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| Design of the Lockheed L-49 began in 1939 to meet the requirement of Pan American Airways and Transcontinental & Western Air (now Trans World Airlines), for a 40-passenger airliner for use on domestic routes. Manufacture was initiated but with the outbreak of World War II aircraft on the production line were commandeered for service with the USAAF as transports under the designation C-69, the first being flown on 9 January 1943. A total of 22 entered USAAF service before the contract cancellations following VJ-Day. Production of civil aircraft then began under the company designation L-049 Constellation, using components that had been intended for C-69s, but with the interiors completed to airline standard and with basic accommodation for 43 to 48 passengers, or a maximum of 60 in a high-density layout. The first Constellation was certificated for civil operations on 11 December 1945, the type entering service first with Pan Am and TWA, the latter inaugurating a regular US-Paris service on 6 February 1946.
The first true civil Constellations were Lockheed L-649 aircraft with 2,500hp Wright 749C-18BD-1 engines and far more luxurious interiors seating 48 to 64 passengers as standard, or 81 in a high-density arrangement. This version was replaced in production during 1947 by the longer-range L-749 with additional fuel yet able to carry the same payload, but by the end of 1949 the demand for air travel was increasing and operators were then looking for aircraft of greater capacity. This brought development of the L-1049 Super Constellation, with the fuselage lengthened by 5.59m, and Super 'Connies' entered service during their production life with a variety of interior layouts that could seat a maximum of 109 passengers. Last of the civil Constellation-derived airliners was the L-1649A Starliner, with a completely new wing of increased span and with far greater fuel capacity, providing a range considerably in excess of any of its predecessors. When production ended in the late 1950s a total of 856 aircraft of all versions, both civil and military, had been built.
| MODEL | L-749 |
| PASSENGERS | 48-81 |
| ENGINE | 4 x 2500hp Wright R-3350-749C18BD |
| WEIGHTS |
| Take-off weight | 48534 kg | 107000 lb |
| Empty weight | 25670 kg | 56593 lb |
| DIMENSIONS |
| Wingspan | 37.49 m | 123 ft 0 in |
| Length | 29.66 m | 97 ft 4 in |
| Height | 6.83 m | 22 ft 5 in |
| Wing area | 148.20 m2 | 1595.21 sq ft |
| PERFORMANCE |
| Cruise speed | 555 km/h | 345 mph |
| Ceiling | 7350 m | 24100 ft |
| Range | 4185 km | 2601 miles |
 | A three-view drawing (600 x 372) |
| William( Bill) Peavey, e-mail, 28.02.2011 18:42 Connie FE. Flew with VW-4,Blue Angels,VAQ-33. There is nothing in the world like the sound of four 3350s at MAX power round engines for ever reply | | Sam Crenshaw, e-mail, 28.02.2011 05:30 I flew out of Guam for a yeaR AND A HALF IN VW-1 BEFORE TRANSFERRING FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS IN BARBERS POINT, HI and Midway Island to Alaska and back on Radar Line watching out for anything headed for USA. reply | | Floyd J. Richmond, e-mail, 03.02.2011 20:41 I was a Radar Crew Chief on the EC-121s at McClellan AFB, 964 AEW&C Sqdn from 1961 - 1964. Was on the crew that helped recover Mercury Atlas 9 by Midway and also helped recover the Discoverer Satellites out of Hickam. I'll always remember landing in Comox B.C. for fuel. The ramp was so clean you could eat off it. After we left it had about a barrel of oil on it. Triple Nickel (555) is at the AF Museum at Wright Patterson AFB. reply | | Royce Ingram SMS USAF RET, e-mail, 03.02.2011 03:54 Flew on Super Connie,from CharlestonAFB to Dharan, Saudi Arabia 1961. Four Hops, 40 flight hours. reply | |
| | Pete Bruns, e-mail, 25.01.2011 19:48 I flew the EC121 out of McClellan AFB 69 to 73. Loved it. The speed, the sound and the smell of a real airplane. reply | | Ladson Geddings, e-mail, 10.01.2011 19:49 Captain's Radio Operator on Odan while in VW-2 at Pax River...'53-'54. Left as AT1 with 9 months toward Chief rating. Served with VR-6 on MATS R6Ds out of Westover, Mass prior. reply | | Jim Barrick, AT2, e-mail, 10.01.2011 18:03 I was a Radar Tech in Navy Squadron VW-2 from 1958-61 homeported in Patuxent River, Maryland. We flew the WV2 Willy Victor (later known as the EC-121K). Our squadron flew radar cover for the 7th Fleet in the Mediterranean. We we detached to Sigonella, Sicily, and landed in Barcelona, Spain; Pisa and Naples, Italy; Athens, Greece; and other boring places. Because we stayed overnight we had 24 hour passes and had to wear civilian clothes. It was the best "Connie" duty. I still have my 2,000 hour pin. reply | | Jay, e-mail, 04.01.2011 06:58 Oops...previous post needs correcting...those were R 3350-93A Turbo-Compound engines. Addendum...ours had tip tanks on them ...we burned more fuel (more drag=more fuel)and needed them. reply | | Jay, e-mail, 04.01.2011 06:52 EC121T Super Connie...great (but oily) aircraft. Was MO on them in SEA. The R3300-93A engines, when properly rebuilt, serviced and run, did a great job but were unwelcome at many ramps due to the big oil stains under every engine! Ours were flown at increased Gross weights with the big radome on the belly causing slower cruise speeds. Beautiful lines on the Supers. "Howard Hughes" specials as we called 'em! reply | | Ed Gorlin, e-mail, 12.12.2010 01:34 I flew the Connies out of McClellan AFB in the early 70's. We had missions in Southeast Asia, Iceland, and Korea. Great airplane and I have great memories. reply | | Andy Rusnak, e-mail, 28.11.2010 23:18 I flew as a Radio Operator on EC-121's with VQ-2 what a blast! reply | | Bill Wilson, e-mail, 15.11.2010 12:51 I was sent to Hickam AFB in Honolulu in Oct. 1955, with VR-7. Both VR-7 and VR-8 had the R7V Super Connies. They were the most beautiful birds that the US Navy ever had. The many hours that I spent in the R7V are the most memorable of my Navy career. I am currently a member of "Save The Connie" club. I'll soon be 75 years young but would give anything to spend one more flight in this bird. We were transferred from Hickam to Moffett Field, CA in '57. My wife was in her 9th month of her first pregnancy at this time. One of our planes became a flying delivery room for she and other wives for a most memorable flight to Moffett. Our son was born on July 24, 1957. I would love to hear from any others out there who served with VR-7. Remember the 'Nose Docks' at Hickam? One of the greatest planes to ever grace the skies. reply | | Gary Olsen, e-mail, 22.10.2010 16:01 I was a airbourne Radar Technician on EC-121's out of McClellan AFB. 65-69. Four tours(TDY) to "NAM". AC was always out(windows open) when in gulf of Tonkin on the deck. reply | | Paul Pelizzari, e-mail, 22.10.2010 14:41 I flew with the 961st. AEW Sq. 551st. Wing out of Otis AFB, Mass. from Jan. 57 to July 61. Over 3K flying hours logged. Saw all kinds of nasty weather over the Atlantic, but the planes never failed to bring us home safe. It was a different time, we were all young and macho then. Time really changes your perspective. GOOD AIRPLANE! reply | |
| | Don Safer, e-mail, 17.10.2010 23:43 While in the Navy, stationed at North Island NAS San Diego, I would regularly travel home to the San Francisco Bay area, by air when I could afford it. That was more often than it might have been thanks to Trans California Airline and thier pre super Connies and the low fares. I believe they started in '64 flying San Diego to Los Angeles (LAX) and then on to Oakland. They were competing with turbo prop Lockheeds of PSA and the few remaining United (?) Airlines DC6s. Their schedule showed flying times only slightly longer than the turbo props but then they were never on schedule. ;>
In '65 they droped the San Diago leg so I would drive my '56 Chevy to LA and fly from there. Changing airlines at LAX was not practical since TCA used the old terminal along with some air freight airlines and all other passenger flights were out of the new terminal a couple of miles away. I flew PSA San Diego to LA once and changed to TCA to Oakland, taking a cab between terminals. The driver was not pleased as it was not far enough to make a profit and caused him to loose his place in line for a more lucrative fare. By the time I got back from my USS Kitty Hawk cruise, in June of '66, TCA was gone. ;< Still, I fondly remember the long leisurely flights with TCA while listening to the 4 lovely sounding recips. reply | | Robert Bascom, e-mail, 09.09.2010 20:49 In the l950's with Slick Airways we took delivery with the cargo version and I had the "privilege" of taxiing it down to the run-up area and I will never forget the "walking-gear". It was a beauty, though !! reply | | Bill Harris, e-mail, 24.07.2010 23:38 I flew the C-121c (L1049H) for about 2500 hours out of KCHS with Ted Dahlfors, & 60 or 70 other pilots, '58 to '62, & can vouch for what he says, except the airplanes went to several ANG locations. I recall training crews from PA, WV & MS. There were probably others. reply | | Bill Harris, e-mail, 25.07.2010 00:48 Now that I think of it, I believe the C-121C was Lockheed's L1049F. (You forget a lot after 50 years.) reply | | Ron Susi, e-mail, 23.08.2010 22:22 Flew the Connie for three years out of Otis AFB until they closed the base in 1970. Pulled many tours out of Kelflavik. She was a great plane to fly in the bad winter weather of the North Atlantic. Had many occasions where we had to maintain station flying through heavy ice. The great engineers would keep the engines going and every so often we would have to inflate the wing and radome deicing boots to crack the ice off the wings and radar domes. Loved flying her but then also enjoyed moving over to jets and getting above it all. reply | | Richard L Morgan, e-mail, 27.08.2010 20:51 AEWBARSRON-2 with two VW squadrons became the largest US Navy squadron with over 2,000 personnel at Barber's Point Hawaii, named AEWBARONPAC in 1960, flew the northern Pacific DEW line. The flight crews deployed to Midway had the same aircraft & facilities as hangar 282 at Barber's Point. From May 1959 to Jun 1962 I worked in the enlisted & officer personnel offices and flew once to Hilo, Hawaii. reply |
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