It's a CONNIE !

[Tailspin45]

C-69 NX25600

[Tailspin45]

Lockheed C-69 NX25600

[Bomber_12th]

With regard to surviving airframes, there are only four surviving L-049's (none flying) -

N90831 c/n 1970--->On display Pima Air and Space Museum, Tucson, AZ
N86533 c/n 2071--->On display "Brazilian Wings of A Dream Museum", Sao Carlos, Brazil
N9412H c/n 2072--->Stored Greenwood Lake Airport, West Milford, NJ
N2520B c/n 2081--->On display at park Santa Cruz, Bolivia


There have only been two Constellations flying in recent years - one being the Breitling Super Constellation HB-RSC (based in Switzerland), and the other being the HARS Super Constellation VH-EAG (based in Australia). There are a few additional later model Constellations under restoration to fly at this time -

- The VC-121A Constellation "Bataan" (MacArthur's aircraft), which was ferried earlier this year and is now getting more detailed restoration/care to become a regular flyer in the US.
- The C-121A Consellation "Columbine II" (Eisenhower's aircraft/"Airforce One"), which was ferried last year and is now under full restoration to become a regular flyer in the US.
- The L-749A Constellation N1206 is currently being worked on/restored in Kansas to be able to be ferried out by the end of this year and to hopefully become a regular flyer again in the US (last flown in 1992).
- The L-1649A Constellation N7316C, owned by Lufthansa, has been under ground-up restoration in the US for a number of years, and is heading toward completion/first flights within hopefully the next couple years.

For much more information, this is perhaps the number one source for Constellation survivors: http://www.conniesurvivors.com/index.htm#top


Hopefully this one will be flying again eventually (the only Constellation I have ever seen in person, and seen fly - they've been dogged by problems for over a decade now, keeping the aircraft ground-bound): http://www.conniesurvivors.com/N6937C.htm

[Piper_EEWL]

Thanks for that list John. It's good to see that some Constellations are supposed to take the skies again. The Lufthansa project is very impressive.

[Bomber_12th]

The Lufthansa project is very impressive.

Yes it has been - like watching the Red Bull DC-6 restoration, it is amazing to see such a large aircraft taken down to bare bones/basic structure/spars and completely rebuilt/put back together in better than new condition. The latest projection I've heard is that the Lufthansa Constellation should be flying by 2018.

[Piper_EEWL]

Yes I've heard that too. I've been following the project since Lufthansa first announced it. It's amazing how much effort and money they put into this. I mean they have build an extra hangar at the airport the Constellation was situated at to restore it.

[JoeS475]

Not knowing much about Constellations (which is already rapidly changing reading all this), I had no idea that the Connie at Greenwood Lake 4N1 was of the earliest type... I used to see it all the time when I took flying lessons out of that airport, had no idea it was so rare.

Joe

[Tailspin45]

For a different look at our Connie, I posted an engineering design review by By Hall Hibbard, Chief Engineer at Lockheed Aircraft Corporation

It begins:

Code: Select all

Used by U.S. Army for trans-oceanic transport, and later modified by Lockheed engineers for passenger comfort, the “Constellation” is prepared for world operations.

The Constellation, conceived by TWA, Inc, and built by Lockheed Aircraft Corp, is a 64-passenger, low-wing, all-metal, land transport, powered by four 18-cylinder, twin-row, air-cooled, radial Wright Duplex Cyclone engines, giving the plane a speed of more than 300 mph. The plane is equipped with hydraulically operated flight control boosters and cabin supercharging capable of maintaining an apparent 8000 ft pressure altitude in the cabin while it is flying at 20,000 ft.

The center section, or stub wing, is built integral with the fuselage and is considered as fuselage structure. The inner panels join to this stub and are not designed to be removed for normal service and maintenance operations. The primary structure of the inner panel is a box beam formed of two main beams and stiffened top and bottom skins. The top skin is stiffened internally with corrugations; the bottom skin with extruded “T” sections. Formed ribs at rather frequent intervals maintain contour and stabilize the structure.

For more visit
http://www.justplaneprints.com/lockheed ... stellation

[Scott - A2A]

We did a full photo shoot of the Connie at Greenwood lake, and they even had the TWA pilot's hat, jacket, and business card there. There was also some power charts in that plane that I could not find in any manuals. It is indeed a rare bird and we're lucky that plane is where it is.

My hope here is to really bring to life a piece of history, and has unfortunately virtually disappeared from the world. This historical aspect and lack of good data is making our job harder, but we love the challenge.

Scott.

[JJB17463rdBombGroup]

Whoa this looks like A2A is doing a major sequel but much enhanced to Flight Simulator 2004 A Century of Flight.
So when are you going to accu-sim the Wright Flyer (Just kidding I think)

[Javis]

Here is one of my favorite early C-69 (L-049) photographs

Adorable, John ! Like a proud mother watching over her just born cub.

[Bomber_12th]

I'm a very big Lockheed Vega fan, so to have my favorite four-engine propliner in the photo too, is just an added bonus (plus, I like that it's in color).

[Javis]

There have only been two Constellations flying in recent years - one being the Breitling Super Constellation HB-RSC (based in Switzerland), and the other being the HARS Super Constellation VH-EAG (based in Australia).

Don't forget our very own precious L-749 N749NL, John. A former crop sprayer ( no doubt about that when, during the first year of restoration, you stepped on board ! ) that was flown over from Avra Valley, Arizona to Schiphol Amsterdam in 2001 and meticously further restored at the Aviodrome museum here in Holland. Actually it is the subject in the photo on the opening page of Mr.Pettersen's fantastic Connie survivors website. ( i got in contact with Ralph and he sent me a few CD's with high res versions of his famous Connie photo's to use for my own FS9 L-049 project which i sadly had to scrap because of the sudden appearance of John Howard White's amazing L-049 model. All water under the bridge now..)

https://youtu.be/5Q9LDAVDy0w

KLM was the first European airline to utilize the Conny, starting with the L-049 in 1946, followed later on by the L-749 and L-1049, accumulating in a total of 48.



Am i excited by the news of A2A doing my beloved Conny, and not only that, my most favourite L-049 version on top of that ??..... Actually.... nah..... I am completely and utterly bowled over with extacy !!

cheers,
jan

[Javis]

We did a full photo shoot of the Connie at Greenwood lake, and they even had the TWA pilot's hat, jacket, and business card there. There was also some power charts in that plane that I could not find in any manuals. It is indeed a rare bird and we're lucky that plane is where it is.

Seeing the white yoke and trimwheels in the first shot of the VC that you showed i figured that out, Scott...



Great that she still survived but sad to see this beauty chained to the ground already for more then 20 years, ment to be a restaurant and a hobby shop for a while instead of being restored... If aviation enthusiasts put their minds together, get sponsors and get a museum behind it it can be done ! In any case fantastic news that she will atleast virtually fly again ! I cannot thank you enough for choosing the Connie as your new COTS subject !! Long lasting FS dream come true !! Ok, i'll buy 5 copies !

cheers,
jan

[Bomber_12th]

Don't forget our very own precious L-749 N749NL, John.

It hasn't flown since 2004, though, right? What I meant by my comment was that there have only been two Constellations flying regularly in recent years (i.e., past 2-5 years). I also didn't count (on purpose) the EC-121T N548GF, which was flown (on a ferry flight) in 2012, but has ever since, and will for the foreseeable future, remain static.