Lockheed Constellation family
| Lockheed Constellation family | |
|---|---|
.jpg) L-1049F Super Constellation (C-121C) |
|
| Type: | Long-haul airliner |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
January 9, 1943 |
| Commissioning: |
1944 |
| Production time: |
1942 to 1958 |
| Number of pieces: |
856 |
The Lockheed Constellation family of types ( colloquially known as "Connie" or "Super Connie" in aviation language) comprises a series of four-engine propeller - driven aircraft with piston engines from the US aircraft manufacturer Lockheed . The prototype of the first version, the Lockheed Constellation , took off on its maiden flight on January 9, 1943 in Burbank, California . The Constellation, which was first used in scheduled services in February 1946, was the second long-haul airliner to be equipped with both a pressurized cabin and air conditioning after the Boeing 307 Stratoliner, which was only built ten times from 1938 to 1940 . The curved shape of the fuselage, adapted to the course of the flow, led to the Constellation being regarded as one of the most beautifully shaped and elegant commercial aircraft.
The Super Constellation and finally the Starliner were created through various further developments and enlargements . The latter, together with the competitor Douglas DC-7 C, is still considered the technical highlight of long-haul aircraft with piston engine propulsion. After a total of 856 copies were built, production was discontinued in 1958, forced by the transition to the jet aircraft age .
Airplanes of the Constellation series were mainly used by civilian users, but also numerous by military operators. In the latter, the United States Air Force (USAF) and the US Navy dominated with over 300 copies .
history
In the summer of 1939, billionaire Howard Hughes , main owner of Trans World Airlines (TWA) , commissioned Lockheed in Burbank to develop a 40-seat airliner with a transcontinental range of around 5500 km.
The L-049 Constellation prototype made its maiden flight from Burbank on January 9, 1943. However, since the USA was now actively participating in World War II , the planes actually commissioned by civil airlines were taken over as C-69 by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) . They initially ordered additional copies, a total of 202, but in the spring of 1945 they canceled the order in part. This means that only 15 aircraft of the C-69 series were delivered. The remaining 51 aircraft under construction for the USAAF were converted at Lockheed with seating for 33 to 60 passengers for delivery to civil airlines. The Pan American was the first airline to start scheduled flights with the Constellation on February 3, 1946 on the New York - Bermuda route . A total of 88 units of the L-049 series were produced.
Of the L-649 equipped with reinforced landing gear , which made its maiden flight on October 19, 1946, and the L-749 , which was equipped with larger tanks and whose maiden flight took place on March 14, 1947, a total of 145 pieces were produced. This means that a total of 233 copies of the basic version of the Constellation (with the shorter fuselage) were built.
The first flight of the L-1049 Super Constellation , which had been extended by 5.65 m , was carried out on October 13, 1950. It became the most successful variant, of which a total of 579 units were built, including military machines for the armed forces of the United States . The maximum number of passengers could be increased to 109, the cabin windows were designed square. Some of the sub-variants could be equipped with optional wing tip tanks.
The L-1649 Starliner flew for the first time on October 10, 1956. In the newly designed wings, much larger fuel tanks could be accommodated, through which an enormous range of 8700 km could be achieved with full payload.
This type with its sophisticated, very complex and failure-prone engines of 3400 HP each, together with the competitor Douglas DC-7C , which had the same version of the Wright R-3350 engine, represented the technical pinnacle of long-haul piston-powered airliners on the other but also the end point of their development. The performance potential was exhausted, in quick succession commercial aircraft with jet engines were created, the greatest advantages of which were their high cruising speed and the improved reliability and operability of their engines: Sud Aviation Caravelle (first flight 1955), Tupolew Tu-104 (also 1955), Boeing 707 (1957) and Douglas DC-8 (1958). As a result, including the prototype of this last version of the Constellation, only 44 pieces could be produced.
construction
One of the most striking design features of the Constellation is the design with three vertical stabilizers , which was chosen to adapt the aircraft to the height of the hangars of the time. The curved shape of the fuselage, which was adapted to the course of the flow, was very complex to manufacture because all the transverse ribs had to be made with different dimensions, but gave the machine unusually favorable aerodynamic properties and also a characteristic appearance. As the first commercial aircraft to be built in series alongside the Douglas DC-4 - which was also in development since 1939 - it received the nosewheel landing gear, which was still quite uncommon at the time .
All control surfaces were actuated by hydraulic cylinders , an interesting contrast to its most important successor, the Boeing 707 jet airliner from 1958, which was twice as heavy and only hydraulically actuated the rudder . The leading edges of not only the wings, but also the tail unit are equipped with de-icing devices.
From the last twelve L-049 onwards (and also all versions of the L-649 / -749) a container for additional cargo or luggage could be attached under the fuselage. In this 10.05 m long container with a volume of 11.32 m 3 , known as the “Speedpak” , 3723 kg of cargo could be transported.
All versions were powered by four Wright R-3350 double radial engines, each with 18 cylinders.
production
From 1942 to 1958, 856 Constellations of all versions were manufactured in Burbank, 352 of them for the US Air Force and the US Navy.
The peak of production was reached in 1956 with 134 copies; in 1959 only the last four Starliners were delivered.
Versions
The Constellation, flown for the first time in 1943, was replaced in 1950 by the Super Constellation, which was lengthened by 5.65 m. Using the same fuselage, the Starliner finally followed in 1956, which with its newly designed wings had a wingspan of 45.72 m increased by a total of 7.82 m .
The maximum take-off weight had increased by more than 80% from the original 39,157 kg to up to 70,800 kg for the Starliner , the maximum number of passengers from 81 to 112.
Lockheed Constellation
Civil variants
A total of 202 civilian Constellations were made of the following versions:
- L-049
73 civilian machines were built. First production version, engines with 2,200 hp each, up to 81 seats. The last delivery of an L-049 took place on May 23, 1947 to KLM .
- L-649
19 pieces built (14 L-649, 5 L-649A). R-3350-749C18BD engines with 2,500 hp (1,865 kW) each, designed for 60 seats. Reinforced chassis. Attachment of a "Speedpak" possible. The L-649 was delivered from May 1947 (to Eastern Air Lines ) to February 1951 (to Chicago and Southern Air Lines ).
- L-749
60 pieces built. L-649 with larger tanks (22,000 l tank capacity) for non-stop flights across the Atlantic. First delivery on April 18, 1947 to Air France, last on December 7, 1949 to Eastern Air Lines.
- L-749A
66 were built, 54 of them as civil and 12 as military variants. L-749 reinforced on structure and landing gear, increased maximum take-off weight. KLM received the first L-749A on September 16, 1948, Air France the last Standard Constellation on September 17, 1951.
Military variants
- L-049
- 15 military copies built:
- US Air Force: C-69 (14 pieces), C-69C (1 piece).
- C-121A, C-121B
- PO-1W.
L-1049 Super Constellation
For the construction of the L-1049, the fuselage was lengthened by 5.61 m; up to 109 seats could be installed. Including the military variants, 579 copies were built. Eastern Airlines received the first L-1049 on November 26, 1951; the last Super Constellation went to Slick Airways on September 7, 1959 .
Civil variants
A total of 259 civilian Super Constellations were made of the following versions:
- L-1049
- 24 pieces built. Version with 2,500 PS (1,865 kW) R-3350-749C18BD engines, introduction of angular windows.
- L-1049C
- 48 pieces built. More powerful R-3350-87ТС18DA-1 engines, each with 3,250 hp (2,425 kW).
- L-1049D
- 4 pieces built. Quick-Change version of the L-1049C, cargo version convertible for 109 passengers.
- L-1049E
- 28 pieces built. Improved L-1049C with increased maximum take-off weight.
- L-1049G
- 102 pieces built. 3,400 hp (2,536 kW) R-3350-972ТС18DA-3 engines; Wing tip tanks and weather radar were optionally available. Maximum take-off weight increased to 62,369 kg, later 63,560 kg. Improved sound absorption in the cabin.
- L-1049H
- 53 pieces built. Quick-change version of the L-1049G, usable as a cargo or passenger aircraft for a maximum of 94 passengers.
Military variants
A total of 320 military copies of the Super Constellation were delivered to the US Air Force and US Navy:
- USAF: C-121 - all variants from C-121C
- US Navy: R7V, WV-2, WV-3.
- L-1049A
- 222 pieces built:
- US Air Force: RC-121D (72 pieces),
- US Navy: WV-2 (142 pieces), WV-3 (8 pieces).
- L-1049B
- 61 pieces built:
- US Air Force: RC-121C (10 pieces), VC-121E (1 piece),
- US Navy: R7V-1 (50 pieces).
- L-1049F
- 33 pieces built:
- US Air Force: C-121C.
- L-1249A
- 4 pieces built:
- US Air Force: YC-121F (2 pieces),
- US Navy: R7V-2 (2 pieces).
L-1649 Starliner
44 pieces built. Fuselage like L-1049, but newly designed wings with a total wingspan of 45.72 m increased by 7.82 m.
Larger fuel tanks, range of 8700 km with full payload, maximum takeoff weight 70,762 kg.
use
The L-049 Constellation was mainly ordered by US airlines. In Europe, Air France, BOAC and KLM chose this type of aircraft.
Only Eastern Air Lines (14 L-649) and Chicago and Southern Air Lines (5 L-649A) could be convinced of the purchase of the L-649 / -649A.
Brand new L- 749s have been bought in Europe from Air France, KLM and Aerlinte Eireann . Outside the USA, Lockheed was able to win Air India , Avianca , Linea Aeropostal Venezolana (LAV) , QANTAS and South African Airways (SAA) as buyers.
Many of the 259 civilian L-1049 Super Constellations were also delivered to the European Air France, Iberia Líneas Aéreas de España , KLM, Lufthansa and Transportes Aéreos Portugueses (TAP) .
The last version, L-1649 Starliner, was only ordered by three airlines: TWA (29 units), Air France (10) and Lufthansa (4).
See also
literature
- Peter Alles-Fernandez: Aircraft from A to Z, Volume 3. Bernard & Graefe Verlag, Koblenz 1989, ISBN 3-7637-5906-9 , pp. 47-48.
- Leonard Bridgman (Ed.): Jane's All The World's Aircraft, 1945-46. Arco Publishing Company, New York 1946 (Reprint 1970), ISBN 0-668-02390-2 .
- René J. Francillon: Lockheed Aircraft since 1913. Putnam Aeronautical Books, London 1987, ISBN 0-85177-805-4 .
- Karlheinz Kens: types of aircraft. 4th edition, Carl Lange Verlag, Duisburg 1963.
- Peter J. Marson: The Lockheed Constellation. (2 volumes) Air-Britain (Historians), Tonbridge 2007, ISBN 0-85130-366-8 .
- Kurt W. Streit: From the drawing board to the runway. Union Deutsche Verlagsgesellschaft, Stuttgart 1955.
- Curtis K. Stringfellow, Peter M. Bowers : Lockheed Constellation. Motorbooks International, Osceola 1992, ISBN 0-87938-379-8 .
- Gordon Swanborough, Peter M. Bowers: United States Military Aircraft since 1909. Putnam Aeronautical Books, London 1989, ISBN 0-85177-816-X .
- Gordon Swanborough, Peter M. Bowers: United States Navy Aircraft since 1911. Putnam Aeronautical Books, London 1990, ISBN 0-85177-838-0 .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Dispute: From the drawing board to the runway. P. 15.
- ^ A b c Marson: The Lockheed Constellation. P. 57.
- ↑ Dispute: From the drawing board to the runway. Pp. 9-18.
- ^ A b Stringfellow / Bowers: Lockheed Constellation. P. 50.
- ↑ a b Jane's 1952. p. 219.
- ^ Karlheinz Kens: Types of aircraft. P. 301.
- ^ Stringfellow / Bowers: Lockheed Constellation. P. 23.
- ↑ Jane's 1945. p. 277.
- ↑ Jane's 1952. p. 220.
- ↑ Swanborough / Bowers: United States Military Aircraft since 1909. pp. 366–369.
- ↑ Swanborough / Bowers: United States Navy Aircraft since 1911. pp. 299-301.
- ↑ Dispute: From the drawing board to the runway , back cover.
- ^ Marson: The Lockheed Constellation. P. 83 f.
- ^ A b Marson: The Lockheed Constellation. Volume 2, Section 12: Production List.
- ^ Francillon: Lockheed Aircraft since 1913. p. 230.
- ^ Francillon: Lockheed Aircraft since 1913. pp. 231 and 507.
- ^ Marson: The Lockheed Constellation. Pp. 452-455.
- ^ Stringfellow / Bowers: Lockheed Constellation. P. 70.
- ^ Francillon: Lockheed Aircraft since 1913. p. 311.
- ^ Stringfellow / Bowers: Lockheed Constellation. P. 73.
- ^ Stringfellow / Bowers: Lockheed Constellation. Pp. 73-82.
- ↑ Alles-Fernandez: Airplanes from A to Z. P. 48.
- ^ Marson: The Lockheed Constellation. P. 195 and p. 203.