Mueller, Robert B. Gibbon, Elwyn H. Gray, Leon W. Howell, Paul P. Beck, Richard H. Webb, Walton B. Reed, J. R. Morris, Russell L. Frazey, John L. Galbraith, Claude O. !Adams, Charles H. Dyer, Thomas W. Clarke, Edward A. #Brubaker, Harley L. *Cummings, Robert H. Bracken, Paul Flannery, John J. Hunt, E. H. Hartley, Harold C. Pryor, W. Roger Malvick, Warren G. Wixen, Jack Cowan, Maynard L. Turner, Edmond L. Ford, William D. Eddington, Harold H. *McIlwraith, Andrew A. Hadden, William J. #Lewis, John W. "Jock" Zbornik, H. G. Purcell, Rex E. Juelson, L. L. Parker R. Shoenfelt, George W. Zell, Maynard, C. W. *Hoesel, Charles R. Toliver, R. F. Thompson, Carl A. Ambrose, J. R. Esler, Wilmer *Leland, S. Tudor Sarles, George, A. Buchanan, James D. "Buck Nilsen, Norman Art Noftsinger, Wm. L."Pop" Peterson, Warren C. Clair B. Stuessi, B. Keith Collier, Swartzell, Charles W. *Asire, Jack B. #Kachner, Harold J. Rollins, Charles E. Bashioum, Jacob C. Kenney, William E."Doc" Scott, B. Dale #McNaughton, Earl J. #Bras, Glenn E. Reno, Max E.

Reynolds, F. C. Swies, Emile M. *Pusey, Ralph L. Tittinger, George J. Hale, Horton DeBlasio, David L. Connelly, L. J. Pinel, Rene C. Miller, Harold M. *Jenkins, Francis E."Fritz" *Hays, MacDonald H."Mac" Grade, Paul S. . *Kulp, Clarence E. Hills, K. A. Bussy, Arthur C. McFarland, Harry F. Christensen, Emery L. Messer, Cleopas J. Gaines, Harry, D. . #Hylton, Leonard I. Gigstad, Benjamin L. Santoro, Frank P. *Peek, John T.

Gillett, Morgan A. Dioguardi, Orestes J. *Hincks, Lyle R. Jackson, Walter Kail, Johnston S. Kaiser, Carl F. #Kennedy, John J. *Lambert, Gordon W.

Seyerle, Walter W. Ashford, Theodore H. Leroy, Robert S.

Philbin, James J. Richards, Everett B. Romeis, John C. Shields, Robert E. Thomson, John E. .

W Urbas, Adolph. M. 1Weaver, Ross C. *Philpott, James A. *Ainsworth, W. L."Arky" *Hendrix, James M. Knowles, Richard C. *Selby, David C. *Hall, Floyd D."Dutch" *Cassutt, Thomas K. *Moorhead, L. S."Bunky" *Colburn, R. R. "Dick" *Falkner, George E. *Picotte, Robert W. Gates, Walter A. #Chackerian, Vahrm"Chick" Boyd, J. Phleat Gambee, Harley T. Gilson, Herbert E. *Kieffer, John J. McCoy, Ernest F. *Morrison, John R. *Schildberg, Cecil W. Specht, Leonard J. Boyce, Edwin S. *Richwine, David W. Merrick, Richard C. Vaughan, Everett H. #Kiefer, O. 0."Dixie" Halperin, David .

R. T. Gurst,

#Lynch, Thomas *Wadsworth, David F. Bratton, Raymond R. *Davenport, Chauncey C. Mantaras, Charles, J. Hinkle, Robert G. Mollineaux, C.H."Pierre' Inman, Arthur P. Myers, Dale M. Lontz, John P. Nichols, Grant S.

Note: The 1930 list of hires is very incomplete (Western Air Express, Aero Corp / Standard Air Lines, and There were no pilots or flight engineers hired in 1950 or 1960 (not including those by way TAT-Maddux). although a few of the latter (TWA F/Es)) have an "adjusted seniority date" to 1960. of Ozark), CONGRATULATIONS and a HAPPY ANNIVERSARY PS: Does anybody remember the first names (or nicknames) of those with initials only? (Ed Betts)

89

"

Health Exchange"

3150-336 N. Harbor City Blvd.

Melbourne, FL 32935 tel: 407 259 9404 June 20, 1990

A. T . I think the "Health Exchange " started by Harry Mokler, is a great idea.

I'll give you my problems with Prostate Cancer, and how it should be checked when over 60 years of age, with the blood tests of PSA and PAP. This will let you know if you may be coming down with Prostate problems. They just draw blood and check these two indicators.

In August 1988 I went for a Prostate Biopsy, they took 16 and no indication of any problems. While at a Shrine Golfers Christmas Party, I could not urinate, this was December 17, 1988, for 8 hours and I had drank, 2 cocktails, 3 beers and 2 cups of coffee, so I had at least 40 ounces in in my body. I went to the emergency room and a nurse put in a Foley catheter and over 1000 cc came out and I was much relieved . I had this catheter in for 4 days and then I was urinating every two hours. On January 4th 1989 I went to the Hospital for a a Ultra Sound scan of the bladder, after drinking 32 ounces of water. I could not urinate again, so had to go to the emergency room and get a catheter again.

I had a postponed cruise I was to go on, so I had the catheter in till January 19, at which time I had a Transurethral resection, known as a TUR, which is a ream out.

The Pathology report diagnosis was: Grade III Adenochrcinomaof the Prostate infiltrating all of the TUR tissue examined, My PAP was 21, normal is 0.6-3.3, and the PSA was 100, normal is 0-4 and 4-10 auspicious and over 10 highly suspicious of prostatic cancer. I had a Bone scan Jan. 21, and it was normal, meaning the cancer had not gone into the bones.

Since the testicles provide the food, so to speak, for the Prostate cancer, on Feb. 10th, I had a Bilateral orchidectomy, this is Castration, and my PSA came down to 11. The next month it was down again to 10.

October of 1989, my PSA shot up to 143 and PAP was 25. Both way above normal. I was put on 6 Flutamide tablets (Eulexin, at Drugstore) $1.10 each and a shot of Leuprolide, Lupron Depot at a cost of $3 9 6.00 a shot. It still taking all of this, the shot once a. month.

Nov. 1989 while on a visit to New Jersey, I could not urinate again, so Doctor in N.J. put in a Catheter again. and on Nov. 30 I had A Cystoscopy and TUR again, which is a look around and a second ream out.

Starting Jan 4, 1990, I began 35 radiation treatments, the PSA came down 143-109-8611-10-4.9.

The Lupron shot went up to 4492.00, they said Medicare agreed it to them.

to pay more: So they stick

May 1990 I had a Bone and CAT scans and Prostate is normal now, but some cancer is running around and they think the Lupron and Flutamide is keeping it in check. Flutamide is the new drug made by Schering, but was not approved till Dec 1989 or Jan 1990 for use in this country, so many people went to Canada to get it. I was going to do this, but when I needed it, its had been approved for use in the U.S. I think a good check of your Prostate, is to have that PAP and PSA checked, so you know when something is starting to happen. Most men have Prostate trouble after 60 years.

I had a second opinion by Dr. Carlos Perez, head of the Radiation Dept. Oncology, Washington School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. He said I've had what they would be doing.

If anyone needs any information, my address and tel is above

North Atlantic Aviation Museum P.O. Box 234, Gander Newfoundland A1V 1W6 Phone 256-2923

March 14, 1990 Retired Pilots Association c/o Corporate Headquarters TWA 605 3rd Avenue New York, NY 10016

Dear Sir: Our fledgling Aviation Museum is trying to make contact with as many people in the North Atlantic Aviation world as possible.

This is an attempt to contact as many senior and retired airline pilots as possible, who have had contact of one form or another with Gander and the North Atlantic, in terms of flying operations.

We are looking for the following types of things, although our interests are not necessarily restricted to this list.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Record setting events, unusual and/or historically important occurrences , ie. first operations of an aircraft type, records, unusual photographic material, unusual historic, anecdotal experiences, membership, spreading the word that an aviation museum is planning a take-off in Gander, and any items, information, artifact, or experience that aviators might think applicable or appropriate.

We look forward to a reply.

Yours sincerely,

91

P. B. Blackie, MD President

RECOMMENDATIONS, SUGGESTIONS & INFORMATION The 384th Bomb Group (B-17) will hold its reunion at the Air Force Base at Wichita, Kansas, October 11-14, 1990. Dues are $15. per year. For information or to join write Fred Nowasad, 384th Bomb Group Inc., P.O. Box 1021-A, Rahway, NJ 07065. * * * * * * TARPA shirts are available from Betti Wind, P.O. Box 309, Meshoppen, PA 18630. Prices include postage and handling.

Sweat shirts - red or white, any size $15.

Staff shirts - (tennis, golf) red or white $15.

Tee shirts - red or white, any size $ 6.50 * * * * * * The Golden Anniversary of the P-51 Mustang will be held October 25-29 at the Santa Maria Museum of Flight, Santa Maria, CA. For information write P.O. Box 1024, Santa Maria, CA 93456 or call 805 922 9645. Also you may contact Vice President Harry F. Clark, 2360 Lake Marie Drive, Santa Maria, CA 93455-5710, telephone 805 934 3406. * * * * * * TWA Tie-Tacs and Pins ALL AIRCRAFT AS TIE-TACS ALL CAPT. WINGS AS TIE-TACS ALL CAPT. WINGS AS TIE BARS ALL CAPT. " as LAPEL WINGS ALL & FLAGS, LAPEL PINSLOGOS $4.00

$5.00 $6.00 $6.00

SHIPPING & HANDLING PVER 8 PINS

$1.50 $2.50

TO ORDER, CALL OR WRITE; LARRY J. FAUCI 52 WESTGATE DRIVE SPARTA, NJ 07871 201 729 2620 OR CREW MAIL F/E JFK INT'L

92

$5.00

CATS THAT KNOW HOW TO LIVE Even facing a $120 million lawsuit and living in exile in France, Michele Duvalier, wife of Haiti's deposed President for Life Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier, spends money. Lots of it. $168,789 at the Givenchy dress boutique last November. $338,700 at Boucheron, including a $77,200 emerald brooch and a $68,500 clock. $19,252 at Hermes, including $9,752 on saddles for children Sacha & Alix. $6,900 earrings at Fred, a jeweler. $425,000 in advance to lawyer Sauveur Valsse.

The items were in Michele's hand-written diary, seized in a police raid, reported the Miami Herald.

Haitian lawyers want $120 million police say the couple embezzled from the Western Hemisphere's poorest country.

It is possible to determine at what point the people of a country will rebel against the government: When it becomes more expensive to live under the system than to rebel, there will be a rebellion. That's what happened in America. It became more expensive to live under the system of King George than to rebel, so we had the Revolutionary War.

99