Lockheed Saturn
| Lockheed Model 75 Saturn | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | Feeder aircraft |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: |
Lockheed |
| First flight: |
June 17, 1946 |
| Number of pieces: |
1 |
The Lockheed Saturn , officially Lockheed Model 75 Saturn, was a feeder aircraft made by the American manufacturer Lockheed , which made its maiden flight in 1946. The all-metal shoulder - decker with nose wheel landing gear , powered by two piston engines , could carry up to 14 people, but it did not reach series production.
history
As early as 1944, Lockheed developed the concept of a twin-engine feeder aircraft for the post-war period. Based on surveys of US airlines and vague letters of intent, Lockheed calculated a need for "around 500" machines of this type at a unit price of $ 85,000.
The first flight of the prototype took place at Burbank Airport under the designation Lockheed Model 075-77-01 ( aircraft registration NX90801). The flight tests showed unsatisfactory behavior of the machine in the event of a stall and severe cooling problems with the Continental engines.
The need to change the engine type resulted in a delay of more than a year in development and testing. When the converted aircraft finally flew again in August 1947, the manufacturer's skepticism about sales prospects had gotten out of hand. With a sales price of almost $ 100,000 now, the new type of aircraft was too expensive to have realistic chances against the countless used military machines of the Beechcraft C-45 , Douglas DC-3 and own Lodestars , which for prices between $ 3,500 and $ 35,000 were available on the market. Therefore, the development was stopped and the second model still under construction ( serial number 075-1002) was not completed. The loss from this project was $ 6 million.
construction
The primary design criteria were a significant reduction in operating and maintenance costs compared to the older competing models.
The first flight of the serial number 075-1001 was carried out under the designation Lockheed Model 075-77-01 with two nine- cylinder radial engines Continental GR9-A, each with 600 HP (441 kW). The machine proved to be underpowered and was converted to two seven-cylinder radial engines of the Wright 744C-7BA-1 model, each with 700 HP (515 kW). It first flew in this form as model 075-57-01 on August 8, 1947.
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The entrance door for the passengers was at the rear on the left, opposite an optional toilet. Also in the rear was a luggage compartment with a volume of 1.2 m³. A cargo compartment was installed immediately behind the cockpit, which could be loaded through a door on the left at its rear end.
The passenger seats were arranged in seven rows of two each, to the right and left of a lowered central aisle. They could be removed in a short time using quick-release fasteners in order to be able to transport freight. The front partition wall to the cargo hold could also be moved to the rear of the passenger cabin in order to transport larger amounts of cargo, whereby the seating capacity was reduced to 12 or 10 places.
use
Although Lockheed had forecast a sales market of "around 500" machines, very few firm orders were received. Well-known orders were made by Kansas City Airways (nine orders in August 1945 for “maximum $ 85,000”) and Aircraft Ltd from Queensland, Australia (three orders from June 1945).
No copy of the Saturn was delivered to an airline. The unfinished second machine was scrapped along with the only prototype in 1948.
Technical specifications
| Parameter 1 | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 2 pilots, optionally plus 1 flight attendant |
| Passengers | 14th |
| length | 15.69 m |
| span | 22.56 m |
| height | 6.05 m |
| Wing area | 46.6 m² |
| Empty mass | 5153 kg |
| Max. Takeoff mass | 7257 kg |
| Cruising speed | 301 km / h (163 kts) |
| Top speed | 367 km / h (198 kts) |
| Service ceiling | 8075 m (26,500 ft) |
| Range | 965 km (520 NM) |
| Engines | 2 air-cooled 7-cylinder radial engines Wright 744C-7BA-1, each 700 PS (515 kW) |
1 The data refer to the second version, with 700 HP engines.
See also
literature
- 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 Francillon: Lockheed Aircraft since 1913. Putnam, London 1987, ISBN 0-85177-805-4 .
- Peter J. Marson: The Lockheed Twins . Air-Britain (Historians), Tonbridge, 2001, ISBN 0-85130-284-X .
