Passenger Turbo Props
Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation
ICAO: L1049
Overview
The Lockheed L-749 Constellation is designed and manufactured by Lockheed Corporation and is the first Constellation to routinely fly nonstop on transatlantic routes. It was developed from the L-649 but with more fuel capacity, stronger undercarriage, and equipped with weather radar. The L-749 Constellation was produced from 1947 to 1951 and was retired in 1993 with a total of 119 aircraft built.
Live Fleet Activity (L749)
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Specifications
Units
- Engine
- 4 × Wright R-3350-749C18BD-1 Duplex-Cyclone
- Engine type
- Piston
- Power
- 4 × 2,500 hp · 1,864 kW
- Avionics
- —
- Wing tips
- No winglets
- Seats
- 89
- Crew
- —
- Cabin width
- —
- Cabin height
- —
- Cabin length
- —
- Exterior length
- 97 ft 4 in · 29.67 m
- Tail height
- 22 ft 5 in · 6.83 m
- Fuselage diameter
- 11 ft 2 in · 3.40 m
- Wing span
- 121 ft 5 in · 37.00 m
- Baggage volume
- —
- Gross weight
- —
- Empty weight
- —
- Max takeoff weight
- 107,000 lb · 48,500 kg
- Max landing weight
- —
- Max payload
- 20,300 lb · 9,200 kg
- Fuel capacity
- 6,250 gal · 23,600 L · 17,000 kg (AvGas)
- Max cruise speed
- 300 kt · 345 mph · 556 km/h
- Maximum speed
- —
- Cruise speed
- —
- Approach speed
- —
- Range
- 4,341 nm · 5,000 mi · 8,040 km
- Fuel burn
- —
- Ceiling
- 24,100 ft · 7,300 m
- Rate of climb
- 1,140 ft/min · 6 m/s
- Takeoff distance
- 4,600 ft · 1,400 m
- Landing distance
- 3,550 ft · 1,080 m
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Live fleet activity details
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Operational Context
During early 1947, the L-749 Constellation was made public by the American aerospace company Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. It was developed from the L-649 and was built with fuel tanks for a longer range, as well as strengthened undercarriage. The aircraft also featured jet stacks which increased speed, thus, increasing noise and needed further insulation.
On March 14, 1947, the initial L-749 conducted its maiden flight. In the same month, the aircraft was granted its certification. On April 18, 1947, the first L-749 Constellation was sent to Air France. In June of the same year, Pan American World Airways obtained its first L-749.
The Lockheed L-749 Constellation could carry six to eight crew members including a pilot, copilot, radio operator, flight engineer, and two to four flight attendants. It could also accommodate sixty to eighty-one passengers on board. The aircraft has an external length of 29.67 meters, an external height of 5.7 meters, and a fuselage diameter of 3.4 meters. The tail height is 6.83 meters and the wheelbase is 8.2 meters. It has a wingspan of 37 meters and a wing area of 153 square meters.
The L-749 was fitted with four Wright R-3350-749C18BD-1 Duplex-Cyclone engines. It is a twin-row eighteen-cylinder radial engine with two pushrod valves each cylinder, a two-speed single-stage supercharger, a Chandler-Evans downdraft carburetor fuel system, dry sump oil system, and an air cooling system. The engine produces a maximum power of 2,500 hp each and drives a three-bladed constant-speed fully-feathering propeller.
The L-749 has an empty weight of 25,669 kg, a maximum takeoff weight of 48,534 kg, and a maximum payload of 9,195 kg. The maximum fuel capacity is 6,245 US gallons. The cruise speed is 300 knots. It has a 4,341 nautical mile range with maximum fuel and a 2,259 nautical mile range with maximum payload. It can fly up to 24,100 feet and can climb at a rate of 1,140 feet per minute. The takeoff distance is 1,402 meters while the landing distance is 1,082 meters.
Sources and references used for research and fact-checking.
- https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/l-049-specs.htm
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_L-749_Constellation
- https://www.airvectors.net/avconnie.html
- https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/lockheed-l-749a-constellation/
- https://www.historynet.com/the-legendary-lockheed-constellation.htm