In response to the Douglas DC-4 Lockheed developed the Constellation. As more powerful engines were developed the Constellation was stretched 21 feet and improvements made resulting in the L-1049G Super Constellation. The development of the L-1049G improved range with the addition of wing-tip tanks. The more powerful engines made it necessary to use large propellers that required the aircraft to sit quite high off the ground. A triple tail was developed because the size of a single tail would have been too large to fit in any hangar.
Lockheed L-1049 c/n 4015 was delivered to TWA in August, 1952 as N6901C named “Star of the Thames”. The aircraft was operated by TWA until October 1960 and then it was operated by California Hawaiian Airlines, Modern Air Transport, Florida State Tours Inc. before finally going to Lineas Aéreas Patagonicas Argentinas in February 1966. On March 6, 1966 while departing Lima, Peru bound for Asunción, Paraguay the aircraft had 3 engines fail and the crew had to ditch in the ocean. All 5 crew were rescued by a fishing boat.
--- Specifications for the 3 Lockheed L-1049 variants First Flight – July 14, 1951 Production – 564 for commercial airlines and military Crew – 4 Cockpit Crew, 4 Flight Attendants Standard Seating – 95 passengers Performance Powerplant – 4 x Wright R-3350-DA3 Turbo Compound 18-cylinder super-charged air- cooled radial engines producing 3,250 hp (2,424 kW) per engine Fuel Capacity L-1049C – 6,550 US gallons L-1049G & H – 7,750 US gallons w/tip tanks Fuel Burn L-1049C w/ maximum fuel load – 4 engines / 432 gph (108 gph /engine) L-1049G w/ maximum fuel load – 4 engines / 500 gph (125 gph /engine) L-1049H w/ maximum fuel load – 4 engines / 696 gph (174 gph /engine) Maximum Cruising Speed L-1049C - 734 mph (352 kts) L-1049G & H – 366 mph (318 kts) Normal Cruising Speed L-1049C – 314 mph (273 kts) L-1049G & H – 311 mph (270 kts) Service Ceiling L-1049C – 23,200 ft L-1049G & H – 22,800 ft Range L-1049C – 4,760 miles w/maximum fuel L-1049C – 2,880 miles w/maximum payload L-1049G – 4,815 miles w/maximum fuel L-1049G – 4,165 miles w/maximum payload L-1049H – 3,463 miles w/maximum fuel L-1049H – 1,890 miles w/maximum payload Weight Empty L-1049C – 70,083 lbs L-1049G – 73,016 lbs L-1049H – 69,326 lbs Maximum Take Off L-1049C – 133,000 lbs L-1049G & H – 137,500 lbs Dimensions Length L-1049C – 113 ft 7 in L-1049G & H – 116 ft 2 in Wingspan L-1049C – 123 ft L-1049G & H – 123 ft 5 in Height L-1049C & G & H – 24 ft 9.4 in List of aircraft operators:
