Lockheed EC-121K Warning Star
Lockheed Corporation · United States · first flew 1953 · transport aircraft
The EC-121K Warning Star was a US Navy airborne early warning and control aircraft derived from the Super Constellation, carrying powerful search radars in large dorsal and ventral radomes to track aircraft and missiles at long range.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 35.4 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Triple-fin Constellation tail with dorsal and ventral radomes
- AEW patrol aircraft used over Vietnam
- Four Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone radials
Instantly recognisable by its Constellation triple-fin tail combined with the large mushroom-shaped dorsal radome and a teardrop ventral radome; the fuselage appears packed with operator positions visible through the windows.
Specifications
- The Lockheed EC-121K Warning Star has a length of 35.4 m (116 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 37.8 m (124 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 518 km/h (322 mph).
- Typical crew: 26.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The Warning Star series entered service in the mid-1950s and flew extensive barrier patrols across the North Atlantic and Pacific to detect Soviet bombers. EC-121s served prominently during the Vietnam War providing radar coverage for strike packages, and one was shot down by North Korea over international waters in 1969.
Variants
The EC-121 family included the WV-2 (EC-121C/D/H/K/L/M/P/Q/R/S/T) with varied radar fits; the EC-121K was a US Navy variant with the AN/APS-45 height-finder and AN/APS-20 search radar.
Where you'll see it
Served the US Navy and US Air Force from the early 1950s to the late 1970s; a handful survive as museum exhibits in the United States.
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