Clymer Manuals Lockheed Martin Super G Constellation Connie HoAME Show Vintage Airplane Plane

http://www.clymer.com
800-262-1954

HoAME Heart of America Motorcycle Rally


http://www.airlinehistorymuseum.com/connie.htm
Airline History Museum
Hangar 9
201 NW Lou Holland Drive
Kansas City, MO 64116
816.421.3401
800.513.9484

In 1986 a group of Kansas City based aviation enthusiasts decided they were going to find, acquire, and restore to like new condition a Lockheed Super G Constellation, model L-1049G. They found a derelict Connie, registration number N6937C, in storage at Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona. It was one of the last Constellations off Lockheed's assembly lines in 1958, and was built as a cargo plane for Slick Airways.

Indeed, Kansas City was probably the only place in the world where this transformation could have taken place. There was a core of retired TWA employees living here: pilots, flight engineers, mechanics, hostesses, etc. All specialists in every aspect of propeller driven aircraft in general, and Constellations in particular.

After 18 months in the hangar at Kansas City Downtown Airport, the Connie emerged, resplendent in her new Save A Connie livery. The Lockheed Constellation was converted from cargo to passenger configuration. She promptly began flying the Airshow circuit, where she continues to awe and inspire. In the late 90's, employees from TWA's Kansas City overhaul base donated a completely new paint job in the original TWA colors.

The Star of America has been involved in television and movie releases, as well as several television commercials. It was featured in the Arts and Entertainment documentary entitled First Flights, narrated by Astronaut Neil Armstrong, and the motion picture, Voyager starring Sam Shepard released in the U.S. in 1992. The Connie was also used for interior scenes for the movie, Ace Ventura - When Nature Calls, in 1995, starring Jim Carrey. You also see this Super Constellation in The Aviator starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Howard Hughes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Constellation
The Lockheed Constellation Connie was a four engine each with 18 pistons of Radial design, the Wright R-3350 (also used on the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, C-97 Stratofreighter and Douglas DC-7) propeller-driven airliner built by Lockheed between 1943 and 1958 at its Burbank, California, USA, facility. A total of 856 aircraft were produced in four models, all distinguished by a triple-tail design and dolphin-shaped fuselage. The Constellation was used as a civilian airliner and as a U.S. military air transport plane, seeing service in the Berlin Airlift. It was the presidential aircraft for U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower Columbine I, II and III.

Since 1937, Lockheed had been working on the L-044 Excalibur, a four-engine pressurized airliner. In 1939, Trans World Airlines TWA, at the encouragement of major stockholder Howard Hughes, requested a 40-passenger transcontinental airliner with 3,500 mi (5,630 km) range - well beyond the capabilities of the Excalibur design. TWA's requirements led to the L-049 Constellation.

The Constellation's wing design was close to that of the P-38 Lightning, differing mostly in scale The distinctive triple tail kept the aircraft's overall height low enough to fit in existing hangars while new features included hydraulically-boosted controls and a thermal de-icing system used on wing and tail leading edges.The plane had a top speed of over 340 mph, a cruise speed of 300 mph, and a service ceiling of 24,000 ft.

The advent of jet airliners, with the de Havilland Comet, Boeing 707, Douglas DC-8 and Convair 880, rendered the piston-engined Constellation obsolete. The first routes lost to jets were the long overseas routes, but Constellations continued to fly domestic routes. The last scheduled passenger flight of a four-engined piston-engined airliner in the United States was made by a TWA L749 on May 11, 1967 from Philadelphia to Kansas City, MO. However, Constellations remained in freight service for years to come, and were the mainstay of Eastern Airlines' shuttle service between New York, Washington, and Boston until 1968.

Tags Clymer Antique Vintage Classic Motorcycles Plane Airplane Lockheed Super G Constellation L-1049G Connie Airline History Museum Propeller TWA Howard Hughes Dwight D. Eisenhower Wright R-3350-93 Turbo Crash P-38 Lightning de Havilland Comet Boeing 707 Douglas DC-7 DC-8 Convair 880 Ace Ventura Aviator Voyager Excalibur C-121 Maintenance Troubleshooting Repair Manual Service Shop

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Clymer
• Antique
• Vintage
• Classic
• Motorcycles
• Plane
• Airplane
• Lockheed
• Super
• Constellation
• L-1049G
• Connie
• Airline
• History
• Museum
• Propeller
• TWA
• Howard
• Hughes
• Dwight
• D.
• Eisenhower
• Wright
• R-3350-93
• Turbo
• Crash
• P-38
• Lightning
• de
• Havilland
• Comet
• Boeing
• 707
• Douglas
• DC-7
• DC-8
• Convair
• 880
• Ace
• Ventura
• Aviator
• Voyager
• Excalibur
• C-121
• Maintenance
• Troubleshooting
• Repair
• Manual
• Service
• Shop
• HoAME
• Rally
• Heart
• of
• America

[hudson501]

Yes, I have to admit, not a bad video presentation, but the choice of background music is just plain irritating! Why not use Frank Sinatra's "Come Fly With Me" which was recorded in Oct., 1957 when these types of airliners were in their prime. In fact, the cover of the album for "Come Fly With Me" has an illustration of a TWA Connie behind "Frankie" himself!.

[ClymerManuals]

@hudson501

Thanks for compliment, I guess...

Music. Yes, as a big video producer, sure, we could just cover every video with copyrighted music and pay the big royalty fees ;-) BTW, I am a huge Sinatra fan.

[ClymerManuals]

We'll have a video up shortly showing engine start up!!!

[s2kx2]

Without a doubt the most obnoxious, annoying music ever put to an otherwise well thought out and presented video. oh and you can you use most classical music as it is in the public domain. Change the music ASAP because it is not going to help in your efforts to keep this grand lady aloft.

[miguelmouta]

It was beautiful and still is. And also a nice plane, while engines were OK. :D

[PeterNGloor]

It is not Lockheed-Martin, just Lockheed.

[peepeevagi]

If it's vintage, classic AND antique, you shouldn't be flying it xD

[22fret]

didn't the c-97 have 4360s?

[Alandix]

I flew from SF to STL in 1959 on a TWA superConnie, what a great memory. That plane just floated. I liked the window in the bathroom!

[tchapman1977]

Absolutely gorgeous aircraft! LOVE TWA! I was born & raised in a suburb of St. Louis & if we flew anywhere, it was with TWA -- may she rest in peace & may Carl Icahn get an incurable case of scabies & gonorrhea for ruining TWA! The Connie truly is a remarkable piece of engineering -- made back in the day when aircraft designs were sleek & elegant, not like the overgrown whales that dominate the sky today! This aircraft screams SPEED & ELEGANCE! Truly a beautiful lady! Thanks for posting this! :)