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11/20/2004. Remarks by Dave Simpson: "The aircraft you have pictured is listed as a Gamma 2E which built in 1934, c/n-13 and eventually bought by the RAF as (K5053). Of note I have found reference that this airframe may also have been the a company demonstrator NX13760 (Cn-47), but the demonstrator is also referred to as have been sold to the Soviet Union... At any rate, the Gamma Model 2E, 2EC, 2ED were built as attack export bombers, some 51 eventually being supplied to Britain (1), China (49), and the Soviet Union (1). For interest purposes, Northrop built a very large number of Gammas starting from 1932, some 61 in total, being Models; 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 2J, 2L plus a number of later airframes called Gammas but not resembling the initial Model 2 series; 3A, 5A, 5B, 5D, 7A, & 8A." From Joe Baugher's Home Page: "...Gamma 2Es were in action with the Chinese Army Air Arm against the Japanese when they invaded China in August of 1937. However all, all 49 aircraft were rapidly destroyed either in training accidents or by the fury of the Japanese onslaught. A single civilian version known as the Gamma 2ED-C was built in July 1934 as a demonstrator aircraft. It was powered by a 735 hp SR-1820-F53 radial. The initial civil registration was X13760. In early 1935, it was piloted by Frank Hawks and G. H. Irving in a 20,000 mls (32,187 km) tour through Central and South America to locate suitable airfields for a proposed "Round America Air Race". X13760 was later sold to the British Air Ministry in 1935 for evaluation, where it was assigned the RAF s/n K5053. It was tested by the A & AEE at Martlesham Heath." |
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