Lockheed Constellation

The prototype Constellation NX25800 (msn1961) completed its maiden flight in January 1943. Although both TWA and Pan American had placed orders for the aircraft, the small number (22) then produced were quickly pressed into military service, as the C-69, for the war effort Also, its existence could no longer be denied and the world learned about the Connie. The C-69 could accommodate 63 military men and with a full load its range was 3685 kms.
The engine chosen was the new Wright R-3350. The Boeing B-29 was also powered by these engines and priority during the war to this bomber meant fewer numbers for the Constellation. But this fell away after the war. Wright's R-3350 engine was a twin-row, 18-cylinder, air-cooled radial engine. It was designed in 1936 and first testrun in 1937. The R-3350-35 Duplex Cyclone was capable of 2.200 horsepower at 2.800 RPM at sea level.
One more interesting detail about the speed: a W.W.2 fighter such as the Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk was capable of doing 357 mph at 15.000 ft. The Connie moved at 360 mph at 20.000 ft ! Not bad for a transport, weighing some 40 tons….!
The fact that the 'Connie' had to cruise "over the weather" at 20.000 ft (service ceiling of 35.000 ft), meant that a pressurization system had to be installed. The test model was tested for an altitude of 55.000 ft in a makeshift altitude chamber, made from an oil storage tank.
The original model 49s had their civilian interiors stripped and a combination of seats and benches installed, among other modifications, in order to be accepted by the Army as C-69s. At the end of WWII, Lockheed bought back from the Army as many as were available, and took those C-69s still on the production line and converted them back to model 49s and began delivering "Connies" to the airlines of the world. All model 49s were basically "dressed up" C-69s. A rash of incidents in 1945 and 1946 caused this first civilian model of the Connie to be grounded for six weeks in July/August 1946 while the government aviation experts tried to sort out the causes. Over the first few years some 486 modifications were carried out.
It was found the aircraft had no basic flaws and it was again pronounced airworthy, though engine problems continued to plague the aircraft. The Wright R-3350 Cyclone engines remained the cause for many problems, e.g. engine fires, overheating, etc.
Read a true account of travel on a Connie in those days: Consternation on a Constellation L.049 PH-TAV 'Venlo" of KLM

On Aug. 04th 1945 a C-69 42-94551 flew from New York to Paris in 14 hrs and 12 mins. A record ! The crew was from TWA. They had made an arrangement that long range flights were flown by TWA crew on the aircaft that had been destined for TWA and consequently TWA had gained considerable experience when the war came to an end.
With the end of World War II, the Constellation entered service with TWA in 1946 and was used on both transcontinental and transatlantic flights. The aircraft proved to be extremely popular and was soon bought by a number of other airlines.
A total of 88 C-69 and L-049 were produced. Fly away costs would range between us$ 685.000 and us$ 720.000, depending on interior configurations. They were initially delivered to: TWA (31), Pan American World Airways (22), KLM (6), American Overseas Airlines (7), BOAC (6), Air France (5), Capital (2), LAV (2) and El Al (4). One prototype and 2 production models crashed before their deliveries.

Lockheed L-649

Type	DC-4	L-049	DC-6B	L-749A
Wingspan	117 ft 6 in	123 ft	117 ft 6 in	123 ft
Length	93 ft 10 in	95 ft 3 in	100 ft 7 in	97 ft 4 in
Height	27 ft 6 in	23 ft 8 in	29 ft 1 in	22 ft 5 in
Empty Weight	43.300 lbs	39.392 lbs	55.357 lbs	56.590 lbs
Gross Weight	73.000 lbs	86.250 lbs	107.000 lbs	107.000 lbs
Cruise speed	227 mph	313 mph	315 mph	305 mph
Ceiling	-	25.300 ft	29.000 ft	24.100 ft
Range	2.500 miles	2.290 miles	3.005 mls	2.600 mls
Payload	11.400 lbs	18.423 lbs	19.200 lbs	20.276 lbs
Passengers	44-86	81	54/102	81
Remarks	non-pressurized	pressurized	pressurized	pressurized

The L-649 (NX101A, msn2518) made its first flight on Oct. 18th 1946. Lockheed had to face the competition of Douglas (DC-6) and Boeing (B-377 Stratocruiser). The heavier L-649 improved Connie's speed, range and payload thanks to the new R-3350-C18D-1 engines, each good for 2.500 horsepower. Improvements were also made on heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Engine noise was reduced by better cabin insulation.

Lockheed L-749

Military versions, part One

The Lockheed L-1049

Type	DC-7C	L-1049G	L-1649A	B-377 Strat
Wingspan	127 ft 6 in	123 ft 5 in	150 ft	141 ft 3 in
Length	112 ft 3 in	116 ft 2 in	116 ft 2 in	110 ft 4 in
Height	31 ft 10 in	24 ft 9 in	23 ft 4.8 in	Unknown
Empty Weight	72.763 lbs	69.326 lbs	85.262 lbs	83.500 lbs
Gross Weight	143.000 lbs	137.500 lbs	156.000 lbs	145.800 lbs
Cruise speed	355 mph	311 mph	342 mph	340 mph
Ceiling	21.700 ft	22.800 ft	23.700 ft	32.000 ft
Range	3.280 mls	3.463 mls	5.410 mls	4.600 mls
Payload	23.350 lbs	18.300 lbs	24.335 lbs	23.930 lbs
Passengers	54/102	99	99	55/100

Four L-1049Ds cargo planes were produced for Seaboard & Western with a cargodoor forward and one aft of the wing.

The L-1049E featured some further structural improvements and saw orders by Qantas (9), KLM (4), Air India (3), Avianca (3), Iberia (3), Trans Canada A/l (3), LAV-Venzuela (2) and Compania Cubana (1); making a total of 28.

The Douglas DC-7 cruised a little faster than the L-1049C, but the improved L-1049G featured fueltanks on the wingtips. Thus the range was increased by 700 miles. The L-1049G featured some 100 design improvements over the L-1049E model, working to get things better and better. TWA named them "Super G's" and they could fly 4.140 miles (6.625 kms) with an 18.300 pound payload (with reduced payload and 8.500 lbs more fuel, range increased to 5.250 miles or 8.400 kms). The L-1049G received orders by Air France (14), Air India (5), Avianca (1), Compania Cubana (3), Eastern A/l (10), Howard Hughes (1), Iberia (2), KLM (6), LAV (2), Lufthansa (8), Northwest A/l (4), Qantas (2), TAP (3), Thai Airways (3), Trans Canada A/l (4), TWA (28) and Varig (6); making a total of 102 !

The model L-1049H was basically a convertible "Super G" : in a matter of a few hours the aircraft could be converted from a passenger plane to a cargo plane. The protoype made its first flight on Sep.20th 1956. The 'H model was ordered by Air Finance Corp.(3), California Eastern (5), Dollar (1), Flying Tiger Line (13), Gulf Eastern (5), KLM (3), National A/l (4), Pakistan Int'l (2), REAL (4), Resort A/l (2), Seaboard Western (5), Slick Airways (3), Trans Canada A/l (2), Transocean A/l (1), TWA (4) and Qantas (2).A total of 59 L-1049Hs were produced.

Military versions, part Two

Laurie Ford sent me this fine photo by Lewis Tappan of Lockheed PO-2W Warning Star BuN. 145934 (1049A-5515)

Lockheed PO-2W Warning Star BuN. 145934 (1049A-5515). Photo by Lewis Tappan, provided by Laurie Ford.

Laurie wrote (04Jun2022): "This photo belonged to Ellen Tappan (deceased) and was one of a collection of slides belonging to her husband Lewis Tappan (deceased). He was obviously in the US Navy and, I believe, flew on the DEW line. Ellen was my partner for 10 years, which is why I have a slight interest. Ellen died of leukaemia in 2011 in Australia. I helped her convert hundreds of Lewis's slides to digital."
Read the story about this Warning Star, loosing part of the rh-wing in Tropical Storm 'Judy', on my Photos by Friends & Guests #64!

In 1962 the task of enemy submarines "detect & destroy" was added and the aircraft updated to this task were designated C-121P; in 1962 the WV-2 was redesignated C-121K, during a process of massive redesignations in the American Air Force, Navy & Marine Corps.
The Weather Reconnaissance task was recognized as a special task and squadron VW-4 received a revised model WV-2, later redesignated WV-3 (WC-121N). Eight new WV-3s were assigned and another 12 WV-2s were rebuilt to WV-3 standard.
The USAF placed an order for 33 Super Constellations, designated C-121C, in 1951. The USMC followed in 1952 with an order for 51 (designated R7V-1); 32 of these were transferred to the USAF in 1958, as C-121Gs, recognizing the USAF's Military Air Transport Service (MATS) as the "airline" of the armed forces.
A VC-121C replaced the Presidential VC-121B and was named "Columbine III".
The C-121Cs and -Gs were handed over to 5 squadrons of the Air National Guard in 1963, later followed by another 2 squadrons. Five C-121Cs were rebuilt for electronic warfare and were designated EC-121S; these were 54-0155, 54-0159, 54-0164, 54-0170 and 54-0173.
Deliveries to the USAF started in 1953 of Radar Early Warning versions, almost similar to the R7V-1 of the Marine Corps; these (10) were designated RC-121C and operated for Air Defense Command. An improved version, similar to the L-1049G (including tiptanks), was designated RC-121D; 72 were built and delivered.
In 1962 42 EC-121Ds were reconfigured to EC-121H; they featured advanced electronic equipment and a computer that was linked to the system of NORAD (North American Air Defense Command).
Thirty ex/~~Marine Corps~~ US Navy EC-121Ks went to the USAF for use in Vietnam; they were stuffed with the most advanced electronics. These were designated EC-121R and were used for electronic surveillance, airborne command posts but also to drop recon. units behind enemy lines and "stayed in touch". These Connies were the first to operate in camouflage colourschemes.

In Nov.2005 I received the following email from Scott Bates:
Just a matter of correction on your nice site. The Marines never fielded an EC or WC Connie. The few they ever operated were passenger or cargo versions only.
The real operators of all non- Air Force early warning Connies were the US Navy. I include the following web site as proof. http://home.comcast.net/~elmccaul/WVRoster/index.html (link no longer active, sorry)

Additionally, I consider the fact that my Father served in both VW-1 and VW-3, flying this beautiful airplane as qualification to make this statement. In contrast to your website which only mentions VW-4, you should check out these other two squadrons, as they managed a far better safety and tracking record of Tropical systems than VW-4 did. No offense to VW-4 is intended, as until NOAA got their L-188's and the Air Force organized the 53WRS at Keesler AFB, VW-4 was alone on the East Coast tracking these hurricanes. But comparing the Atlantic to the Pacific is really no contest, and VW-4 only had the Atlantic to deal with (and the Gulf of Mexico) whereas the Pacific was covered by VW-1 and VW-3. At least until VW-1 absorbed VW-3 in 1960.
Steve Miller came to the rescue with following confirmation and added details:
The 30 EC-121R's were former US Navy (not Marine) airplanes. Initially produced as WV-2's and subsequently modified to other AEW configurations (EC-121K, EC-121P, etc).
They were transferred to the USAF (serials 67-21471/21500) for the Igloo White program, dropping seismic and sound sensors along the Ho Chi Minh Trail to monitor North Vietnamese traffic.
Thanks Steve!
In April 2006 John Lameck wrote me with the following:
" The ANG units that flew C-121C and G's were primarily all transport units, originally designated Aeromedical Transport Squadrons; later Military Airlift Squadrons.
ANG units known to have flown the C-121C/G are:
140 ATS PA ANG (1962/67) which became the 193rd TEWS
147 ATS PA ANG (1963/72) which now fly KC-135Es
150 ATS NJ ANG (1961/73) which now fly KC-135Es
167 ATS WV ANG (1963/72) which now fly C-130Hs
183 ATS MS ANG (1961/67) whch now fly C-141B/C
187 ATS WY ANG (1963/72) which now fly C-130Hs
193 TEWS PA ANG (1967/77) which now fly EC-130E/Js
NOTE: the 140 Sqdn designator is not currently in use by any ANG unit.
The only ANG unit to fly EC-121s was the 193rd TEWS (Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron) of the Pennsylvania ANG. They only used EC-121S' and then only of the 1954 serial year. They did have one C-121G. Aircraft they used are listed below:
54-0155 EC-121S
54-0157 EC-121S
54-0170 EC-121S
54-0173 EC-121S
54-4073 C-121G"

Lockheed L-1449

Lockheed produced an L-1449 to beat the DC-7C. It featured Pratt & Whitney T-34 turboprops, delivering a stunning 6.000 hp ! The military were the driving force behind this project. But P&W cancelled the project after development delays and information that Lockheed intended to stretch the L-1449 with 108 inches, feeling the capabilities of the T-34s would be overreached.

Lockheed L-1649A

Finally, in 1957, the L-1649A Starliner version of the Super Constellation was introduced. No plain L-1649s were produced. TWA named them Jetstreams. Featuring a one-piece 150-foot wing, the Starliner was powered by four 3,400 horsepower Curtiss-Wright turbo-compound engines and remained in service until the introduction of jetpowered passenger planes. It featured a new, longer, narrower wing which provided for nearly double the fuel capacity of the first Connie, to 9.728 gallons (36.966 liters) and well over twice the range with maximum payload, to over 5,400 miles (8,690 km).
First flight was in Oct.10th 1956. It had a better range performance than the DC-7C. 19-hour non-stop eastbound flights from Los Angeles to London could be made over the polar route !!

The Starliner could reach any European capitol non-stop from any major airport in the US. The Starliner could fly New York to Paris in 3 hours less time, with the same payload, than the DC-7C. It was the fastest piston engined airliner at ranges over 4,000 miles (6,437 km) ever built.
The L-1649 was ordered by TWA (25), Air France (10), Lufthansa (to TWA, 4), LAI (4) and 1 prototype.
But 121 Douglas DC-7s were produced compared to 44 Starliners. The Constellations were considered to be heavy on the controls, more difficult to fly than the Douglas airliners because they were larger, heavier aircraft. The DC-7C was also earlier available to airline companies, explaining in part why more were produced.
The Starliner holds the record for the longest piston-engine airliner flight: 23 hours and 20 minutes, set in October 1957.

Stefan Bailis wrote me in Dec.2005:
"From my experience flying the DC-7 versus the Super Connie and Starliner, the controls were harder--not easier--on the DC-7 ! Remember the Connies had hydraulically boosted surfaces. Also, the yoke itself was a bit more comfortable on the Connie than on the DC-6/7. The differences are not huge, but they are there. Certainly the controls are easier on the jets. Aircraft like the 727 can be flown pretty easily with one hand, while the DC-6/7 and Connies are best flown with two hands when making rapid changes in roll."
Thanks Stef !

The production line closed on Feb.12th 1958 when the last Starliner was delivered to Lufthansa, after a production run of 16 years. In 1960 6 TWA Starliners were converted to "freighters" by Lockheed Aircraft Services, later followed by another 6, replacing L-1049Hs on trans-atlantic cargo routes.
1958 was also the year that more passengers crossed the Atlantic by air than over sea.....

Lockheed built a total of 856 Constellations (331 of these were for the military). In their later life, some were used to smuggle arms, aliens and drugs. More than one Connie has been used as a restaurant or cocktail lounge. They were used for spraying, for developing aerial electronic surveillance from its infancy to an "art form". But they were also used to carry thousands of tons of food to starving nations: remember the Biafra Airlift.
In the end, the Connie was brought down by the fast developing technology of the jet engine, and in particular the Boeing 707 jet airliner. Larger, faster, and more profitable aircraft have come and gone in the intervening fifty-odd years, but the "Connie" remains to this day one of the most beautiful aircraft ever built.

Here are 2 images from a SPAR Supermarket / KLM add campaign, dating from the early 1950s, titles (translated) "For the housewife: The SPAR - for Travel: KLM . The image at top of the page, of PH-TAV, is from the same campaign.

Passenger boarding the KLM flight, a Lockheed Constellation

Engines start up

Earles L. McCaul wrote me in august 2015, with a personal account from the days flying as a crew member on the Lockheed Constellation. An an aviation enthusiast he compiled the website 'The Willie Victor Roster' (it listed all the Navy squadrons flying WV-2/EC-121 aircraft by Lockheed number & USN Bureau Number and brief history record, most with a picture. ), but the website is no longer online.

Earles wrote me: " I was one of the 'backend cargo' (AEW/CIC/ECM operator); just one of up to 30 crew members.
I flew the Navy's North Atlantic GIUK Barrier (seaward extension of DEW Line), Pacific weather reconnaissance ("Typhoon Trackers"), night fleet surveillance in Viet Nam/South China Sea (7th Fleet), and missile launch missions (PMR Pt. Mugu,CA). All in USN Lockheed EC-121 'Warning Star' aircraft.

My whole brief (7 yr. 8 mo.) Naval career was spent flying in 'Connies (R7V-1/C-121 and WV-2/EC-121).

During the 'Cold War' period, both the USN and USAF provided round-the-clock (24/7) over-water early warning barriers against Russian bombers.
The USN flew 'outer' east & west coast extensions of the DEW Line from Midway Island in Pacific and from Argentia, Newfoundland in Atlantic, while the USAF flew east & west 200-mile 'inner' coastal early warning barriers from McClellan AFB, California (west) and from Otis AFB, Maine (east).

The USN and USAF barrier squadrons involved were:
• USN Atlantic: VW-11, VW-13 and VW-15 (supported by AEWTULANT) from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland (home base), and NS Argentia, Newfoundland (deployment)...and later Keflavik, Iceland.
• USN Pacific: initially VW-12, VW-14 and VW-16, but quickly consolidated into one huge squadron, AEWBARONPAC, home based at NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii, deployed from Midway Island.
• USAF Atlantic: 551 Wing, 960 & 961 AEW&C Squadrons at Otis AFB, Maine.
• USAF Pacific: 552 Wing, 964 & 965 AEW&C Squadrons at McClellan AFB, California.
• USAF Caribbean: 552 Wing, 966 AEW&C Squadron at McCoy AFB, Florida.

Most of my (VW-13 & VW-11) barrier flights were about 12-14 hours, depending upon weather conditions (head winds!). However, my longest flight was 16.1 hours; that was still less than the almost 20 hours flight duration capability of the EC-121's!
Those R-3350-34, turbo-compound engines were VERY fuel efficient, consuming only about 100 gallons per hour, per engine, at 180 knot cruise or about 400 gallons per hour versus 8,760 gallons of 115/145 AVGAS capacity. The longest flight I *heard* of was slightly over 19 hours during an extended search/rescue mission, looking for missing VW-15 aircraft BuNo 141310 (never found).
We jokingly referred to our barrier flights as "10,000 spare parts flying in close formation" that were "boring holes in the sky".

In addition to the barrier squadrons, the USN also had two weather reconnaissance squadrons -- Pacific: VW-1 'Typhoon Trackers' at NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii, initially, then NAS Agaña, Guam; Atlantic: VW-4 'Hurricane Hunters' at NAS Jacksonville, Florida, and later at NS Roosevelt Road, Puerto Rico. I flew with VW-1 ('66-'68) which did both weather recon and 7th Fleet night barrier reconnaissance (from Chu Lai, RVN).

My last duty station was USN Pacific Missile Range (PMR) at NAS Pt. Mugu, California, flying 'range operations', in support of USN and USAF missile launches and flights: literally 'chasing' missile flights at launch and recovery to collect/record missile instrumentation telemetry data."

Source:

Propliner Magazine, published 4x a year. Publications ceased in 2015 and changed into an annual publication.
Lockheed Constellation & Super Constellation, Airliner Tech Series Vol.1, by Scott E. Germain (Specialty Press, 1998; ISBN 1-58007-000-0).
De Lockheed Constellation, Een Legende van Schoonheid (Dutch), by Giesbert Oskam & Dr. Roger Soupart (All Media Productions, 2001; ISBN 90-9015068-4)

My report on Aviodrome's Lockheed Constellation N749NL 'Dutch Connie' at Lelystad,NL on Sept.28th 2002: Connie's Comeback !
Here is a tale about a Connie: Truth is often stranger than fiction...

You'll also find a good many 1960s and 1970s Connies on my galleries dedicated to vintage aviation photos by Bill Hill and Richard Nash.

External links:
Ralph Pettersen's: Surviving Lockheed Constellations
Here is a nice website with a list of KLM's Connies
Lockheed Constellation info on Wikipedia.org
Wikipedia: Lockheed Constellation variants
Stefan Bailis provided the following links (Acrobat Reader files):
For 1049 series see Aircraft Spec 6A5
For 1649A see Aircraft Spec 4A17

Henk Geerlings made this copy of a Ferry Permit available, of KLM's PH-LKM.
Note the condition "Intentional aerobatics are prohibited during the flights authorized hereby". No funny stuff!
Ferry Permit for KLM PH-LKM
PH-LKM 'Hugo de Groot' was a Lockheed L.1049H Super Constellation and the above is how it started.
It met, however, with a tragic end: Wikipedia on KLM Flight 607-E

The Lockheed Constellation 'Speedpack'
Lockheed Constellation speedpack

By the end-1940s transport of cargo by air increased rapidly and amongst others KLM encountered capacity problems sometimes in terms of volume, next to the baggage of passengers. So a solution was embraced: the Speedpack.
On request by Eastern Air Lines the engineers of Lockheed had developed an external freight container which fitted underneath the Lockheed Constellation.
It was the L-649 version of the Constellation that first fitted the speedpack.
The bulky container was over 10 meters in length, over 2 meters in width and almost 1 meter in depth. Total capacity was 120 m³and over 3700 kgs in 7 compartments.
An electric hinge lowered the Speedpack to the ground where it could be (un)loaded with freight. To facilitate ground movement it was fitted with 2 wheels, semi-recessed at both ends of the container.
KLM ordered 7 units by end-1946.

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Lockheed Constellation: background information

The Lockheed L-049 Constellation...