United States' Lockheed C-69 Constellation transport, Nickname: "Connie"

Photos

Design

The Lockheed Constellation was designed to meet a Trans World Airlines (TWA) airliner requirement for an intercontinental aircraft in 1939.^1,2

Landing Gear

The Constellation had a tricycle landing gear.¹

Tail

The tail was composed of three fins.¹

Cabin

The cabin was pressurized.¹

Engines

The engines had problems.¹ They were so bad that C-69 flights outside the United States was prohibited.¹

Prototype

The first L-049² / C-69 flew on January 9, 1943, by Eddie Allen, a Boeing test pilot.^1,2

Production

TWA ordered 9 in 1940.¹ Pan American and KLM ordered 75.¹ Before any were flown the project was turned over the the United States Army Air Corps.¹

The USAAC ordered 180² / 260 by late 1941.¹ Only 14 C-69s and the C-69C was delivered during the war.¹ The first being in July 1943.¹ The rest were turned over to BOAC and TWA after VJ Day.¹

• Lockheed L-049: 1²
• Lockheed C-69: 21¹
• Lockheed C-69C: 1¹
• Total: 22¹
  • Manufacturer: Lockheed Aircraft Company²
• Postwar: 856¹

Variants

• Lockheed L-049: Prototype.²
• Lockheed C-69: Originally the TWA and Pan Am order.¹
• Lockheed C-69A: 30 were ordered.¹ Could carry 100 troops.^1,2 Never built.^1,2
• Lockheed C-69B: 180 were ordered.¹ Could carry 94 troops.^1,2 Never built.^1,2
• Lockheed C-69C: VIP 43 passenger transport.^1,2
• Lockheed C-69D: Could carry 57.² Never built.²

Usage

Record Flight

On April 16, 1944, a C-69 flew from Burbank, California to Washington, D.C. in 6 hours, 57 minutes, 51 seconds.² There was even bad weather along the journey.²

After World War II

In 1948 an improved Constellation, the C-121 was constructed.² One of them was General Eisenhower's aircraft, the "Columbine I" when he commanded NATO forces.² General MacArthur had one called the "Bataan."²

In 1951 the design was upgraded to the C-121C with 3,500 HP engines.² One was the "Columbine III" which was President Eisenhower's aircraft.²

1960s

The Lockheed Constellations were used into the 1960s by airlines.²

Specifications

	Lockheed C-69 Constellation1,2
Type	Transport1,2
Crew	4 or 51, 53, 4 - 62
Passengers	473, 602, 641
Engine (Type)	4: Wright Cyclone3 4: Wright R-3350 Cyclone2 4: Wright R-3350-35 Cyclone1
Cylinders	Radial 181,2
Cooling	Air2
HP	2,200 each1,2,3
Propeller blades	3 each1
Dimensions
Span	123'1,2 37.49 m1
Length	95' 2"1,2 29 m1
Height	23' 8"1,2 7.21 m1
Wing area
Weight
Empty	50,500 lb1 22,907 kg1
Loaded	72,000 lb1,2 32,659 kg1
Performance
Speed	330 mph2
Speed @ 16,000' / 4,877 m	330 mph1 531 kph1
Cruising speed
Climb to 10,000 ' / 3,048 m	7.1 minutes1
Service ceiling	25,000'1,2 7,620 m1
Range	2,400 miles1,2 3,862 km1