Lockheed L-1249 Super Constellation
Lockheed · United States · first flew 1954 · transport aircraft
The Lockheed L-1249 Super Constellation was a turboprop-powered version of the Lockheed Constellation. Built in 1954 and 1955, the aircraft were prototypes for possible military transports for the US Air Force and Navy.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × turboprop, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 35.41 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Constellation airframe with the triple-tail arrangement
- Four Pratt & Whitney T34 turboprops in place of the usual Wright radials
- Fuel tanks added at the wingtips
Look for a Constellation with the dolphin-shaped fuselage and triple tail but with long turboprop nacelles in place of the radial engines.
Specifications
- The Lockheed L-1249 Super Constellation has a length of 35.41 m (116 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 35.83 m (118 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 771 km/h (479 mph).
- Typical crew: 4-15.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
In November 1951 the idea came about to build a turbine-powered version of the R7O-1, designated L-1249A by Lockheed. In 1954 two R7O-1s, by then designated R7V-1, were taken off the production line and converted. The landing gear, fuselage and wings were strengthened, and extra fuel tanks were added at the wingtips. The wings were shortened from 123 ft to 117 ft 7 in. The first flight was on 1 September 1954.
Variants
They were fitted with four Pratt & Whitney YT34-P-12A turboprops of 5,500 bhp in place of the Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone radials. The Navy designation was R7V-2 and the Air Force designation YC-121F.
Where you'll see it
The aircraft had very short lives. Their airframes were later used to build L-1049 Super Constellations, including two L-1049H freighters for the Flying Tiger Line.
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