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Completely Dismantled
This aircraft was a Fokker F-10A tri-motor, (S/N 1055; ATC#
96), manufactured during July 1929 by the Fokker Aircraft
Corporation of America, Hasbrouck Heights, NJ. It left
the factory with three Pratt & Whitney Wasp engines
of 410 HP each. It sold in 1929 to Standard Air Lines,
Inc., Los Angeles, CA. Standard was operated by the
Aero Corporation of California. Our pilots Jack
Frye and Paul
Richter were principals of Aero, and pilots for
Standard.
Image above from Ruth Richter Holden Collection (see Paul
Richter's link for further information). It shows NC581K
disembarking passengers at an improved ramp, location unknown
( anyone know?)
Image below, also from the Collection, shows NC581K after
pilots Frye and Richter set a new altitude record with it
of 23,200 feet. The Los Angeles Times article is from September
18, 1929. The headline reads, "L.A. Flyers Break Altitude
Mark For Big Planes".
NC581K first visits Tucson in
Standard Air Lines livery on January 28, 1930 flown solo
from El Paso, TX by Hap
Russell. He remained in Tucson overnight and continued
next morning westbound to Los
Angeles, CA. Four months later, on May 8, 1930,
the airplane was sold to Western Air Express, Inc., Los Angeles. It
was painted with “W.A.E. #119”.
It sold again on October 9, 1930 to Southern Air Fast Express,
Inc., Love Field, Dallas TX. The airplane landed twice
more at Tucson while owned by S.A.F.E. The first landing
was on February 4, 1931. The pilot was John Martin. He
carried two passengers, C.H. Bruss and B.F. Warnock. They
were on a round-robin from Phoenix, AZ.
The second and final landing was on March 6, 1931. The
pilot was Paul L. Carpenter carrying three unidentified passengers. On
September 15, 1930 NC581K was sold to American Airways, Inc.,
Love Field, Dallas, TX. There is no indication in the
NASM record of the activities of the airplane during American’s
ownership.
On December 21, 1932, a letter from American Airways to
the CAA states that NC581K was removed from service and was
completely dismantled. No further information.
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THIS PAGE UPLOADED: 07/07/06 REVISED: 03/22/08
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