Lockheed Constellation

Constellation
A USAF C-69, the military version of the Constellation
Role	Airliner and transport
Manufacturer	Lockheed
First flight	January 9, 1943
Introduction	1943 with USAAF 1945 with TWA
Retired	1990s, airline service 1978, military
Status	In very limited service
Primary users	Trans World Airlines Eastern Air Lines Pan American World Airways Air France
Produced	1943–1958
Number built	856
Developed from	L-044 Excalibur
Variants	L-049 Constellation C-69 Constellation L-649 Constellation L-749 Constellation L-1049 Super Constellation C-121/R7V Constellation R7V-2/YC-121F Constellation EC-121 Warning Star L-1649A Starliner
Developed into	Lockheed XB-30 (Unbuilt)

The Lockheed Constellation ("Connie") was a propeller-driven, four-engined airliner that was built by Lockheed Corporation between 1943 and 1958 at Burbank, California.

Lockheed built 856 in numerous models—all with the same triple-tail design and dolphin-shaped fuselage. Most were powered by four 18-cylinder Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclones. The Constellation was used as a civil airliner and as a military and civil air transport, seeing service in the Berlin Airlift and the Biafran airlift. It was the presidential aircraft for Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Design and development

Initial studies

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

Development of the Constellation

The Constellation's wing design was close to that of the P-38 Lightning, differing mostly in size.^[4] The triple tail kept the aircraft's height low enough to fit in existing hangars,^[3] while features included hydraulically boosted controls and a de-icing system used on wing and tail leading edges.^[1] The aircraft had a maximum speed of over 375 mph (600 km/h), faster than that of a Japanese Zero fighter, a cruise speed of 340 mph (550 km/h), and a service ceiling of 24,000 ft (7,300 m).^[5]

According to Anthony Sampson in Empires of the Sky, Lockheed may have undertaken the intricate design, but Hughes' intercession in the design process drove the concept, shape, capabilities, appearance, and ethos.^[6] These rumors were discredited by Johnson. Howard Hughes and Jack Frye confirmed that the rumors were not true in a letter in November 1941.^[7]

The famous 1953-54 Studebaker coupe, generally considered one of the most beautiful American automobile designs, was inspired in part by the design of the Constellation, according to its principal designer, Robert Bourke.

Operational history

World War II

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 January 9, 1943, a short ferry hop from Burbank to Muroc Field for testing.^[1] Edmund T. "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 proposed the model L-249 as a long-range bomber. It received the military designation XB-30 but the aircraft was not developed. A plan for a very long-range troop transport, the C-69B (L-349, ordered by Pan Am in 1940 as the L-149),^[8] was canceled. A single C-69C (L-549), a 43-seat VIP transport, was built in 1945 at the Lockheed-Burbank plant.

The C-69 was mostly used as a high-speed, long-distance troop transport during the war.^[9] A total of 22 C-69s were completed before the end of hostilities, but not all of these entered military service. The USAAF cancelled the remainder of the order in 1945. However, some aircraft remained in USAF service into the 1960s, serving as passenger ferries for the airline that relocated military personnel, and carrying the livery of MATS (the Military Air Transport System). At least one of these airplanes had passenger seats installed backward, with occupants facing toward the rear of the direction of travel during flight.

Postwar use

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

Trans World Airlines transatlantic service started on February 6, 1946 with a New York-Paris flight in a Constellation. On June 17, 1947 Pan American World Airways opened the first ever scheduled round-the-world service with their L-749 Clipper America. The famous flight "Pan Am 1" operated until 1982.

As the first pressurized airliner in widespread use, the Constellation helped to usher in affordable and comfortable air travel. Operators of Constellations included TWA, Eastern Air Lines, Pan American World Airways, Air France, BOAC, KLM, Qantas, Lufthansa, Iberia Airlines, Panair do Brasil, TAP Portugal, Trans-Canada Air Lines (later renamed Air Canada), Aer Lingus, VARIG, Cubana de Aviación and Línea Aeropostal Venezolana.

Records

Sleek and powerful, Constellations set a number of records. On April 17, 1944, the second production C-69, 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 (3,700 km) at an average 331 miles per hour (533 km/h)). On the return trip, the aircraft stopped at Wright Field to give Orville Wright his last 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 September 29, 1957 a TWA L-1649A flew from Los Angeles to London in 18 hours and 32 minutes (about 5,420 miles (8,720 km) at 292 miles per hour (470 km/h)). The L-1649A holds the record for the longest-duration, non-stop passenger flight. On TWA's first London-to-San Francisco flight on October 1–2, 1957, the aircraft stayed aloft for 23 hours and 19 minutes (about 5,350 miles (8,610 km) at 229 miles per hour (369 km/h)).

Obsolescence

The advent of jet airliners such as 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 in the lower 48 states was made by a TWA L749 on May 11, 1967, from Philadelphia to Kansas City, Missouri.^[10] Constellations carried freight in later years, and were used on backup sections of Eastern Airlines' shuttle service between New York, Washington, and Boston until 1968. Many old propeller airliners were used on overnight freight runs, even into the 1990s, as their low speed was not an impediment. An Eastern Constellation to date still holds the record for a New York to Washington flight from liftoff to touchdown in just over 30 minutes. The record was set prior to speed restrictions by the FAA below 10,000 ft.^[11]

One of the reasons for the elegant appearance of the aircraft was the fuselage shape—a continuously variable profile with no two bulkheads the same shape. Unfortunately, this construction was very expensive and was replaced by the mostly tube-shape of modern airliners. The tube is more resistant to pressurization changes and cheaper to build.

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, and Lockheed left the commercial airliner business permanently in 1983.^[12]

Variants

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 followed by the L-149 (L-049 modified to carry more fuel tanks). The first purpose-built passenger Constellation was the more powerful L-649 and L-749 (which had more fuel in the outer wings),^[8] L-849 (an unbuilt model to use the R-3350 TurboCompound engines adopted for the L-1049 ), L-949 (an unbuilt, high-density seating-cum-freighter type, what would come to be called a "combi"),^[8] followed by the L-1049 Super Constellation (with longer fuselage), L-1149 (proposal to use Allison turbine engines)^[8] and L-1249 (similar to L-1149, built as R7V-2/YC-121F),^[8] L-1449 (unbuilt proposal for L1049G, stretched 55 in (140 cm), with new wing and turbines)^[8] and L-1549 (unbuilt project to stretch L-1449 95 in (240 cm)),^[8] and L-1649 Starliner (all new wing and L1049G fuselage).^[8] Military versions included the C-69 and C-121 for the Army Air Forces/Air Force and the R7O R7V-1 (L-1049B) EC-121 WV-1 (L-749A) WV-2 (L-1049B) (widely known as the Willie Victor) and many variant EC-121 designations for the Navy ^[14][15]

Operators

After TWA's initial order was filled following World War II, customers rapidly accumulated, with over 800 aircraft built. In military service, the U.S. Navy and Air Force operated the EC-121 Warning Star variant until 1978, nearly 40 years after work on the L-049 began. Cubana de Aviación was the first airline in Latin America to operate Super Constellations. Pakistan International Airlines was the first airline from an Asian country to fly the Super Constellation.

Survivors

Commercial

• The Breitling Super Constellation: Swiss watch manufacturer Breitling sponsored a restoration of a C-121C Super Constellation, registration N73544, that is based in Basel and has since been featured in its advertisements. This plane is now registered in the Swiss Aircraft registry as HB-RSC.^[16]
• The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) secured and restored a former USAF C-121C Super Constellation (54-0157). The aircraft was subsequently painted in pseudo-Qantas livery (with the usual Qantas lettering along the fuselage replaced with the word "CONNIE") and registered in Australia as VH-EAG. The aircraft is currently based in Wollongong. This Constellation is one of two flying in the world.^[17]

• An L-1049H Constellation that was built originally in 1957, stored for several years, and then delivered to cargo carrier Slick Airways was restored in 1986 by the Save-a-Connie, Inc. organization in Kansas City, Missouri, now known as the Airline History Museum. Originally painted in red and white with Save-a-Connie it was later repainted in the 1950s livery of TWA to resemble its original "Star of America" Constellation.^[18] The aircraft appeared at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport at the original TWA terminal designed by Eero Saarinen to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the airline with the paint scheme donated by TWA in Kansas City for the occasion. The "Star of America" has appeared at many airshows and was even used in The Aviator, the 2004 film depicting the life of TWA's one-time owner Howard Hughes, the man often credited with helping design and develop the original Constellation series.^[19] After being grounded for the past few years, Star of America is currently being returned to airworthiness.

• An L-1049G Super Constellation in Lufthansa livery and with historic D-ALEM call letters is on display close to Munich International Airport, Munich, Germany, representing Lufthansa's first long-haul aircraft of 1955.^[20]

• One Super Constellation named City of Miami is parked on an unused runway in the Rafael Hernández Airport in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. It was struck by a runaway DC-4 at Aguadilla-Borinquen Airport, on February 3, 1992, resulting in damage to the right wing and main spar.^[21]

• ZS-DVJ c/n 1042 (L-1649A) of Trek Airways on display at OR Tambo International Airport, South Africa at the South African Airways Technical area. The aircraft is owned by the South African Airways Museum Society.^[22]

• The Dutch National Aviation museum Aviodrome acquired a VC-121A Constellation. It was restored to airworthy condition and ferried from Tucson, AZ to the Netherlands, where restoration continued. It is now painted in the KLM livery of the 1950s, depicting a KLM Lockheed L-749A. Thanks to a donation by Korean Air, who donated two airworthy engines, this aircraft is scheduled to be flying again. Renamed Flevoland, this is the only flying example of the "short" version of the Constellation.

• HL4003 of the former Korean National Airlines is displayed at Jeongseok Airport on Jeju island, South Korea. The current owner, Korean Air, keeps this aircraft in an airworthy state, and the aircraft flew under its own power from Seoul to its current location.^[23]

• N7777G is displayed in TWA colors (although this aircraft never flew for TWA) at the Large Item Storage facility for the UK Science Museum at Wroughton, near Swindon. This aircraft was used by the Rolling Stones to transport equipment during their 1973 Australian tour.^[24] It is the only UK Constellation and is viewable on certain open days.^[25]

• L-049 c/n 2072, federal registration N9412H (delivered as Air France's first Constellation in June 1946 as L-049 F-BAZA) is parked adjacent to a flight school and cafe at Greenwood Lake Airport in West Milford, New Jersey. It was sold to Frank Lembo Enterprises in May 1976 for $45,000 for use as a restaurant and lounge, and flown in to the airport in July 1977. It was sold to the State of New Jersey along with the airport in 2000, and the interior was refurbished and used as a flight school office in 2005.^[26]

• Two L-1649A Super Stars N7316C c/n 1018 and N8083H c/n 1038 (both ex-Alaska Airlines) are parked on private land next to the Lewiston-Auburn Municipal Airport in Auburn, Maine. The two aircraft were purchased at auction by the Deutsche Lufthansa Berlin Foundation. Lufthansa Technik North America has built a hangar at the airport, which will be used to overhaul N7316C to airworthy condition. The target date for completion of the overhaul was October 10, 2010.

• L-049 c/o 1970, N90831, one of the first Trans-World Airlines (TWA) aircraft and a former C-69 transport, s/n 42-94549 is displayed in outdoor exhibit on airliner row at Pima Air & Space Museum, Tucson, Arizona.^[27]

• L-049 c/o 2071, ex-KLM, ex-Capital Airlines, is on display at the TAM Museum, located in the TAM Airlines airfield, in Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil. Previously, it served as a children's attraction at the entrance of the Asuncion (Paraguay) International Airport.^[28]

• L-749 c/o 2503 is in the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace (The Museum of Air and Space) located in Le Bourget Airport, 10 km north of Paris. Parked in museum storage area since 1975 in good condition with minimal corrosion. Ex-Pan American « Clipper America » del. 6 June 1947 reg. N C86520; to Aerovías Guest Mexico (XA-GOQ 01/1948), Air France from 01/1949 to 10/1960 as F-BAZR; CGTM (Compagnie Générale des Turbo-Machines) as F-ZVMV for use as flying engine test until December 1974.^[29]

• L-1049G Super Constellation - CF-TGE (c/n 4544) Is on display at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington with its original Trans-Canada Air Lines markings (the company that operated it from 1954 to 1960s). After TCA service, it was sold to World Wide Airways and later retired in Montreal by 1965. Renovated as a restaurant and bar in and around the Montreal area. Sold and moved again to Toronto and used as convention facility by the Regal Constellation Hotel. Sold again and stored at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Finally sold and restored in Rome, New York and shipped to the Museum of Flight.^[30][31]

• L-1049G c/n 4519 F-BGNJ, formerly a C version, delivered to Air France on November 2, 1953, is undergoing a complete restoration for static display by the Amicale du Super Constellation located in Nantes Airport. It was upgraded to a L-1049 G in 1956 and was operational until August 8, 1967, having totaled 24,284 hours under Air France's colors. After retirement, it was sent to Spain, to be registered EC-BEN, briefly flying humanitarian and medevac missions in Biafra. Aero Fret bought it in 1968, brought it back home to France, registered as F-BRAD and operated on cargo hauls until 1974. When the Constellation landed in Nantes one last time to be scrapped, it was ultimately saved by Mr. Gaborit, who revamped it somewhat by his own modest means to finally park it near the terminal, accessible to visitors for a few years, until the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Nantes-Atlantique Airport bought it, to contract the Amicale du Super Constellation to undergo a complete restoration of the old aircraft.^[32]

• A Lufthansa L-1049G Super Constellation serial number 1049G4604, registration D-ALIN, is on display at the Flugausstellung Hermeskeil, near Hermeskeil, Germany. This is the actual aircraft Konrad Adenauer flew in to Moscow in 1955, when he negotiated the release of German POWs.

• L-1649A Starliner, N974R (c/n 1040) is on static display in front of the "Fantasy of Flight" attraction in Lakeland, Florida.^[33]

• L-749 Constellation, N2520B, in Aerosur livery is on static display on the 1st ring road in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. Known as "El Avión Pirata." ^[34]

• N4247K c/n 4144 was impounded at Manila Airport, Philippines, by June 1988 and stored in deteriorating condition at the Manila Airport,^[35] but in September 2014, was secured for removal and static preservation to the Qantas Founders Outback Museum, Longreach..^[36]

Military

• L-749A c/o 2613. First of two WV-1's delivered to the US Navy in 1949. Essentially a prototype for the Super Constellations that followed. Retired from the Navy in 1957, and served the FAA from 1958 to 1966. Flown to Salina, Kansas, in 1967, where it remains parked. Last flown in 1992.^[37]

• Three Constellations were used as Dwight D. Eisenhower's aircraft. The VC-121A Columbine (s/n 48-0614), was used during his role as SHAPE commander before he became president. It is currently on display at the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, on loan from the National Museum of the US Air Force.^[38]Columbine II (s/n 48-0610), the first Air Force One, is parked at Marana Regional Airport, near Tucson. The owner is hoping to find a museum willing to restore and display it.^[39][40] Two other Constellations, the VC-121E Columbine III (s/n 53-7885), used as Dwight D. Eisenhower's presidential aircraft, in addition to the EC-121 Warning Star (s/n 53-555) are fully restored and on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. Columbine III was retired to the Museum in 1966, and is displayed in the Museum's Presidential gallery. The interior of the aircraft is open to the public. The EC-121 Warning Star is on display in the Museum's Modern Flight Gallery.^[41]

• C-121A serial number 48-0613 (Bataan) is on display at Planes of Fame in Valle, Arizona. This Constellation is in flying condition. According to the Museum's website, this aircraft was used as a personal transport by General Douglas MacArthur during the Korean War, and later by other Army general officers until 1966, when it was retired and transferred to the U.S. space agency NASA. After its acquisition by Planes of Fame, it was restored to its original configuration with a "VIP interior."

• C-121C is on display at the National Air and Space Museum, Udvar-Hazy Center located at Dulles Airport in Virginia and this aircraft flew as an Air Force C-121C and is painted in the colors of the Air National Guard.^[42]

• EC-121A serial number 48-0614, markings 7167th Special Air Missions Squadron, Wiesbaden Air Base, Germany, 1951 - First as a personal transport used by Dwight D. Eisenhower in his office as Supreme Commander, Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), is displayed in an outdoor exhibit at Pima Air & Space Museum, Tucson, Arizona.^[43]

• EC-121D Warning Star is on display at the Aerospace Museum of California at the former McClellan Air Force Base in North Highlands, California. This aircraft is on loan from the National Museum of the United States Air Force.^[44]

• EC-121D, Navy BuNo 141311, is on display at the Chanute Aerospace Museum at the former Chanute AFB in Rantoul, Illinois.

• EC-121T, serial number 52-3425, is on display at the Peterson Air and Space Museum at Peterson AFB in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Previously assigned to the 966th AEWCS at McCoy AFB, Florida and then the 79th AEWCS at Homestead AFB, Florida, it was the last operational EC-121 and was deployed by the 79th AEWCS to NAS Keflavik, Iceland. It was delivered to Peterson AFB in October 1978.^[45]

• EC-121T serial number 53-0554, with markings from the 79th Airborne Warning and Control Squadron, Homestead AFB, Florida, 1974 is displayed in the outdoor exhibit at Pima Air & Space Museum, Tucson, Arizona. As of April 6, 2014, it is undergoing restoration on its radome.^[46]

• RC-121D serial number 52-3418 (N4257U c/n 4336 federal registration) was delivered to the Air Force in October 1954. Then it was redesignated EC-121D 1962, converted to EC-121T but the upper radome was not removed. Reassigned to USAF Reserves at Homestead AFB, Florida by July 1974, it was retired and flown to Davis Monthan AFB for storage on April 7, 1976. Reassigned to the Combat Air Museum, Topeka, Kansas, on March 1981 as N4257U, the RC-121D was ferried to Topeka, Kansas, on June 1981 with Frank Lang in command.

• IN315, an Indian Navy L1049G (former Air India L1049E VT-DHM 'Rani of Ellora') Super Constellation is on display at the Naval Aviation Museum at Dabolim in Goa, India.^[47]

Specifications (L-1049G Super Constellation)

Data from Great Aircraft of the World^[48] and Quest for Performance^[49]

General characteristics

• Crew: five, flight crew, varying cabin crew
• Capacity: typically 62–95 passengers (109 in high-density configuration)
• Length: 116 ft 2 in (35.42 m)
• Wingspan: 126 ft 2 in (38.47 m)
• Height: 24 ft 9 in (7.54 m)
• Wing area: 1,654 ft² (153.7 m²)
• Empty weight: 79,700 lb (36,150 kg)
• Useful load: 65,300 lb (29,620 kg)
• Max. takeoff weight: 137,500 lb (62,370 kg)
• Powerplant: 4 × Wright R-3350-DA3 Turbo Compound 18-cylinder supercharged radial engines, 3,250 hp (2,424 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 377 mph (327 kn, 607 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 340 mph (295 kn, 547 km/h) at 22,600 ft (6,890 m)
• Stall speed: 100 mph (87 kn, 160 km/h)
• Range: 5,400 mi (4,700 nmi, 8,700 km)
• Service ceiling: 24,000 ft (7,620 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,620 ft/min (8.23 m/s)
• Wing loading: 87.7 lb/ft² (428 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 0.094 hp/lb (0,155 W/kg)

Accidents and incidents

See also

• Robert Nietzel Buck

Related development

• L-049 Constellation
• C-69 Constellation
• L-649 Constellation
• L-749 Constellation
• L-1049 Super Constellation
• C-121/R7V Constellation
• EC-121 Warning Star
• L-1249 Super Constellation (R7V-2/YC-121F)
• L-1649A Starliner

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Boeing 377
• Douglas DC-4E
• Douglas DC-6
• Douglas DC-7
• Bristol Britannia

Related lists

• List of Lockheed aircraft
• List of models of the Lockheed Constellation
• List of military aircraft of the United States
• List of military aircraft of the United States (naval)

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lockheed Constellation.

• Lockheed Martin official site
• Popular Mechanics, June 1943, The Flying Shark one of the first detailed articles on the C-69 Constellation
• Connie Survivors
• Goleta Air and Space Museum: Lockheed Constellation Survivors
• Warbird Alley: Connie page
• Gallery of civilian and military Lockheed Constellations worldwide and links to other galleries.
• A photograph and description of VH-EAB and two colored promotional posters for Qantas Empire Airways's Constellation services, Qantas Empire Airways Lockheed L749 Constellation VH-EAB.
• Restoration of Lockheed L-1649A Super Star to airworthy condition by Lufthansa Technik
• One of four similar aerial photographs of VH-EAB by Frank Hurley, with brief annotation
• MATS Connie; aircraft specifications
• Super Constellation Flyers Association
• Many detailed close-up photographs of the Constellation from the Airline History Museum
• Travelling by the Constellation. Air France clips and pictures from the 1950s (in French)
• Maintenance parts catalog Constellation model L-049 reissue:1947
• Super Connies in São Tomé airport, survivors of Biafra Airlift

Lockheed and Lockheed Martin aircraft Airliners and civil transports Vega Model 8 Sirius Altair Model 9 Orion Model 10 Electra Model 12 Electra Junior Model 14 Super Electra Model 18 Lodestar Constellation L-049 L-649 L-749 L-1049 Super Constellation L-1249 Super Constellation L-1649 Starliner Saturn L-188 Electra L-402 JetStar L-100 Hercules L-1011 TriStar Military transports C-69 Constellation C-121 Constellation C-130 Hercules C-130J Super Hercules HC-130 KC-130 LC-130 MC-130 C-141 Starlifter C-5 Galaxy R6V Constitution Tristar (RAF) Attack and bombers YP-24 Hudson XB-30 Ventura AC-130 A-4AR Fightinghawk F-117 Nighthawk Have Blue FB-22 Drones/UAVs AQM-60 Kingfisher D-21 Desert Hawk Desert Hawk III MQM-105 Aquila Polecat RQ-3 Darkstar RQ-170 Sentinel DC-130 EW and reconnaissance YO-3 EC-121 Warning Star EC-130 EC-130H Compass Call WC-130 EP-3 U-2 TR-X A-12 SR-71 Blackbird Fighters XFM-2 YP-24 P-38 Lightning XP-49 XP-58 Chain Lightning P-80 Shooting Star XF-90 F-94 Starfire F-104 Starfighter variants YF-12 F-16 Fighting Falcon F-22 Raptor YF-22 F-35 Lightning II Helicopters CL-475 XH-51 AH-56 Cheyenne VH-71 Kestrel Maritime patrol P-2 Neptune P-3 Orion P-7 S-3 Viking CP-140 Aurora Trainers T-33 T2V SeaStar Experimental L-133 NF-104A Senior Peg Senior Prom XC-35 XF-104 XV-4 Hummingbird X-7 X-17 X-26B Frigate CL-1200 Lancer X-33 X-35 X-44 X-55 X-56 XFV Other Air Express Big Dipper Model 44 Excalibur Explorer Little Dipper

Lockheed Constellation family Constellation L-049 (C-69) L-149 L-549 (C-69C) L-649 L-749 (C-121A/B PO-1W/WV-1) Super Constellation L-1049 (C-121C/G/J EC-121 R7O-1/R7V-1 WV-2/WV-3) L-1249 (YC-121F * R7V-2) Starliner L-1649 See also List of models of the Lockheed Constellation List of Lockheed Constellation operators List of accidents and incidents involving the Lockheed Constellation

United States military transport aircraft designations, Army/Air Force and Tri-Service systems Army/Air Force sequence (1925-1962) C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7 C-8 C-9 C-10 C-11 C-12 C-131 C-14 C-15 C-16 C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20 C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27 C-28 C-29 C-30 C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34 C-35 C-36 C-37 C-38 C-39 C-40 C-41/A C-42 C-43 C-44 C-45 C-46 C-47/T C-48 C-49 C-50 C-51 C-52 C-53 C-54 C-55 C-56 C-57 C-58 C-59 C-60 C-61 C-62 C-63 C-64 C-65 C-66 C-67 C-68 C-69 C-70/A/B/C/D C-71 C-72 C-73 C-74 C-75 C-76 C-77/B-D C-78 C-79 C-80 C-81 C-82 C-83 C-84 C-85 C-86 C-87 C-88 C-89 C-90 C-91 C-92 C-93 C-94 C-95 C-96 C-97/KC-97 C-98 C-99 C-100 C-101 C-102 C-103 C-104 C-105 C-106 C-107 C-108 C-109 C-110 C-111 C-112 C-113 C-114 C-115 C-116 C-117 C-118 C-119 C-120 C-121/F C-122 C-123/A C-124 C-125 C-126 C-127 (I) C-127 (II) C-128 C-129 C-130/J C-131 C-132 C-133 C-134 C-135/KC-135 C-136 C-137 C-1381 C-1391 C-140 C-141 C-142 Tri-service sequence (1962-present) C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7/B C-8 C-9 C-10 C-11 C-12 C-131 C-14 C-15 C-161 C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20A-D/F-H C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27/J C-28 C-29 C-301 C-31 C-32 C-33 C-341 C-35 C-36 C-37A/B C-38 C-391 C-40 C-41 C-421 C-431 C-441 C-45 C-46 Revived original sequence (2005-present) C-143 C-144 C-145 C-146 Non-sequential designations C-767 C-880 1 Not assigned See also: AC-47  • AC-119  • AC-130  • DC-130  • EC-130  • HC-130  • KC-130  • LC-130  • MC-130  • WC-130  • CT-39  • CT-43

USN/USMC transport designations 1931–1962 Atlantic Aircraft RA Budd RB Curtiss RC R2C4 R3C4 R4C R5C Douglas RD R2D R3D R4D R5D R6D Bellanca RE Kinner RK Kreider-Reisner RK2 R2K Martin RM Lockheed RO R2O R3O R4O R5O R6O R7O-1/-2 to "V" Stinson RQ R2Q2 R3Q Fairchild RQ R2Q R3Q2 R4Q Ford RR Sikorsky RS Northrop RT Lockheed from "O" R6V R7V-1/-2 R8V Convair RY R2Y R3Y R4Y 1 Not assigned  • 2 Assigned to a different manufacturer's type  • 3 Sequence restarted  • 4 Assigned to a different class of aircraft

USN/USMC patrol aircraft designations 1923–1962 Patrol Boeing XPB PB P2B P3B Douglas PD P2D P3D Grumman PF Hall PH P2H General Aviation PJ Keystone PK Martin PM P2M P3M P4M P5M P6M P7M Naval Aircraft Factory PN P2N P3N1 P4N Lockheed PO Sikorsky PS P2S Lockheed PV P2V P3V Consolidated PY P2Y P3Y P4Y-1 P4Y-2 P5Y P6Y Patrol Bomber Boeing PBB PB2B North American PBJ Martin PBM PB2M Naval Aircraft Factory PBN Lockheed PBO Sikorsky PBS Canadian Vickers PBV Consolidated PBY PB2Y PB3Y PB4Y-1 PB4Y-2 Patrol Torpedo Bomber Hall PTBH 1 Not assigned

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