LOCKHEED "CONSTELLATION"

1943’58

Plane & Pilot

Tuesday, February 10, 2009 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By: Omar Filipović

Key Takeaways:

The Lockheed Constellation L.749, first flown in January 1943, was a long-range commercial transport that initially served the U.S. Air Force before entering airline service with increased fuel capacity.
The L.1049 Super Constellation, introduced in 1950, was a stretched version featuring an 18.4-foot longer fuselage, more powerful engines, and higher passenger capacity, with 286 units built.
The L.1619 Starliner represented the ultimate Constellation design, offering a 7,200-mile range for long international routes, though only 43 were produced before the advent of the jet age.
The tri-tailed Constellation holds a notable historical distinction as the first Air Force One.

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The Lockheed Constellation L.749 variation was a long-range version of the earlier L.049. The earliest Constellation was initially flown in January 1943. Designed for commercial transport, the first Constellations were produced for the U.S. Air Force as C-29s. The first Constellation placed in airline service was the L.749 series. This aircraft differed from earlier versions in its increased fuel capacity and takeoff weight. The L.749 provided for 44 to 64 passengers and was powered by four 2,500-hp Wright Cyclone 18-cylinder air-cooled engines.

A stretched version of the L.749, the L.1049 Super Constellation, was introduced in 1950. Gross weight was increased substantially when the fuselage was expanded by 18.4 feet and 3,250-hp Wright engines were fitted. The stretched “Connie” held up to 91 passengers; with tip tanks, range was increased to 5,840 miles. The L.1049C model had structural modifications to allow a gross weight of 150,000 pounds, provided that more powerful engines were available. Lockheed built 286 Super “Connies,” then followed with production of the L.1619 Starliner, the ultimate in Constellation design. With a range of 7,200 miles, the Starliner became popular on long international routes for TWA and Air France. Only 43 Starliner Constellations were built, and most of those were short lived, bowing out gracefully for the introduction of the jet age. A historical note about the Connie’s heritage: the tri-tailed airliner was the first Air Force One.