Aviation of World War II

Home Russian

C-69 Constellation

Transport Aircraft

Lockheed

C-69 Constellation in flight

C-69 Constellation - military transport aircraft, called up for service from civil aviation. First flight on January 9, 1943. Structurally, the aircraft was a four-engine low-wing aircraft with a three-keel tail with an estimated passenger capacity of 44 people.

Advertised as "the liner of tomorrow". The aircraft had many technical innovations - three-blade variable-pitch propellers with the possibility of reversing, hydraulic booster amplifiers in the rudders, a pressurized cockpit, and a tricycle landing gear with a nose support.



C-69 Specification
Crew 4
Dimensions
Wing span, m 37.49
Wing area, m² 153.29
Length, m 29.01
Height, m 7.21
Powerplant
4×PE Wright R-3350-35 Duplex-Cyclone 18, h.p. 4×2200
Weight, kg:
Empty 22,906
Loaded weight 32,659
Performance
Maximum speed, km/h 531/3000m
Cruising speed, km/h 504
Service ceiling, m 7,629
Service range, km 3,862
Payload, soldier 81

In 1944-45, about fifteen S-69s were used as transport aircraft in the Pacific theater of operations. Here, they fully appreciated their large flight range and speed.

After the war, the C-69s served for several more years as part of the US Air Force Air Transport Command, where they were subsequently replaced by C-54 Douglas . Most of the S-69 decommissioned by the military were bought by the manufacturer.

After the repair, the aircraft under the designation L-049 were sold to American airlines, in particular TWA, where they operated as long-distance airliners until the end of the 50s. Five airliners were sold to the British company BOAC.

In 1948, three C-69s were delivered to Israel through a front company. A total of 22 aircraft were produced.

Photo Description
Drawing C69 Constellation

Drawing C69 Constellation

С-69 # 43-10315 in flight

С-69 # 43-10315 in flight

С-69

С-69

March 29, 2019.

In the post-war period, a Super Constellation with 3400 hp engines was built. With console gas tanks, modification L-1049G, the practical range reached 6,700 km at an economical speed of 500 km/h.

Drawing L-1049 Super Constellation

Drawing L-1049 Super Constellation

C-121C (L-1049F)

C-121C - Super Constellation aircraft version for aircraft (L-1049F) Total fuel on board 7750 US gallons (29 334 l).

L-049 "under maintenance"

April 12, 2019.

IMHO, you shouldn't have crammed the picture from L1049 into the story about the C-69, which 049.1049 crawled quite far from it. Here, either paint the whole history (and even the L649 appeared in 1946), or not remember about the development.

Peter

April 14, 2019.

I really liked the girls, I could not resist :-)

Bibliography

  • "Encyclopedia of military engineering" /Aerospace Publising/
  • "American warplanes of World War II" /under cor. David Donald/