LOCKHEED CONSTELLATION - America's Iconic Triple-Tail Propliner
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
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Wow. Those Constellations and Douglas propliners are so gorgeous.
My dad loved to travel and he loved the Connie, coincidentally my mom's nickname. We flew all over the world when I was a child, and I remember being given a visit to the cockpit and the drone of the engines put me to sleep every time.
You lived the Golden Age!
My God the Connies were just gorgeous aircraft. My dad used to fly on these all the time with Mohawk Airlines when I was around 4 years old (I was born in 1956). I still remember the smell and the sound of these beautiful planes. ;-) I was also known at the time for once yelling in a quivering voice "Goodbye Daddy! Don't let the airplane crash!" Which I imagine didn't comfort my dad too much! Especially with the snow coming down in sheets. But he loved flying on these wonderful birds. He said the were noisier, but the food was better, the service was better, and they were a LOT roomier than later aircraft. He grew to detest flying and preferred travel by rail over spending hours with his knees up around his ears, the crappy scraps of so called "airline food", and everyone up to their elbows in other people's elbows. "In flight movies" didn't make up for travel packed in sardine cans regardless of how fast they got you there. I've grown to agree. These days I don't fly domestic unless I absolutely have to. Overseas are generally o.k., but domestic flights? Eesh!
Wonderful comment and story, thanks!
Anything that Kelly Johnson was involved in, was awesome!
Agreed!
One thing that has always impressed me about this plane is that, even today, it looks futuristic. It's an impressive achievement to put forward a design in the 1930's that looks futuristic still in the 2020's.
It has a triple "tail" for a very good reason.
The very first customer for it, even before it went into production was TWA.
TWA did not have hangers tall enough for a tall single vertical stabilizer /rudder. So, three shorter ones were designed.
There's an airworthy super Connie in Wollongong Australia
Yep, only one left, since the one based in Basel was grounded, likely permanently, due to corrosion.
My father-in-law was a flight engieer on a USN airborne early warning Connie in the early 60s.
It came to Hobart in more relaxed times and apart from people being allowed on the apron, we were all allowed to tour the plane which was a real thrill.
I really enjoyed your presentation since my father came off the Iowa farm and spent his lifelong career with Lockheed Burbank (ending in the Skunk Works). Too bad he couldn't talk about most of his work when I was old enough to understand. He always said he did sheetmetal bench work! Thanks
Wonderful comment and thanks for watching!
I grew up in the 1950's in Orlando, FL hanging on the fence of what is now Orlando Executive Airport. The Eastern Airlines "Connies" would make their approach to, what was then, runway 3 right over our house. No one had air conditioning then and you could hear them coming. They would shake the hell out of the house. At night it was a double treat. Not only did the house shake but if you ran outside, you could see the flames coming out of the exhaust stacks. I never got a ride in one but did in an Electra in 1962 down to Miami to catch a 707 to London, England. Those were my first airplane rides. The "flying bug" bit me. I've been an active pilot now for 52 years. Fond memories. Thank you.
Wonderful comment, thanks!
The Lockheed Constellation probably was one of the most beautifully built airplanes of it's time. To this day, the ones that are restored, are real sights to see. It was an ultra-luxurious airplane back in it's hey-day and it was impressive then as it would definitely be now.
I always loved the Lockheed Constellation and in 1959, I was a little toddler of 4 years old, my Italian father took my mother and sister from New York to Rome at Ciampino airport. I think I had fell in love with this airplane and remember very well listening to the powerful engine and the blue flames. I never forgot this flight and the wonderful airplane. I would love to fly again on this airplane again...
Wonderful story, thanks!
I arrived in New York in June 1960 at Idlewild, New York on a TWA Lockie Connie from Heathrow! Little thinking I’d spend the rest of my life (so far) in the US. My Dad was a pilot in the RAF & quite jealous!
@@jennykirkpatrick9066 don't be jealous, be proud of your father! Must have been a great person with experience second to none 👍👍👍👍
I was 11 in 1961 when my family immigrated to USA. It was August 18, 1961, we boarded a VARIG RG Super Constellation G/01 in Sao Paulo destination Idlewild. We took off and stopped in Rio, Belem, Port of Spain ( Trinidad ) then on to Idlewild. As we were going to Chicago, we transferred to LGA and boarded a TWA Connie to the Windy city. It was night already, I remember stopping at Pittsburgh, then Cleveland, then Finally MDW, we arrived about 2AM. I remember TWA used to call the service " AMBASSADOR" or " CHIEFTAIN" but I sure did not feel like an ambassador. But, I am now 73 and will not forget that voyage until my last day on this earth, love the Super Constellation, and the DC-10!
Wonderful story and comment, thanks!
My mom was a stewardess for Eastern. Connie and Electra was her favorites. Lol. Mine too and L1011
As a TWA stewardess my mother's first plane was the Connie from NY to England and Italy. Visions of a dream world of yesteryear 🙂
Very nice history of the Connie. As a young lad, I lived under the take off path of BUR and I SAW ALL of Lockheed's finest fly over my house, including the P-38. I very well remember witnessing a BRAND NEW TWA Super G fly right over my house heading for its new home.. I was an FE on the C-124 in the Air Force Reserves back in 1967 and continued on to the Lockheed C-141 as FE. As fate would have it, I ran into the "Camarillo Connie" at a airshow at VNY in 1997. I became active in the group and was eventually checked out as a back up FE on the Connie! 30 years later I am back in the sky! Flew the Connie until sold to Switzerland in 2004. Helped them fly it in Europe until they got their own FE. Those were the days...
Wonderful comment, thanks!
Heck, I flew on N73544 from Van Nuys to Camarillo in July '97 while on holiday from the UK. A dream come true for this propliner fan, especially on that magnificent Connie.
My first commercial flight was on a TWA Super Connie from Wichita to Denver in '63. We flew 1st class, and I thought we were treated like royalty. I was 9 at the time, I'll never forget what an elegant plane that was.
Glad you got to experience that!
I had the pleasure of having my first commercial fight in an Eastern Airlines Connie in 1955 , from Chicago's Midway airport to Jacksonville, Florida. Now 83 years old and it is still a clear memory.
I was a child in the fifties living next to LAX. I would watch airplanes, including occasional military craft, take off and land. There was one airplane that really, really really got my attention. Guess which.
Yup. Living next to Cleveland Hopkins in the 50’s, the Constellations that flew over my house were always attention getters.
My first ever flight was on Eastern from St. Louis to Miami in 1957, with two stops on the way. Sister and I were unaccompanied minors, 10 and 8.
In 1960, living near LAG my friend and I rode our bikes over to LaGuardia Airport right up to a Connie which was on the ramp. I always loved the sound of those engines. We laid our bikes under the aircraft, then the copilot came along and showed us around the aircraft, including the cockpit. What a thrill for two 10 year old kids. Whoever that man was......thank you sir !
Great story, and wow, times have sure changed!
@@celebratingaviationwithmik9782 They sure have.....none of the ground crew working around the plane even paid any attention to us. Good times back then
I was born and raised in Kansas City. Many of my aviation mentors were TWA pilots and mechanics. A few of them were Connie Captains. I can still remember watching Connie's load and start engines from the observation deck at MKC airport. (early '60's) What a great time in aviation. It influenced me to pursue an airline career myself. Thanks for the video.
Wonderful comment, thanks!
The first aircraft I associate with my father as an A/P mechanic for Douglass, Mc Donald, Northrup, and FAA the last in OKC Okla at FAA Headquarters. An incredible aircraft for the day.
My dad was a captain with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines based out of Amsterdam. I clearly remember flying to New York (Idlewild) at night mesmerized by the KLM logo lit up by the strobe light on the wing tiptanks. First class was in the back of the plane in those prop days. My dad flew the full range of Douglas aircraft (3, 4, 6, 7 and 8), all of the KLM owned connie's to finish his career on the 747. Those were the days in aviation.
I flew in one of the last constellation ‘s from Frankfort, Germany to NY in 1959. Shortly the Boeing 707 took over. The Constellation is so beautiful it has to be see, this 4 big radial engines were magnificent when they Wirral to life. I remember room was not much, very loud. But at least you were served 3 good meals. I’ll never ever forget at 14 flying in this wonderful plane and would jump to fly in her once more. Now at 76 I just have great memories that will never go away.
Great story, thanks!
September 1969 I found myself stationed at Otis AFB as a crew chief on Connies. ADC had them flying up and down the coast as part of the Early Warning System. By December 1069 I spent six weeks TDY at McCoy working on "R" models while flight crews trained how to use the sensitive microphones to fly over the trail. By August 69 I spent a year at Saigon working on a 123 called the White Whale. After my year there I ended up working on Connies in California. One night one came back from it's turn flying up and down the west coast as again part of the "Early Warning system". The pilot overshot the nose wheel mark by about 3 ft. I motioned him to BACK up the aircraft using his two inboards with his props reversed. A process we did on the 123 all the time to park it on the tarmac. Well he complied and it ended up on the mark and not on its tail either. After that activity I did another TDY in Iceland for just under two months again covering the Early Warning system. Nothing exciting during the tour other than when I got back I had less than six months left of my tour in the Air Force. Thanks for the video. As you can tell it brought back a couple of memories of being an aircraft mechanic on Connies.
Great comment and story, thanks!
My dad was stationed at Otis in 60s-70s and as a young boy he would let me go to the flight line to watch the 106s and when the Connies would fly, boy it was something to see and hear! Beautiful aircraft!
I built a model of that Eastern paint scheme for mom one christmas. Best gift I ever gave her. I wish she was still her so I could show this video. She would have liked it
The only piston airliner I ever flew on was a DC-6, then many times on the turboprop Electras. Loved that airplane! We had a Constellation on the roof of a restaurant right down the road from me, they used it as the cocktail lounge. It was a local landmark for many years. It was finally taken down and moved to the Military Air Transport Museum at Dover AFB in Delaware, reassembled and repainted as a C-121 as a static display.
In May 1959, at the age of seven, I flew with my parents from Amsterdam to New York on board of a KLM Lockheed L-1049G Super Constellation after making an unscheduled landing in Scotland for 2 hours for some brake repairs. The following year, June 1960 we flew back, also on a KLM Lockheed L-1049G, but with less drama. I have always carried fond memories of this airplane. Your comment that it looks like it's flying at 300 mph while still on the ground is so true, just like looking at a Lamborghini Miura standing still but looking like it's doing 200!
Wonderful comment, thanks!
Mjke, are you sure that Eastern flew the last scheduled flight of a Connie? My dad flew L749As for Pacific Northern Airlines, a great little regional operation that was the largest carrier to and within Alaska during the golden age of commercial aviation from the mid-Forties thru the mid-Sixties. In 1967, owner Art Woodley, who had started as a bush pilot, sold PNA to Western Airlines (to the everlasting disappointment of his employees). Western was a good company, but never seemed to know what to do with its new acquisition, abandoning many of the small town routes and quickly losing market share in the 49th state. During this short period, Western did put their paint scheme on PNA's half-dozen Connies (and a couple of Boeing 720s). I don't recall how long past the late summer of 1967 that Western kept flying the Connies, but i'm guessing that it would have been very near whatever date you have for Eastern. Maybe fourteen years ago I visited an "airlines collectables show" at Boeing Field here in Seattle. Wandering around the room, I noticed an old fellow sitting in a folding chair watching the proceedings, and was delighted to see from his name tag that he was veteran aviation novelist Robert Serling. I sat down with him and told him a few stories that I thought he would get a kick out of. Here are a couple you guys might like: Art Woodley, who founded Pacific Northern right after WW2, was a fine employer and a genial host at company get-togethers, but he he was also a big, sturdy, two-fisted tough guy when that was called for. His son George told me that in their bush-flying days there was not much love lost between young Art Woodley and his contemporary and competitor, the equally hard-bitten Bob Reeve (later the founder of Reeve Aleutian) as they fought for contracts and loads that would pay the bills. Anyway, after the war and having some profits and good credit, Art Woodley bought some DC-3s to start his new airline, and not military surplus, mind you, but shiny new airplanes straight from Douglas . . . with leather-upholstered seats, no less!! Well, as the story goes, one day now-president Woodley. as was his occasional habit in those years, decided to put on his PNA captain's uniform, get out of his Anchorage office, and take a flight himself. Having landed in Kodiak and picked up a load of mostly commercial fishermen, upon climbing out and leveling off for the trip home, Captain Woodley turned the controls over to the co-pilot, put on his uniform jacket and hat, and headed back to the cabin to ""show the colors" and exchange pleasantries with the passengers. At this point, let me interject that Hollywood's practice of showing airline cockpit crews flying with their hats on is (or was) 100% phony; in flight, real aircrews were always down to the white shirt and tie. So here's big Art Woodley in full uniform working his way down the cabin, introducing himself and thanking passengers for their business, when he comes upon a fisherman comfortably slouched deep in conversation with his seat-mate, and who has forgotten himself to the extent that he has propped his booted feet an top of the row of seats in front of him. Yes. Art Woodley's new leather seats. In one swift lunge the fisherman's feet and legs have been hurled off the seatbacks and into the aisle, and the startled and increasingly terrified man has been yanked up by the collar into the enraged face of the captain, who in a voice of power and menace states, "IF I EVER SEE YOU PUT YOUR FEET ON UP ON THE SEATS AGAIN, I'LL THROW YOU OFF MY AIRPLANE . . . AND I WON'T CARE IF WE'RE ON THE GROUND OR NOT!!!" That's enough for now. I'll come back another day with more Connie stuff.
Great comment and stories, thanks, and yes you are correct - Northern Pacific operated their 749A Constellations through December 1968.
OWW, Mike, NOT "Northern Pacific," but Pacific Northern Airlines ("The Alaska Flag Line," which operated its "Flagliners" from Seattle to Anchorage nonstop or with stops at Ketchikan and Juneau, and from Anchorage flew regular service to a number of smaller towns in southern and southeastern Alaska. Northern Pacific was the RAILROAD. Well, I guess there WAS an attempted airline startup recently, calling itself "Northern Pacific," which as I heard quickly folded amid charges of defrauding investors or some-such. PNA oldtimers are a bit bemused today to observe how Alaska Airlines has become such a big, well-run and successful company, because throughout PNA's thirty-year heyday, Alaska was a ragtag, marginally profitable operation, something of an industry joke, with their employees leaving work with their paychecks and racing to the bank in hopes the checks wouldn't bounce. Today, Western Airlines, with all of history, has long since disappeared, absorbed into Delta, while Alaska Airlines is an industry blue chip. And Pacific Northern, recognized in its day by the FAA for the excellence of its maintenance work on the Connies, now fades away with the last elderly generation who knew it first-hand. Mike, I deeply appreciate your giving us this means of recording a few stories that would otherwise be lost.
I flew as aircrew on the EC-121s out of Kwangju,ROK in 1971-1972. Night takeoffs were fascinating as those R-3350s threw a flame about 3’ long out of the exhausts at full military power. Our missions lasted up to 14 hours out over the SOJ and the East China Sea waiting for the PRCAA to come out to chase us back home.
Great comment William, thanks, and yes, I'm well familiar with your mission. I worked the Data Shop, 6921st Security Wing, Misawa, Japan '67-69. 'Glad you survived the tour.
Another fabulous video-so well done and comprehensive. As a kid in the 50’s my father, who loved to watch planes, took me to Philadelphia Intl. Airport where the most exciting part of the afternoon were Connies coming and going, mostly TWA. I built a Connie model, which was about average quality for a 9-year-old. Unfortunately, as with the other numerous models from my childhood and teen years, it’s long gone. Nevertheless, I never lost my admiration for the Connie. Truly one of, if not THE, classic airliner of all time.
Love your shows Mike.
Many thanks!
I was around in the time of the Constellations,
but we were ground people back then.
When I saw it in the movies, I knew it was
a beautiful plane. Thanks for the fine review.
❤.... love that Connie 💖 and God bless you for the best documentary of her I've ever seen 💯🆒
Really appreciate your comment - many thanks!
Thank you Mike for this wonderful story on my favorite prop-driven airliner. The Connie looked great in all of its many iterations and color schemes both civilian and military. I have kits and built-ups of all the models shown, and a Heller 1/72 scale EC-121 Warning Star kit. Glad you included the models in your presentation and very nice job on the builds. It just keeps getting better and better.
Thanks Glenn, and this was a fun episode to put together. Looking forward to seeing you Thursday!
Never flew as a passenger on one because dad preferred United and sometimes Western. But, our next door neighbor was a TWA flight engineer. He told me stories how difficult it was to keep those R-3350's running.
I remember from a former Pan Am Flight Engineer looking back on his logbooks. He flew the Connie for two years and noted 20 inflight shutdowns. His logbook noted 12 years on the 707 and recorded only one inflight shutdown and that was courtesy of a bird. But he still enjoyed the Connie.
I can remember as a kid on holiday in northern France in 1971 having a walk around the inside of a Super Con.
Props to you Mike, you have created a really good channel here. The way you delve deeply into the details of different aircraft is impressive. Keep up the good work.
Appreciate the comment, thanks!
The "CONNIE" is one of the most beautiful aircraft ever produced.
When dad got stationed to Japan in ‘57, it was a Connie that flew us from San Francisco. My only recollection is of me playing with my Lincoln Logs on the floor somewhere over the pacific. Dad loved the plane and at one time was assigned to fly it during his time in the Air Force.
In May of 1966 I was sent to basic training at Ft. Polk LA and they flew me from Indianapolis, In to Jackson, MS on a Connie and from there we flew into Ft. Polk on a DC-3, that was my one and only ride in a Connie.
At that time, I was in the 60th Army Band at Ft. Polk. We might have been at your Basic Training orientation or graduation parade, or both. We alternated with the 56th AB also at Ft. Polk. From there I went to the First Infantry Division in Vietnam. Rode in a Branniff Airlines Boeing 707-227 over and Saturn Airways (don't remember the plane, but it could have been a DC-8) back a year later. Military was using commercial airliners for transport at that time, although I knew guys who flew in C-141's to Nam.
@@cesarebeccaria7641 Interesting, after basic I had to hire a cab to get me to Shreveport, LA and got to to fly in a 727, my first ever jet, got to go home for 2 weeks then to Redstone
Arsenal for AIT then to Anniston Army Depot, never had to go to Vietnam.
Mike good go and thank you for doing it. A couple of things after 4 mins in. At 3:55 it states engines were 200HP.. The R3350 were first bench run in 1937 and the first variants produced 2200shp. Later variants cracked over 3000shp.. At 2:29 you say that the Constellation comes from the military transport the C-69. The C-69 was developed from the pre-war Constellation, built to Howard Hughes specs.
You didn't mention Qantas Airways which, being an Australian airline always had need of aircraft with longer range.
My parents, my brother and I migrated to Australia on a Qantas Super Connie from London to Australia in October '62.
I still have a picture of us standing next to the Connie just below the tail on the tarmac in Melbourne.
I was 3 years old and still have snippets of memory of the flight. I remember the plane was full and there seemed to be
a lot of stop overs. I also remember seeing a stratofortress parked at one of the airports we stopped.
Unfortunately the Connie's registration isn't visible in the photo, I wish it was.
Have you seen "Connie" in HARS Aviation Museum NSW, mate? Shes a beautiful craft!
@@stuart8663 No I haven't, I didn't even know about it. Once the "coof" has passed I'll go check it out. I'm in Melbourne and I don't want to leave the state in case I get locked out. Thanks mate.
The Super Connie has flown at the International Air Show held in Melbourne every two years. The show has been cancelled these past few years due to Covid but I'm sure the Connie will be back once the show recomnences. It is a treat to see her in QANTAS livery from the 50s and the distinct sound of her engines brings a smile to the face.
Loved to watch the TWA Constellations fly over my boyhood house inbound to the old downtown airport (MCI) in Kansas City. we lived about 60 miles out and the planes would generally be up about 6,000 ft when they passed overhead. Saw one once spitting small flames and black smoke out of its right inboard engine, but never heard about any problems with that flight.
There was one of these Beauties in an empty field across Cairo Lane , Opa Locka Fl. It sat there till 1973 & as a Kid i knew it was there to get scrapped in nearby junkyards.
I grew up on the north boundary of LA International (LAX now). One of my best memories of childhood is of the propliners which I saw every day. By far, the best was the Connie. After High School (1966) I got a job as a Baggage Smasher at Terminal 6. If there was time between my flights, I would take a tug and go over to American and oggle the Connies. Only a great looking airplane can look that good on the ground. I can still see them starting up with a huge cloud of smoke and the wonderful sound of the Wrights. I knew they were going away and I tried to soak in every db of engine sound and fix those images in my mind forever.
It's been a long time, but I still remember the sound of its engines. I was a child in 1956.
SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL ...Thanks, Mike, for the referral which didn't let down. Why does the fuselage and horizontal stabiliser complex make me think of a breath-taking graceful dolphin/whale?
Thanks again Mike.... the Connie is a fascinating subject to aviation geeks like myself.... I noticed while watching your video, and please note this isn't a criticism, that you didn't mention the 4 total only L-1249 turboprop versions built for the US Navy initially as R7V-2 (2 only), and later for the USAF, the YC-121F (also 2 only).... to me, they were even more beautiful and sleeker appearing with the closely cowled engines and the shortened wings they had.... I think the engines used at that time (1955-56) were troublesome but ultimately used successfully on the Lockheed C-133 and that's why only those 4 were built.... if the L-1679 Starliner had incorporated those engines, it may have been a more successful aircraft.... in my eyes, all the Constellation series were beautiful aircraft....
Excellent point on the turboprop R7V-2 Jim! That will be one of the airplanes featured in the new video posting this weekend about turboprop conversions, auxiliary jet pods, and other early Jet Age configurations.
I grew up near and in the flight line of McCellan AFB where the early warning connie was kept and some friends of mine maintained. The California Aero Space museum is at McCellan field and they have a connie radar plane that on weekends you can walk thru
Thanks for the history! My dad use to tell me stories about working on Connies for Eastern Airlines..it was his favorite and it was nice to see them as he remembered them! Thanks
My Dad loved flying New York-Miami on those airplanes as well!
Great, Mike! The Connie is such a beautiful design and still is by today's standard. I don't think we'll ever see the kind of development/change in commercial aviation that transpired between 1955 and 1959. It's a pretty staggering amount of technology shift in those short few years!
Thanks Adam, and I agree 100%!
Great documentary of one of the most beautiful piston airliners ever created. Well done Mike! I absolutely enjoyed the entire video. 😀
Appreciate the comment, thanks Glenn!
Looks like a dolphin jumping out of the water! Love it!
Mike--Wonderful episode. I am a total airplane nerd but I always learn something new from you. I did not know about the white paint requirement during the cold war. I was fortunate to fly on many of these aircraft as a child. I think the cowlings on the big radials are some of the most beautiful shapes created by man.
Appreciate the comment, thanks!
I was 8yrs. young and my family of 4 crossed the Atlantic arrived in NYC on October 30, 1956 . Flew with the Constellation over the USA to LAX and arrived at night at thee then old airport . It was amazing ALL THE CITY LIGHTS . I'm 72 yrs. now .
Wonderful comment and memories, thanks!
Eastern Airlines flight 633 from Newark to Miami.
Super C
December 1959.
I would love to fly on a “Connie”! Imagine getting out of a DC 3, to the beautiful Constalation!!
One of my favourite airplanes. Just wish I was able to see and hear one in person.
What a great video, I truly enjoyed that. Extremely well produced and presented.
My father worked for Eastern from the early 60's until the demise of the airline. My grandfather worked for Capital, then United. A Connie was the first airplane I ever flew on. I have to admit that I don't remember that first flight, I was an infant. I do, however, remember riding on the Connie as I got older.
You mentioned that the 'Speed Pack' was developed to allow extra baggage capacity. As I remember, it was to speed up the turnaround times. The interior baggage area was tight and difficult for ground personnel to move around in. Unloading and reloading baggage was slow as a result. With the speed pack, when the plane arrived, they would drop the pack and tow it over to be unloaded. The baggage usually beat the passengers into the building. There would already be another pack being loaded for the outbound flight. As the last of the passengers were boarding, they would tow the pack out and winch it into place. The pack slowed the cruising speed by about 3 knots, but the time saved at the gate more than made up the difference.
Side story; Years later, I met a person that had ground crew experience with the Concord. This person was also associated with the 'Save a Connie' organization. He said that loading/unloading the Concord baggage compartment was a pain in the backside, but the Connie was worse.
I'm looking forward to your video on the Electra. That was my favorite plane. I flew on them 10-12 times a year, for 11 years. I'm always happy to learn and hear about the Electra. It did have a rough patch there at the beginning, with a number of unexplained (at the time) crashes. It took a while to figure out the problem because it was a previously unknown phenomenon. (The recent problems with the 737 Max was very reminiscent of that time for me.) They figured it out, and a redesign of the engine mounts solved the problem. It really gave the program a black eye, which is a shame, it was a really great plane. Lockheed designed some real innovations into that bird. By the way, the original engine mount that caused the crashes, was not designed by Lockheed. I don't recall if it was Allison, or another company though. Anyways, I'm really looking forward to your video on the Electra. I'm sure I'll enjoy it as much as I did this one.
Truly great comment, thanks! I remember hearing that Donald Douglas lent Lockheed the company's wingtip flutter vanes used in the DC-8 flight test program when they were redesigning the Electra - classic example of how members of America's proud Aerospace industry helped each other - even competitors - in times of need.
GOOD VIDEO SIR,SAW THESE FLY AS A KID.WE HAD ONE IN METAIRIE LA. IN THE 70S AND 80S. AS A NITECLUB .IT WAS CALLED THE CRASH LANDING LOUNGE.NICE PLACE,GOOD TIMES.
I would be proud to own one even today! 🤠👍
What a nice tribute to my favorite airliner!
I've often wondered why the Constellation at 1:31 didn't have the six foot extension to the wing root like the DC-7C did. It would've increased the range by added fuel tanks and, like the -7C, decreased noise and vibration in the passenger cabin.
Good observation, and Lockheed actually did just that with the later model 1649 "Starliner" Constellation. That aircraft explanation begins at 12:07, and thanks for watching!
@@celebratingaviationwithmik9782 I'm still holding out for a video about the nonstop LAX - LHR Starliner TWA flight. That would be interesting.
Thank you for this wonderful history of my favorite prop plane ever built. When I was young I bought and attempted to build the Monogram model you mentioned. My build failed miserably but as an adult I had an opportunity to visit Lockheed on business and I bought the wood Super G model from the Lockheed employee store. I cherish that model.
Love model stories like that!
I'm an A & P mechanic and I learn a lot from your videos. Thank you.
Appreciate the comment Edwin, thanks!
I remember going on a field trip to Moffet Field when I was in the sixth grade around 1961 and seeing one of these planes up close. Another plane on display there was a Crusader jet, which at the time was the latest thing.
With my dad being an engineer for Republic Aviation, he got sent all over the world. In 1955, we travelled from Nellie AFB Las Vegas NV to New York. From there, we flew ( I was 5 and have no memory of this flight) to England as my dad was to work at Bentwaters AFB where I attended first grade with my siblings. I know about the travel as my mom spoke of it several times. I wish I could remember the flight but it must’ve been amazing since my mom spoke fondly of it.
A great story - belated thanks!
I had the pleasure of visiting Hawaii, Midway, Wake, and Guam on my way to Japan in 1960.
Great video. My grandfather worked at Lockheed and did something on the tails
Thank you for the memory jog,sound clips would have been good.As a kid,I recall QANTAS flying Connies into Perth Western Australia and was always enthralled by the sight and sound of these big craft.In later years the Electras flew all over the country with various airlines too. 🙃
I like the square windows, maybe not suggested today, but rather beautiful.
They were rectangular windows.
Those large passenger windows were not a problem with those piston-powered airplanes flying at 25,000 feet. When jets came in and cruised near 40,000 ft., window size became smaller to deal with the increased pressurization.
@@celebratingaviationwithmik9782 Thank you for a great history bonus on the windows. The old unpressurised DC-3s had square windows. I think it would have been beautiful to fly with such large windows.
Congratulations, Mike! You sold me (yet another) book! Of course, this was easy--I'm a sucker for this topic, and a sweet discount code is spouse approved!
I've always wanted to experience flying on any of these four-engined propliners, but I was born too late. Only a few years ago I realized that my parents had taken some airline flights back around 1953, which would mean that it was probably on a four-engined propliner. I never thought to ask them what the experience was like, and sadly now I can no longer ask them. However, I think it would be a great video topic for you to cover what flying on a four-engined propliner was like. I know it was expensive, so anyone on board either had plenty of money or was traveling for business. The promotional pictures make it look so elegant and high class. The movies aren't in real airplanes, so we can't trust them. I imagine that there was a lot of vibration and a high noise level that took away from the experience, and no one was wearing noise-cancelling headphones. While you're at it you could extend that to how the experience changed as jets came along. Even from my own experience, back in the 80s or 90s I tended to wear earplugs on airliners. Flying just a year ago on a 737-800 was so quiet I felt no need for earplugs.
Thanks for buying the book, Russ, and what a great topic about flying on propliners back in the day. A totally different experience for sure, but biggest memories of my first DC-7 flight at age 12 was that the noise and vibration was much less than expected. We sat in the First-Class lounge ahead of the props (club seating for 8) while the First Class cabin was at the back of the airplane away from the engines. (The Lavs were right at the prop line - you can see the small windows in the photos.) Inflight entertainment was looking out the window, playing cards, writing letters or postcards, and reading. Oh yes, all the adults started smoking as soon as the "NO SMOKING" signs went out. It looked glamourous in all the ads, but I'll bet that was a long 12 or 14 hours to Europe or the Far East!
I always entertained ideas of engineers swapping props for jets and relaunching the model. Its such a beautiful shape. Oh well...
Maybe when we transition to electric power, the prop makes its triumphant return!
I remember seeing my aunt off from Los Angeles to Kansas City in 1957 in a TWA Constellation.
when I was growing up my best friends dad was a mechanic on a Navy Constellation- gorgeous airplane
They have a museum and a Constellation at Wheeler Field in downtown Kansas City, MO.
Fun presentation Mike. I was a kid on Otis AFB in the late ‘60’s- my step dad flew EC-121’s with the 962nd AEW&C off of Otis flying radar pickets over the North Atlantic in the days of the “DEW Line”...
Apologies for the late reply, and thanks for your comment. I remember seeing an Otis-based EC-121 at an air show on Long Island. The airplane was really pristine for a military bird!
Okay, Mike, here's my best Constellation story, and it's a beaut: "Old Five-Two-Three, The Port Au Prince Bomber." This is one of the stories I told to old Robert Serling. (BTW, I added a reply to your reply to my previous post, below, if you haven't seen that). Maybe you have read that old Connies, after their airline days were over, became a favorite aircraft type for gun-runners and drug runners and other nefarious sorts. As I heard it, there was something about the particular way the rear passenger loading door could be opened in flight (when low and unpressurized) that was particularly helpful for the fellows shoving pallets of contraband out of that open door to slide down the static line that would deploy the parachutes. What a wonderfully versatile machine, the Connie!! If the bad guys had really applied themselves, maybe they could have devised a way to air-drop an entire Speed-Pak, hah, hah!! About one year after our PNA/WAL Connies had made their retirement flights, a set of photocopies of a newspaper clipping was circulated among the employees. Including a couple of grainy black and white photos of a Connie, still wearing its final, very classy Western paint scheme, the newspaper story told of how the elderly propliner, shot full of bullet holes and nearly out of gas, had landed at Freeport in the Bahamas, the crew arrested and the plane impounded. It quickly developed that a Haitian rebel group, hoping to incite an overthrow of the dictatorial regime of "Papa Doc" Duvalier, had acquired the plane intending to bomb the palace of the tyrant in the capital city of Port Au Prince. They armed their "bomber" with a half-dozen oil drums, fused in some manner and filled with a mixture of oil and kerosine. Possibly their opponents had gotten wind of the raid, because as the rebel crew shoved their incendiary drums out the Connie's door they were quickly met with small arms ground fire and even flack. Evidently the homemade bombs were not particularly effective, and Papa Doc remained in power to be succeeded by his son Baby Doc. I know nothing of the fates of the rebel aircrew, and can only assume that like almost all of the glorious old propliners, Old 523 met its end with a scrap dealer. I say the plane was "523" because our Connies all had the last few digits of the tail or "N-number" printed on the nose-gear doors, and my recall now is that number is what I could barely identify from the photocopy. But whether it was instead "Nine-Three-Victor" or "Seventeen Charlie" or one of the other numbers we all knew well, we old PNA-ers were delighted to see it again, associated as it was with such a wild tale. My dad and his pals had hundreds of hours of time in that very airplane, and having spent a couple of summers working as a PNA "ramp-rat" during college years, loading/unloading baggage and cleaning and prepping cabin and cockpit for the next flight, I had my little piece of personal history with the airplane. I'm out of time, and will add a few remaining comments later as a reply to this post. But let me finish this by telling you how you can look at that newspaper clipping from 1969, which I have found online. I don't know how to paste the web address, but you can get to it the way I did. First, Google search "the aerial bombing of port au prince, haiti." Having clicked on that, look for the entry entitled, "Canadian Arrested After Haiti Bombing." Mike, if the newspaper still exists, maybe they could send you a fresher photocopy that you could scan and print here.
The plot thickens!! In re-reading the newspaper account, the crew of the captured Connie were not made up of Haaitian rebels, as I recalled, but included a Canadian pilot, seven Americans, and only two Haitians, and there were rumors of CIA involvement . . . !!!
Thanks, my dad used to fly those. Electras, too.
Thanks very much for this retrospective. I have always loved this handsome plane and it was the first plane I ever flew in @ 3 years old - TWA Flight #962 - Idlewild to Frankfurt - L749 March 6 1952. My mother was a war bride and my dad scraped up enough money ( $591.20 RT for my mom, half that for me, a LOT of cash in 1952!) to send us back to visit her parents (my grandparents). Even at such a young age, I vaguely have some snippets of memory regarding the flight, mostly interior images and noise! NY to Gander to Shannon to London to Germany - 24 hours. While I have photos of us arriving at Rhein-Main Field, unfortunately there are no recognizable registration numbers, so I can't identify the actual plane. However, for our return flight on June 28 1952 (TWA Flight #963), I am able to name the plane: Another L749 - N6016C - The Star of Minnesota. Apparently all TWA 749's back then were named "Star of . . . " What a plane.
Started a lifelong interest in 4 engine prop airliners (and bombers like the -24). Thanks again.
Great Story, thanks!
I expect the complex fuselage shapes of these airliners cost more to build than the simpler shaped fuselages of the Douglas series aircraft?
Yes, that would be correct, and harder to manufacture as well. Thanks for watching!
Mike, fantastic video and appreciate the crossover to the modeling hobby. I have a Heller Connie in my build queue and now can’t wait to start the project.
'Forgot to mention the Heller kit - I built the TWA Super-G version and it was a terrific model!
Wonderful Videos!! I am wondering if you ever spoke at IPMS at TRW Space Park in Redondo Beach. I remember a beautiful painting of a Constellation on display at the presentation.
Sorry I missed this comment, and yes, I've attended and spoken at IPMS Space Park meetings. Many thanks!
One of my favorite airline designs. Thanks for all of the great info. Beautiful lines, one of a kind.
Agree and the 1049 model one of the top 10 best looking airplanes of all time in my opinion.
What a great episode.
I flew with my mother to Europe on a constellation in the 50s .
I do remember being on a gigantic prop plane and of the sound it made. I belive we stopped in gander to refuel on our way.
Can you comment on the flight route and possible modle of constellation in was likely on .
Thank you for your excellent work.
Appreciate the comment, and thanks for watching. Do you remember what airline you flew on, or the city in Europe where you landed? Different airlines operated different models of the Constellation.
Flew in DC 6s when I was a kid. Don't know if they also flew the DC 7 in Greenland.
Scandinavian Airlines Systems used them in Greenland until the Dash 7 arrived in 1978-9-ish.
Thank you Mike for this great history of the Connie. I always loved the look of the aircraft. Never realized there were many configurations and model numbers.
'Glad you enjoyed the presentation!
Great, now I want to build a Connie. Wonderful presentation Mike.
Another wonderful presentation. Thank you Mike! I love the model kit tie in also! Yup, gonna get me a book and a connie kit...lol
Neat! I’ve always wondered how much better the aerodynamics were with this airplane and it’s special iconic shape. Would love to hear more about the engines on these too.
I never flew the Connie but I did fly the DC-7, same engines.
The design began in 1935 or 36, the first one ran in 1937. There were no computers or even calculators back then, if close was good enough you used a slide rule. If it had to be exact, you did the math on paper.
They had 18 cylinders, 2 rows of 9. Bore and stroke were around 6 5/16”. 3350 cu. in displacement.
The ones I flew were 3400 HP @ 2900 RPM for takeoff and 2800 HP continuous.
They hat power recovery turbines, these were powered by exhaust and connected to the crankshaft via an oil clutch. They provided about 500 more HP.
They burned quite a bit of oil, usually 1-4 gallons/ hour. An old joke was ‘fill it up with oil and check the gas’.
They were supercharged, a typical takeoff manifold pressure on a hot day was in the upper 50s.
The prop was gear- driven, 16 revolutions of the crank to 7 of the prop.
They weighed about 3000 lbs with no prop.
Outstanding, Mike. Your usual excellent work.
Thank you Charles!
So much fun seeing these aircraft from my youth
Loved your presentation, So interesting seeing a you-tube video without any video, only stills. Very effective. I too look forward to more of these.
Appreciate the comment, thanks!
I'm old enough to have had the good luck to have flown a SC from Travis AFB to Guam via HH Midway, and Wake Isl. Twentieth Century airlines.(some charter company for the military? I was a NAVY brat.) I was ten years old and I fell in love with The Super Connie and flying general. The first flight I remember was returning from SF too Knoxville on a DC-3 owned by American AL. In nineteen sixty six I flew from SF cal. too Tokyo via Anchorage Alalska on a PanAm 707. That's a trifecta for me.👍
Great comment, thanks!
Great finish to vid with the art ILS app. ✈
And I immediately purchased the book.
Many thanks!
Mike, you are my #1 aviation artist!
Mine, too. And the videos he presents are incredibly good.
Did you notice the wv-2 in the background of the electra picture? Great Connie documentary!
Great segment..
One of the most beautiful aircraft to take to the sky. Wish there were a 1/ 48 scale model available to build of this great plane. Great video Mike...🍻
Thanks John, and agreed on that 1/48-scale Connie model. Now which airline should it be?...
@@celebratingaviationwithmik9782 Mike...would love to build it in TWA livery. On of my favorites..
John....
In the early 1960s I got a closeup view of the trail of a Constellation that was at a 500 foot elevation above my house. It was on the San Francisco Peninsula on a weekday afternoon where my older brother and I were watching TV and we heard the loud rumble of an aircraft overhead, it made the house shake. We ran outside to see the Constellation flying away doing a climb away from the house. How that aircraft ended up so low in a residential area was a mystery to me. As kids we didn't know what to do except tell our parents when they got home; they paid little mind to that.