L-188 Electra
Lockheed · United States · first flew 1957 · airliner
The Lockheed L-188 Electra was the first large turboprop airliner built in the United States, fast and powerful but compact in size.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × turboprop, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Short stubby fuselage on a low straight wing |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Short stubby fuselage on a low straight wing
- Four Allison turboprops mounted close inboard with large propellers
- Conventional single fin; America's first big turboprop airliner
A short, purposeful fuselage on a low straight wing with four tightly cowled turboprops marks the Electra, the airliner ancestor of the P-3 Orion.
Specifications
- The L-188 Electra has a length of 31.9 m (105 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 30.2 m (99 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 720 km/h (447 mph).
- Typical crew: 3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in 1957, the Electra entered service in 1959 but suffered two early in-flight break-ups traced to engine-mount whirl-mode flutter, prompting a costly modification programme. Only 170 were built.
Variants
Built as the L-188A and longer-range L-188C, the airframe found its lasting fame as the basis for the Lockheed P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft.
Where you'll see it
Electras flew with many airlines and later as cargo and survey aircraft; a number served as freighters in Europe, and examples are preserved in aviation museums.
Related aircraft
- Lockheed U-2
- P-3 Orion
- F-104 Starfighter
- Lockheed C-130 Hercules
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- Boeing 707
- Boeing 707-120
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