Lockheed
L1049
Super Constellation
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Photo: Robert Deering 9/3/2011
Museum of Flight
King County International Airport (BFI)
Seattle, Washington
The Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation is an American aircraft, a member of the Lockheed Constellation aircraft line. The L-1049 was Lockheed's response to the successful Douglas DC-6 airliner, first flying in 1950. The aircraft was also produced for both the United States Navy and Air Force as transport and AWACS aircraft.

Since 1943 Lockheed had been planning a stretched variant of the Constellation family. The first was an L-049 with a fuselage lengthened by 13 feet (4m). The next was an L-749 lengthened by 18 feet (5.5m). Neither was built due to the lack of suitable engines on the civilian market.

The idea was relaunched after a rival aircraft appeared, when Douglas launched a stretched version of its DC-6 airliner as a cargo transport, designated DC-6A, for both military and civilian operators. Douglas was soon to launch a passenger version (the DC-6B) of this new aircraft. The DC-6B could carry 23 more passengers than Lockheed's current production L-749 Constellation.

In 1950 Lockheed had repurchased the XC-69 Constellation prototype from the Hughes Tool Company. The XC-69 however, was equipped with four Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engines instead of the Wright R-3350s used on production models (Lockheed had made that installation on the prototype to test the R-2800 as a possible engine option for the L-049). Lockheed lengthened XC-69 by 18 feet (5.5m), to become the basis for the L-1049 Super Constellation. The aircraft first flew later that year still fitted with R-2800 engines, then was refitted with R-3350 956-C18CA-1 engines with jet stacks for slightly increased thrust. Later modifications included strengthened landing gear and larger vertical stabilizers. Being impressed, Eastern Air Lines had placed an order for 10 aircraft, while Trans World Airlines (TWA) followed with a larger order for 14 aircraft. The L-1049 had some 550 improvements and modifications compared to the L-749, including increased fuel capacity, rectangular portholes, larger cockpit windshields and improved heating and pressurization.

The first production example of the L-1049 flew on July 14, 1951 and received certification in November 1951. The planned Turbo-compound versions of the R-3350 engine were not yet available for civilian use, leaving Lockheed to use a less powerful version. The aircraft entered service with Eastern Air Lines in December 1951 on the Miami to New York run. Eastern would later operate both the L-1049C and L-1049G. 1049s began flying for TWA in 1952; TWA later used L-1049G aircraft on transatlantic services, doing 50 crossings per week.

In 1953 the R-3350 Turbo-compounds were made available for civilian use. Lockheed incorporated them into the L-1049C, which first flew on February 17 of that same year. The R-330-972-TC18DA-1 turbo-compound engines used by the L-1049C included a new turbine system called a Power Recovery Turbine (PRT), located aft of each row of nine cylinders. This allowed the engine to produce more power by driving gasses through the triple-stage turbine, increasing the engine's output by 550 hp (410kW). One drawback of the PRT was a significant flame in the exhaust pipes; this was resolved by placing armor plating 2 in (5.08 cm) thick under the stack. The L-1049C had an increased cruising speed and climb rate. Although still lacking the range of the DC-6B, the L-1049C was now identical in performance to the Douglas and was now capable of carrying a larger payload. The wings of the new model were strengthened, cabin soundproofing was increased, and the landing gear retraction system was improved. A new series of interior layouts was offered for the new model; "Siesta" (47 Passengers with increased luxury), "Intercontinental" (54 - 60 Passengers) and "Inter-urban" (105 Passengers). Each of these new layouts included reading lights attached to each seat. In all, 48 L-1049C models were constructed, being used by Eastern, TWA, Air France, KLM, Trans-Canada Air Lines, QANTAS, Air India, Pakistan International Airlines, Avianca, Iberia, Línea Aeropostal Venezolana and Cubana de Aviación.

A freighter version, the L-1049D, first flew in August 1954. It incorporated two cargo doors on the left side and a reinforced magnesium floor as used on the R7V-1 military variant of the L-1049B. The L-1049D could carry a total of 36,916 lb (16,745 kg) and had a volume of 5,579 ft³ (158 m³). At the time of its first flight, the L-1049D was the largest civil cargo aircraft. In the end only four were produced, all delivered to Seaboard & Western Airlines. Two of the four L-1049D aircraft were later converted to L-1049H standards.

The L-1049E was more successful; 28 were delivered to eight airlines. Similar to the L-1049C, the L-1049E was able to carry the same load as the L-1049D. The L-1049C and L-1049E could not usually fly Europe to New York nonstop against the wind. Lockheed thought of fitting a new variant based on the L-1049E with more powerful powerplants, but the project was cancelled. A different variant surfaced: using the L-1049C as a base, R-3350-972-TC18DA-3 Turbo-compound engines were fitted. The aircraft would carry 71 to 95 passengers at a speed of 331 mph (533 km/h). Wingtip tanks of 1,037 gallon (3,925 L) total capacity were incorporated, increasing range by 1,110 miles (1,770 km). A new Bendix or RCA weather radar could be installed in the nose, which changed the nosecone shape. New Hamilton Standard or Curtiss Electric propellers were offered. This new version of the L-1049 with over 100 modifications from the L-1049C was unveiled as the L-1049G (L-1049F being already used for the military C-121C). Over 100 L-1049G aircraft were ordered by sixteen airlines. The L-1049G flew on December 17, 1954 and entered service with TWA and Northwest in 1955. The nickname "Super G" (first used by TWA) was later adopted for the L-1049G.

The L-1049H flew on November 20, 1956. Called "Super H" and "Husky", the L-1049H was a convertible passenger/freight aircraft, mating a C-121C based fuselage with L-1049G components. The cargo hold had a volume of 565 ft³ (16 m³) when including the lower hold. The aircraft could carry up to 120 people with seats, luggage lockers and toilets all available along with the option of decorating the walls of the aircraft. When not in use, the luggage lockers and seats could be stowed in the lower hold. The aircraft entered service with QANTAS a month later. Some L-1049G and H aircraft in later production were fitted with the TC-18EA series engines used on the L-1649 Starliner. A final variant was planned in 1957, known as the L-1049J. Powered by four R-3350-988-TC-18EA-6 engines, the L-1049J was based on the L-1049H with the wings of the R7V-2 Constellation and an extra fuselage-mounted fuel tank.

Most Super Constellations were retired by their original operators after the advent of the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 jet airliners. The last commercial flight of the L-1049 Super Constellation was in 1993, when the Federal Aviation Administration banned all airlines from the Dominican Republic that flew Constellations to the United States (this done due to safety concerns). At the time, the Dominican airlines were the last operators of any version of the Constellation.

Numerous military versions were operated by the United States Navy and United States Air Force. The aircraft were operated as transport aircraft and AWACS platforms. These aircraft served in the Vietnam War, in several roles including transmitting television programs from the United States for the troops on the ground, and in observing the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The last US Military Super Constellations were retired in 1982 by the Air Force. The Indian Air Force and Indian Navy used former Air India L-1049C, E and G versions converted by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for use as Sea Air and Rescue aircraft. They were retired between the years of 1981 and 1983 and were replaced by Tupolev Tu-142 aircraft. The Indian Military was the last military operator of the Constellation.

Source: Wikipedia