During 1939, Trans Continental and Western Air (to become TWA) issued a requirement to Lockheed for a 40-passenger airliner. Howard Hughes, major stockholder in TWA, insisted on keeping the project a secret one, so that his company would benefit from a commercial lead over its competitors.

Lockheed responded to the request with a four-engined aircraft, which first flew on January 9, 1943. Unfortunately, war precluded any secrecy and, indeed, commercial use. The USAAF ordered several aircraft as C-69 transports. Being a complicated machine, the C-69 suffered from a protracted development period and only a handful effectively flew with US military insignia in the later stages of the war. With military requirements dwindling after the war, aircraft on the production lines originally intended for the USAAF were converted into civil airliners, designated L-049. Both PanAm and TWA took delivery of the earliest examples, later followed by BOAC in England. In high-density layout, up to 60 passengers could be carried.

The first true civilian Constellation was the L-649, accomodating a maximum of 81 passengers. It was followed on the production lines by the longer-ranging L-749. Apart from the long-range tanks in the wings, there were no notable differences between these variants. The later version also served in several European airlines, including Air France and KLM.

A further upgraded version saw the light of day under the designation L-1049 Super Constellation. Compared to its predecessors, it was lengthened and more powerful. In its L-1049C form it was equipped with 3250 hp Wright R-3350-DA1 Turbo-Compound engines. These complicated engines soon gave the aircraft the soubriquet of 'the worlds best THREE-engined aircraft'. Indeed, numerous were the cases of one engine cutting out or getting on fire during flight, usually without any further consequences. The L-1049G version had provision for wingtip tanks, further increasing range.

The last stage in Constellation development was the L-1649 Starliner. It was a much refined version of the earlier L-1049 with a completely new wing. It entered service during the late fifties, mainly on the North Atlantic route, but rivalling the new jet aircraft from Boeing (the 707) and Douglas (DC 8) proved impossible and production came to a stop after only 43 had been built.

(additional info supplied by Dave Crane)

C-121, US Air Force

(picture supplied by Jean-Pierre Lauwers)

NC91207, one of the early Connies in Lockheed demonstator colors.

(one of a series of cards depicting American civil and military aircraft - origins unknown)

Heller's colorful boxtop art for their nice 1/72 scale L-749. It shows F-BAZT, an Air France machine, above continental Europe.

L-749A F-ZVMV, an ex-Air France machine taken on charge by the French Air Force on behalf of the CEV (Centre d'Essais en Vol, or Flight Test Centre). When photographed, it was on outside display at the Musee de l'Air at Le Bourget. The fifth engine on top of the fuselage is a Turbomeca Bastan turboprop and the grille in front of it is a water spray rig, to test the engine's behavior in icing conditions.

L-1049G D-ALIN of Lufthansa, on display at the Leo Junior Aircraft Museum at Hermeskeil, Germany.

L-1049G VH-EAG, a preserved example flying in Australia. FIring up the engines can be taken quite literally, with flames belching out of the exhaust tubes.

(Pictures supplied by Randal McFarlane)

(pictures used by kind permission of Darryl Gibbs, CNAPG)

L-1049C Constellation in Lockheed demonstrator colors

(one of a series of cards depicting American civil and military aircraft - origins unknown)
(corrections supplied by Herb Noble)

Apart from the 2-blade props, this flying scale model looks extremely convincing.

(picture provided by Stef De Wit)