Northrop Gamma 2D

Northrop · United States · first flew 1933 · transport aircraft

The Northrop Gamma 2D is a single-engine low-wing monoplane derived from the Northrop Alpha, refined for speed and used primarily as a high-speed mail and experimental transport aircraft in the early 1930s.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	streamlined fuselage optimised for mail and fast transport
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

sleek low-wing cantilever monoplane with spatted fixed undercarriage
single radial engine with tight NACA cowling
streamlined fuselage optimised for mail and fast transport

Distinguished by its remarkably clean low-wing form, spat-covered fixed undercarriage, and the smooth NACA cowling around its radial engine — a transitional design between the biplane and the fully retractable monoplane era.

Specifications

The Northrop Gamma 2D has a length of 9.5 m (31 ft).
It has a wingspan of 14.55 m (48 ft).
Its maximum speed is 338 km/h (210 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Jack Northrop's Gamma benefited from all-metal stressed-skin construction and a carefully cowled radial engine, giving it performance ahead of contemporary airliners. The 2D variant was configured for the transcontinental mail role and operated by TWA among others.

Variants

The Gamma family included floatplane, photographic survey, and various engine configurations; the 2A through 2G sub-variants reflected different powerplants and equipment fits.

Where you'll see it

Used by TWA for airmail and by Jackie Cochran for record-setting flights, the Gamma also served in small numbers with the US Navy and as a technology demonstrator for Northrop's subsequent designs.

Related aircraft

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