| Oldest Flying TWA Aircraft "The Spirit of TWA" a flying legend, NC18137, Lockheed Electra 12A "Grand Champion Antique" NWEAA July 15, 2007 "There shall be wings. If the accomplishment not by me, 'tis for some other. The spirit cannot die; and man, who shall know, shall have wings." Leonardo da Vinci |
| A world of thanks to Connie and Ed Bowlin, the famous ace aviators and airplane collectors for the oportunity to speak to the "Warbirds of America" at Oshkosh "AirVenture" 2006. It was truly an honor to tell of TWA's enormous contribution of men and planes to WWII. Thanks to all at EAA "AirVenture" 2006 who present an indescribable experience for "flyers" from all over the world. Thanks to Adam Smith, my favorite 'Black Cat" |
| working on update TWA, NX-18137 "Flight Research Laboratory." Other TWA planes identified as "Overweather Experimental Laboratory", the Northrop Alpha, the Northrop Gamma NX-13158, and DC-1 piloted by Captain D.W. "Tommy" Tomlinson, TWA's most famous test pilot. Other famous flyers of N18137 include her original owner Bob Six and Fred Gray of Continental, Howard Hughes, (as documented by a most renown aviation historian, John Underwood), Aubrey Keif of Texaco, Jack Fyre and Paul Richter. And in recent years Gen. Chuck Yeager, Col. Bud Anderson, Bob Hoover and ret. TWA Captain Barry Schiff...his #300th aircraft. |
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| Warner Bros. movie star Miss Bette Davis, exits TWA Lockheed Electra, N18137, after a flight with the Executive Vice-President of T.W.A., Paul E. Richter from Kansas City to Minnesota. |
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| TWA, Executive Vice-President, Paul Richter with Bette beside the TWA Lockheed Electra, NC-18137 |
| President Jack Frye, and Executive Vice-President Paul E. Richter Jr., go over a flight stats list, of the TWA "Flight Research Laboratory", NX18137. T.W.A and TEXACO partnered in progressive research for many years, largely due to Paul's great friendship with Aubrey Keif, V.P of the aviation division of The Texas Co. Texaco was at the fore-front in developement of aviation petroleum products. De-icing research in N18137 led to the B. F. Goodrich ad, "Wings that tell ice where to get off"... "TWA-- Pioneer Air Line-- was one of the earliest sponsors of the B.F. Goodrich De-Icer" |
| The Lockheed 12A, in New Mexico in the early 1940's, a "Conquistadores del Cielo" gathering. The gentleman, middle, with fedora, John E. Miles, Governor of New Mexico (1939-1943.) On the far right is Robert Wadlow members, or guest of Conquistadores del Cielo. far top right, TWA NC18137 "Research." Richter and Frye were co-founders of Conquistadores del Cielo... still existing today for the top 150 of the aerospace world. more on the Conquistadoes del Cielo soon |
| A Magical, Mystical Story of a Magnificent Flying Machine!!!! "The Spirit Of TWA" In July 2005, my friend, American Eagle Captain Curt Walters and I flew a new-old airplane from Georgia to California. Lockheed Electra 12A. TWA #240, NC-18137. L.E. purchased me in a day, sight unseen...and I'm in love. I wasn't looking for her, just as you can't look for love...L.E. found me! How did this happen? Not, by the mind or hand of man! The "Valhalla Flyers" have been mighty busy, their spirits soaring. I received a message on the Paul Richter TWA website from Connie Bowlin wanting to know the history of a plane she was selling... owned by TWA, 1940-1945. I ignored her and did not respond. Friend, Randy, was visiting me from Arizona. He knew about the plane and asked me to talk to the owners, Connie and Ed Bowlin. I said I was too busy. While digging thru old papers, we found a "Texaco" ad ( see below ) from 1940 with Jack Frye and Paul E. Richter in front of the Lockheed. Randy excitedly called Connie to say he was sending the ad to her. He passed the phone to me and said, "Please talk to her." To shorten this long tale, a half hour later, I told her I didn't know why I was helping her sell the plane...I should buy the Lockheed. I knew my dad flew her as he tested and flew every TWA airplane. Three hours later I called Connie back....told her I had mortgaged my house, sold my first born and was going to let the county bury me. I had to buy the plane! The rest is now, as they say......history. And the whole thing is super-serendipity. The TWA "Between Calls" Nov. 1940, [Volume 1 Number 6] front page article states: "Officials for TWA in Los Angeles are always at a loss when it comes to prophesizing how Paul E. Richter (Exec. Vice Pres.) will arrive. No one seems to know whether he will be in the uniform of a Captain of a big transport, or whether he will be traveling as a passenger in business clothes. Recently, TWA purchased a Lockheed transport for use as a flying research laboratory, and it was this man who took the controls for the first long flight of this plane." At the age of 8 and 10, I flew in this plane with my Dad. I have found documentation of dozens of flights that he made... from testing to hunting trips, to flying some buddies to "Conquistadores del Cielo" meetings at dude ranches in the west and Board of Directors meetings in the East, to war conferences. Numerous flights were made by him to inspect "Eagles Nest", TWA's training base for the military. Late one night I found Paul's TWA flight case with perfectly sharpened pencils and a side pocket with a piece of paper titled: "TWA Lockheed Electra 12A, #240, (TWA's number for the plane.) Payload computation, i.e., weight and balance, loading and fuel information." The so-called coincidences are incredible in number and continue on a daily basis. The odds of this find are probably greater than winning the lottery. Lockheed made only 130 Lockheed 12As, and perhaps less than ten are still flying in the world. She's the sister-ship to Amelia Earhart's 10E. Built in July 1937, nearly 70 years old, she's beautiful solid and flies smooth...an awesome aeroplane. Flying "Ellie" from Georgia to SLO was more than living a dream in a flying legend. It's 'the circle of life', L.E.'s return to California and my new venture with PER's activities of 1925. Lockheed N18137 is a flying museum... a tribute to Lockheed quality, to TWA's glorious history and the people who made that great airline the greatest. Others may be more beautiful but none have the story of Ellie. She represents an eternal spirit... The Spirit of TWA. N18137 belongs to all and especially TWAers... I'm only the guardian as you can't own history. TWA was my family and a great heritage. Awed, amazed, elated, I'm living proof that you are never to old to live your dream. RRH. "For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward...for there you have been and there you long to return." Leonardo Da Vinci |
| Thank you for visiting Paul Richter TWA Legend Return to the Entry Page |
| "TWA's Carl Barley can't begin to know our deep appreciation for his amazing graphic expertise on L.E. and all of TWA's aircraft." and see Marc Brecy's great TWA site. |
| "It is said that other aircraft were evolutionary in design... Lockheed was and is revolutionary. From the 12A, the 1st U-2, to the F-22...innovative aircraft icons". RRH N18137 was built in July 1937. Electras were considered the "Cadillacs" of the aircraft world. Bob Six, of Continental Airlines' fame, wanted an all Lockheed fleet. Continental, former, Varney Air, bought three electras. CAL was the first owner of this plane. NC18137 was used for passenger service for three years. updating ongoing... |
| Lockheed Electra Junior, N18137, summer of 2005 with Connie and Ed Bowlin flying. Great shot by famous aviation photographer, Brian Silcox. Please note the image is copyrighted, and the exclusive property of Brian Silcox, it may not be copied or downloaded. To inquire about Brian's work, you can contact him here. |
| TWA 1940 to 1945 "Flight Research Laboratory" 'Flying Laboratory' used in TWA's historic development of 'upper-altitude flight', 'over weather flying', this 12A tested static discharge and de-icing equipment used on today's modern aircraft. NC18137 returned to TWA in July 2005 Transcontinental & Western Air, TWA "The Transcontinental Line" |
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| "the Spirit of TWA", 2006, the original Lockheed look is combined with the TWA livery of the 1940s, as a Tribute to ROBERT E. GROSS, Lockheed Legend. Bob Gross was friend and business associate of Paul E. Richter. |
| OSHKOSH 2006 The TWA Lockheed Electra 12A, N18137, returned from a grand adventure to EAA "AirVenture" with a trophy... "BRONZE LINDY" "Antique Transport Champion" To read an EAA article about L.E. before her trip to OSH... click here! return to this site with back arrow |
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| Continental Airlines NC-18137, being serviced by Continental fleet mechanics before the sale to Transcontinental and Western Air. underside of the wing is NC18137 |
| TWA N18137 is returned to TWA Please forgive the typos and mess of this construction site, by this novice site builder.....but "the best is yet to come" |
| TWA NC18137... 1940-1945 "Trancontinental & Western Air"...TWA "The Airline of the Stars" |
| Capt. Barry Schiff's... article The memory of TWA is Alive and Well............. Lockheed 12A, Electra Junior..."Love Story" here see Barry's website use back arrow to return... WWW.barryschiff.com |
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| "The Spirit of TWA" |
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| "TWA Lockheed Electra N 18137, "Research," truly a priceless historic artifact. Re-united with the daughter of Pioneer Aviation Legend, Paul E. Richter Jr." R. Reynolds Heartfelt sincere thanks to Randy and Harvey ... |
| All materials on this webpage are COPYRIGHTED, and the exclusive property of the Ruth Richter Holden Family. No text, photos, or content may be reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of Ruth Richter. |
| Thanks to TWAer, Keith Horton for this great photo...used for the above Texaco ad. |
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| Reno Air Races 2006 -2007 TWA Lockheed Electra Junior, honored to participate in the "National Aviation Heritage Invitational" sponsored by Roll Royce, The Nationl Aviation Hall of Fame and Smithsonian Air and Space Museum TWA, Lockheed 12A, NC18137 begin with Frank's "Jenny" in flight...then, J. Chan's #10 photo 2006 |
| Thanks to Roger Cain for his always interesting articles and to "Pacific Flyers". NC18137 "Best Cabin Monoplane, 1935-1945" |
| Oshkosh AirVenture, July, 2006 Bruce Leibowitz this grand photo was taken of the TWA Lockheed 12A, N18137 on her arrival at OSH please note the copyright |
| For more great photos of Merced Antiques and Classics Fly-in, 2006 and the Lockheed Electra 12A, N18137, see Rick W. Pisio's ,Aviation and Marine USA |
| Reno Air Races 2006, "National Aviation Heritage Invitational" Frank Schelling's 1918 Curtiss JN-4H "Jenny" was the awesome worthy winner, Rolls Royce Heritage Invitational |
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| Dan Linn at DTLinn.com has given Lockheed lovers a grand website of information and photos of the Lockheed 10 and 12s of today ...fly there... |
| see super shot of L.E. by Paul Chandler and other photos at "Airventure 2006" on jetphotos.net...click here |
| to contact Ruth Richter-Holden; PaulRichterTWAlegend@yahoo.com |
| right. the new TWA fleet, Lockheed Electra 12A, N18137 and Boeing's, TWA DC-2 in new TWA livery together in Santa Maria, California at Brian Lockett's Goleta Air and Space Museum. |
| Gen. Lawrence G. 'Uncle Larry' Fritz and Paul Richter must be smilin' about their 1st airplane, 1st love, "Jenny". Jim Fritz, Larry's grandson, airline pilot, now with Boeing named his plane "Jenny" after grandfather's old fliver-flyer. Larry Fritz, a remarkable life; from WWI fighter, 1st Airmail pilot, to V.P. TWA, Commanding General ATC in WWII to Vice Pres. of American Airlines will soon be honored on the TWA Spirit site. Thanks to Jim and Barbara |
| The TEXACO ad below, randomly picked out of a barn treasure trove of hundreds of papers, on a June day in 2005, reunited TWA NC18137 with her TWA family. |
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| RRH in an old Jenny...Thanks to Frank Schelling and 30 years of fun, now fame.. |
| Dave Chivens, President, EAA 170, wrote one of the best articles about the Lockheed 12A ... With great heart, he really gets the soul of the story. read it here...return with back arrow Dave is now a 'Famous Flyer' of L.E... his smooth soaring over the Sierras with Capt. Rocky from Reno in Sept. 2006.... |
| During WWII TWA reserved all seats on the line for service men. TWA's Lockheed 12A, NC18137, #240 and Lockheed Lodestar, #241 were used for management and employees. Richter's logs show trips in both planes even while he was serving in the Navy as Operations Chief of Staff for Naval Air Transport Service. Many of TWA's finest went to war; Captain Paul E. Richter, Captain Walter A. Hamilton, Captian D.W. 'Tommy' Tomlinson to Naval Air Transport Service, General Lawrence G. 'Larry' Fritz as head of the Atlantic Division of ATC, Colonel Fred Betts, Colonel Clarence Fleming and many more gave up family and fortune to serve their country. |
| That was Then and This is Now.... 70 years old...Lockheed 12A flys |
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| at left, Spencer Thornton captured this elegant beauty at OSH AirVenture 2006 |
| DC-2 and 12A by Brian Lockett .. Goleta Air and Space link left |
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| Capt. Curt Walters and Dave Chivens in front of Ellie at Reno.... by photographer, Ron Dupas... thanks for respecting his copyright and see his great photos of Reno Air Racers at link below |
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| Mike Fizer's aerial shots of N18137... Ret. TWA Capt. Barry Schiff and Capt. Curt "Rocky" Walters flying L.E see 114 photos of L.E.... enter and go to stock or Classics |
| Mike Fizer, master photographer captured The Spirit of TWA, N18137 Enjoy his truly magnificent photo art ...search Lockheed 12A at link below |
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| Spencer Thornton, AirVenture 2006 |
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| Airshows and Awards... Bronze Lindy "Antique Transport Champion", Airventure 2006, "Best Cabin Monoplane" Classic Age, Watsonville and Merced, Ca. 'fly-ins' "Grand Champion Antique", NWEAA July 15, 2007, Arlington, Wa |