The Lockheed Constellation is built by a Lockheed Corporation made in 1943. The first civil airliner series with pressurized cabins that was widely used was the Constellation series. Because of its pressurized interior, commercial passengers were allowed to fly above the majority of poor weather conditions for the first time, greatly enhancing overall aviation safety and convenience.
Design
The Constellation's wings resembled those of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, with the main difference being size. The aircraft's triple tail made it possible for it to fit into hangars that were already in place. Other features included hydraulically boosted controls and a deicing system for the leading edges of the wings and tail.
Engine and Propellers
Three-bladed constant-speed propellers are the powerplant, with four × Wright R-3350-DA3 Duplex-Cyclone 18 cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines producing 3,250 horsepower (2,420 kW) each.
Performance
It has a maximum velocity of 607 km/h. Cruise speed at 22,600 feet (6,888 meters) is 550 km/h. 160 km/his the stall speed. Its range is 8,700 km.
Variants
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When World War II was coming to an end, some of the military variants, designated L-049 and these were followed by the L-149 (L-049 modified to carry extra fuel tanks). The more potent L-649 and L-749 (which carried additional fuel in the outer wings) were the first passenger Constellations designed specifically for passenger use
- L-949 (an unbuilt, high-density seating-cum-freighter type, what would come to be called a "combi aircraft")
- L-849 (an unbuilt model to employ the R-3350 turbo-compound engines selected for the L-1049).
- The L-1049 Super Constellation, which had a longer fuselage.
- L-1149 (a proposal to use Allison turbine engines).
- L-1249 (built as R7V-2/YC-121F and similar to L-1149).
- L-1449 (an unbuilt proposal for L1049G, stretched 55 in (140 cm), with new wing and turbines).
- L-1549 (an unbuilt project to stretch L-1449 95 in (240 cm)) were the series that followed these.
- The L-1649 Starliner, which had new wings and an L1049G fuselage, was the last civilian version.
Military variants
R7V-1, EC-121, WV-2, EC-121 designations for the Navy, as well as the C-69 and C-121 for the Army Air Forces/Air Force.
Safety record
Hull-losses: 111
Hull-loss incidents: 98, resulting in 1063 fatalities overall
Two criminal incidents: (hull losses, excluding hijackings) resulted in a total of thirty-one fatalities.
Two hijackings occurred, however no one was killed.
Survival rate: 23.6% of all passengers avoided dying in collisions.
Tags
Flying