Lockheed Constellation

Constellation
Super Constellation
C-69 / C-121
049-connie-gov.jpg
A Qantas Empire Airways L-749 Constellation.
Role Airliner
Manufacturer Lockheed
First flight January 9, 1943
Introduced 1943 with USAAF
1945 with TWA
Retired 1967, airline service
1978, military
Primary users Trans World Airlines
United States Army Air Forces
Produced 1943–1958
Number built 856
Variants EC-121 Warning Star

The Lockheed Constellation, affectionately known as the "Connie", was a four-engine propeller-driven airliner built by Lockheed between 1943 and 1958 at its Burbank, California, USA, facility. A total of 856 aircraft were produced in four models, all distinguished by a distinctive triple-tail design and graceful, dolphin-shaped fuselage. It was used as both a civilian airliner and U.S. military air transport plane, seeing service in the Berlin Airlift and as the presidential aircraft for U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Contents

Design and development

Initial design studies

Since 1937, Lockheed had been working on the L-044 Excalibur, a four-engine pressurized airliner. In 1939, Trans World Airlines, at the encouragement of major stockholder Howard Hughes, requested a 40-passenger transcontinental airliner with 3,500 mile (5,630 km) range[1] - well beyond the capabilities of the limited Excalibur design. TWA's requirements led to the L-049 Constellation, designed by such Lockheed engineers as Kelly Johnson and Hall Hibbard.[2] Willis Hawkins, another Lockheed engineer, maintains that the Excalibur program was purely a cover for the Constellation.[3]

The military's C-69 prototype was based on the initial L-049 design.

Development of the Constellation

The Constellation's wing was effectively the same as that of the P-38 Lightning, differing only in scale.[4] The distinctive triple tail kept the aircraft's overall height low enough so that it could fit in existing hangars,[3] while new features included hydraulically-boosted controls and a thermal de-icing system used on wing and tail leading edges.[1] The new plane could achieve top speeds of over 340 miles per hour, a cruise speed of 300 mph, and a service ceiling of 24,000 feet.[5]

Rumors persist that Hughes himself was influential in the design of the Constellation, but these are untrue. His only input was suggestions on the required performance and cockpit layout. He left the rest of the design work to Lockheed.[3]

Operational history

World War II

The first Lockheed Constellation on 9 January 1943.

With the onset of World War II, the TWA aircraft entering production were converted to an order for C-69 Constellation military transport aircraft, with 202 aircraft intended for the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). The first prototype (civil registration NX25600) flew on 9 January, 1943, a simple ferry hop from Burbank to Muroc Field for testing.[1] Eddie Allen, on loan from Boeing, flew left seat, with Lockheed's own Milo Burcham as copilot. Rudy Thoren and Kelly Johnson were also on board.

Lockheed also proposed its model L-249 which was to be a long range bomber. It received the military designation XB-30 but the aircraft was never developed or built. A plan for a very long-range troop transport, the C-69B, was cancelled. A single C-69C, a 43-seat VIP transport, was built in 1945 at the Lockheed-Burbank plant.

The C-69 was largely used as a high-speed, long-distance troop transport during the war.[6] Only 22 C-69s were completed before the end of hostilities, and not all of those entered military service. The USAAF cancelled the remainder of the order in 1945.

Postwar Use

Super Constellation (C-121C) during pilot training in Epinal - Mirecourt, France
Super Connie at Air 04, Payerne, Switzerland

After World War II, the Constellation soon came into its own as a popular, fast, civilian airliner. Aircraft already in production for the USAAF as C-69 transports were finished as civilian airliners, with TWA receiving the first on 1 October, 1945. The first transatlantic proving flight departed Washington, DC on 3 December, 1945, arriving in Paris on 4 December, via Gander and Shannon.[1]

Trans World Airlines opened post-war commercial intercontinental air service on 6 February, 1946, with a New York-Paris flight in a Constellation. On 17 June, 1947, Pan American World Airways opened the first ever regularly-scheduled around-the-world service with their L749 Clipper America. The famous flight Pan Am 101 remained in service for over 40 years.

As the first pressurized airliner in widespread use, the Constellation helped to usher in affordable and comfortable air travel for the masses. Some of the more famous operators of Constellations were TWA, Eastern Air Lines, Pan American World Airways, Air France, BOAC, KLM, Qantas, Lufthansa, Iberia Airlines, Panair do Brasil, TAP Portugal, Trans-Canada Airlines (later renamed Air Canada), Aer Lingus and VARIG.

Initial difficulties

The Constellation suffered three accidents in the first ten months of airline service, temporarily curtailing its career as a passenger airliner.[7] On 18 June, 1946, the engine of a Pan American aircraft caught fire and fell off. The flight crew was able to make an emergency landing with no loss of life. However, on 11 July, of the same year a Transcontinental and Western Air aircraft fell victim to an inflight fire, crashing in a field and taking the lives of five of the six on board.[7] The accidents prompted the suspension of the Constellation's airworthiness certificate until Lockheed could modify the design to avoid repeats of the problems. This was dramatized in the motion picture The Aviator (2004) during the scene where Howard Hughes (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) surveys numerous grounded TWA Constellations.

The Constellation proved prone to engine failures (due to her R3350s), earning the nickname "World's Finest Trimotor" in some circles.[8]

Records

Sleek and powerful, Constellations set a number of records. On 17 April, 1944, the second production L049, piloted by Howard Hughes and TWA president Jack Frye, flew from Burbank, California to Washington, D.C. in 6 hours and 57 minutes (c. 2,300 miles at an average 330.9 mph). On the return trip, the aircraft stopped at Wright Field to give Orville Wright his last plane flight, more than 40 years after his historic first flight. He commented that the Constellation's wingspan was longer than the distance of his first flight.[2]

On 29 September, 1957, an L1649A Starliner flew from Los Angeles to London in 18 hours and 32 minutes (approximately 5,420 miles at 292.4 mph). The L1649A still holds the record for the longest-duration non-stop passenger flight — during TWA's inaugural London to San Francisco flight on 1–2 October 1957, the aircraft stayed aloft for a remarkable 23 hours and 19 minutes (approximately 5,350 miles at 229.4 mph)

Obsolescence

The advent of jet airliners, with the de Havilland Comet, Boeing 707, Douglas DC-8 and Convair 880, rendered the piston-engined Constellation obsolete. The first routes lost to jets were the long overseas routes, but Constellations continued to fly domestic routes. The last scheduled passenger flight of a four-engined piston-engined airliner in the United States was made by a TWA L749 on 11 May, 1967 from Philadelphia to Kansas City, MO.[9] However, Constellations remained in freight service for years to come, and were the mainstay of Eastern Airlines' popular shuttle service between New York, Washington, and Boston until 1978.

With the shutdown of Constellation production, Lockheed elected not to develop a first-generation jetliner, instead sticking to its lucrative military business and production of the modest turboprop-powered Lockheed L-188 Electra airliner. Lockheed would not build a large civil passenger aircraft again until its L-1011 Tristar debuted in 1972. While a technological marvel, the L-1011 was a commercial failure for Lockheed, and Lockheed left the commercial airliner business for good in 1983.

Variants

Main article: List of models of the Lockheed Constellation
Super Constellation at Charles Prince Airport, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in 1975. Used as a flying club headquarters.

The Constellation was produced in both civil and military versions. The initial military versions carried the Lockheed designation of L-049; as World War II came to a close, some were completed as civil L-049 Constellations. The first purpose-built passenger Constellation was the more powerful L-649, followed by the L-1049 Super Constellation and L-1649 Starliner. Military versions included the C-69 and C-121 for the Army Air Forces/Air Force and the R7O R7V-1 WV-1 (L-1049G) WV-2 (L-1049H) (famously Willie Victor) and many variant EC-121 designations for the Navy [10][11]

Operators

Main article: List of Lockheed Constellation operators

Constellations were used by dozens of airlines and air forces around the world. After TWA's initial order was filled following World War II, customers rapidly accumulated, with over 800 aircraft built. In military service, the US Navy and Air Force operated the EC-121 Warning Star variant until 1978, nearly 40 years after work on the L-049 began. Pakistan International Airlines was the first airline from an Asian country to fly the Super Constellation.

Survivors

President Dwight D. Eisenhower flew in two Constellations, named Columbine II and Columbine III.
N4257U on display at the Combat Air Museum in Topeka, Ks.

Specifications (L-1049G Super Constellation)

Orthographically projected diagram of the Lockheed L-1049G Constellation.

Data from Great Aircraft of the World[18] and Quest for Performance[19]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related development

Comparable aircraft

Related lists

References

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Taylor 1993, pp. 606–607.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Yenne 1987, pp. 44–46.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Boyne 1998, pp. 135–137.
  4. ↑ Johnson, Clarence L. "Kelly". Kelly: More Than My Share of it All. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Books, 1985. ISBN 0-87474-491-1.
  5. ↑ http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=465
  6. ↑ Pace, Steve, X-Planes: Pushing the Envelope of Flight, Zenith Imprint (2003) ISBN 0760315841, 9780760315842, p. 17
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "The Star of Lisbon." Time, 22 June, 1946.
  8. ↑ Stringfellow and Bowers 1992, p. 120 caption.
  9. ↑ Germain 1998, p. 89.
  10. ↑ Swanborough, Gordon and Bowers, Peter M. United States Navy Aircraft Since 1911. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1976. ISBN 0-87021-968-5.
  11. ↑ Fahey, James C. The Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet, volumes 1-4, 1939-45. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1965.
  12. ↑ United States Air Force Museum 1975, p. 62
  13. ↑ Super Connie
  14. ↑ Historical Aircraft Restoration Society Super Constellation
  15. ↑ Airline History Museum at Kansas City
  16. ↑ UK Science Museum
  17. ↑ Museum Asas de um Sonho, in Portuguese [1]
  18. ↑ Cacutt 1989, pp. 314–322.
  19. ↑ Loftin, L.K. Jr. Quest for Performance: The Evolution of Modern Aircraft. NASA SP-468. Retrieved: 22 April, 2006.

Bibliography

  • Boyne, Walter J. Beyond the Horizons: The Lockheed Story. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1998. ISBN 0-31224-438-X.
  • Cacutt, Len, ed. “Lockheed Constellation.” Great Aircraft of the World. London: Marshall Cavendish, 1989. ISBN 1-85435-250-4.
  • Germain, Scott E. Lockheed Constellation and Super Constellation. North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, 1998. ISBN 1-58007-000-0.
  • Marson, Peter J. The Lockheed Constellation Series. Tonbridge, UK: Air-Britain (Historians), 1982. ISBN 0-85130-100-2.
  • Smith, M.J. Jr. Passenger Airliners of the United States, 1926-1991. Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Publishing Company, 1986. ISBN 0-933126-72-7.
  • Stringfellow, Curtis K. and Peter M. Bowers. Lockheed Constellation: A Pictorial History. St. Paul, Minnesota: Motorbooks, 1992. ISBN 0-87938-379-8.
  • Taylor, Michael J.H., ed. “Lockheed Constellation and Super Constellation.” Jane’s Encyclopedia of Aviation. New York: Crescent, 1993. ISBN 0-517-10316-8.
  • United States Air Force Museum. Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio: Air Force Museum Foundation. 1975. 
  • Yenne, Bill, Lockheed. Greenwich, Connecticut: Bison Books, 1987. ISBN 0-51760-471-X.

External links

Aircraft produced by Lockheed
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