The WW2 US Military Lockheed Super Constellation’s Design

The Lockheed Constellation (aka “Connie”) is regarded as the first civil airliner family of aircraft to enter widespread use equipped with a pressurized cabin. It found extensive use in both military and civilian use during and after World War II (as the Super Constellation). The Constellation is sometimes regarded as an aircraft that changed the world. Previous aircraft like Pan Am’s Boeing Clipper 314s were unpressurized, while the old Zeppelins were infamously frightfully cold with passengers having to warm up (even though they were luxurious).

Background of the Constellation

Constellation’s origin traces to 1937 (with the L-044 Excalibur) before World War II. On the eve of World War II in 1939, Trans World Airlines (TWA) requested a 40-passenger airliner that could fly nonstop (3,500 miles) across the US with a 6,000 lbs payload capability (something Excalibur couldn’t do). This led to Kelly Johnson and his team developing the Constellation (Johnson also worked on designing the P-80 Shooting Star and the U-2 spy plane).

Photo: Minh K Tran | Shutterstock

At its introduction, the Constellation (and its derivative, the Super Constellation) were some of the most advanced commercial airliners of their time. They were used as civil airliners and for military and civilian cargo transport. The project was designated the Model 049 as a civilian airliner, but it soon became better known by its military designation, the C-69 Constellation.

After the US entered World War II, the country completely switched to a wartime economy. The sale of civilian cars was forbidden, as all transport production was redirected to military needs and this meant that the first Constellation flew in 1943 as a military aircraft.

Some 856 were produced between 1943 and 1943. The Air Mobility Command Museum states, “The Constellation was the first commercial transport plane to travel at 300 mph and was the last of the great American propeller-driven airliners.”

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Development of the Super Constellation

Connies were produced in different variants, but all models had a distinctive triple-tail and dolphin-shaped fuselage. They featured hydraulic-powered controls, full feathering, reversing propellers, and four 18-cylinder Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclones powered most.

The Constellation soon evolved into the L-1049 Super Constellation, a stretched version of the original model (the fuselage was lengthened from 95 feet 2 inches to 113 feet and 7 inches). The Super Constellation included more powerful engines, a higher gross weight, and more fuel capacity.

“The Super Constellation and its derivatives represent, along with the Douglas DC-7, the ultimate step in the development of longer range, more capacity and more powerful piston-engined aircraft to meet the needs of both commercial and military aviation.” – National Air and Space Museum

The Super Constellation was flown by the US Navy (designated WV / R7V), the US Air Force (C-121), and civilian airlines (including East Airlines, TWA, and Qantas, among others). In Air Force service, it was used for transport and as an early AWACS aircraft. With tourist-class seating, the Super Constellation increased its capacity from 69 to 92 compared to the earlier model. Passenger accommodation for the Super Constellation varied from as few as 65 for TWA’s overwater routes to 102 in a high-density configuration.

Photo: Ryan Fletcher | Shutterstock.com

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Military C-121C Super Constellation

The C-121A was the military variation of the commercial Model 749 Constellation. Between 1948 and 1955, the USAF ordered 150 C-121As for use as cargo/passenger carriers, executive transports, and airborne early warning aircraft. As a troop carrier, they could carry a maximum of 44 passengers. 55% of the Super Constellations built by Lockheed were delivered to the Navy and Air Force as C-121As.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first president to fly while in office in 1945 (onboard the C-45 “Sacred Cow”). However, Eisenhower was the first to fly using the Air Force One call sign onboard the VC-121A “Columbine II” (#53-7885). This aircraft was used through the Eisenhower Administration as Air Force One. A total of three Connies served as Dwight D. Eisenhower’s presidential aircraft.

Photo: Ryan Fletcher l Shutterstock

Between 1948 and 1955, the Air Force ordered some 150 C-121As – in their troop-carrying capacity they could carry a max of 44 passengers. Most of the military C-121Cs were used for electronic reconnaissance and airborne early warning. Most C-121As were later converted to the VC-121A VIP transport configuration to transport top-ranking officials like General MacArthur.