Lockheed Lodestar
Lockheed · United States · first flew 1939 · transport aircraft
The Lockheed Lodestar is a twin-engine transport derived from the Lockheed 14 Super Electra, stretched to carry 14 passengers and featuring the distinctive twin-fin tail of the Lockheed family. It served as both an airliner and wartime military transport.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Elegant Art Deco fuselage with oval windows |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Stretched Lockheed 14 Super Electra with twin-fin tail
- 14-seat airliner used extensively in WWII as C-60
- Elegant Art Deco fuselage with oval windows
Twin oval tail fins, long elegant fuselage, and twin radial engines distinguish the Lodestar from its contemporaries. The twin-fin tail is shared with other Lockheed designs of the era (Hudson, Ventura).
Specifications
- The Lockheed Lodestar has a length of 15.19 m (50 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 19.96 m (65 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 441 km/h (274 mph).
- Typical crew: 2 pilots + up to 14 passengers.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in 1939, the Lodestar was Lockheed's attempt to capture the market for a medium twin-engine airliner. While it was too late to compete with the DC-3, it found extensive military service as the C-60A Lodestar, with over 600 built for the USAAF, RAF, South African Air Force, and others. Post-war, executive conversions remained popular with private operators.
Variants
Model 18 Lodestar (civil), C-60A/B (USAAF), Hudson (bomber derivative sharing some features), and numerous civil engine variants. The Ventura was a combat development.
Where you'll see it
Military service with the USAAF and numerous Allied air forces in WWII; post-war executive versions flew with private owners and small operators into the 1960s.
Related aircraft
- P-38 Lightning
- Lockheed Constellation
- Lockheed Electra 10-A
- P-2 Neptune
- Martin PBM Mariner
- Martin PBM-1 Mariner
- Showa/Nakajima L2D
- SIAI-Marchetti SM.82 Marsupiale
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