TWA 1040 Constellation
Instantly recognized by the triple vertical stabilizers and the dolphin shaped fuselage, the Lockheed Constellation was the first modern airliner. Developed at the request of Howard Hughes for his airline TWA (at the time it represented ‘Transcontinental and Western Air’, later ‘Trans World Airlines’) it was a revolutionary step forward. In an era where airliners needed to fly in or around weather and stop to refuel coast to coast, the ‘Connie’ would be the first airliner to carry 40+ passengers 3500 miles over the tops of the clouds at high speeds. Hughes ordered the first 40 Constellations in 1939. Legendary aircraft designer Kelley Johnson was early into his long career with Lockheed. He was working on a radically new high-speed fighter plane, the P-38. The wind tunnel at Lockheed in Burbank, California had dictated some new design elements that were incorporated into both airplanes, most notably the wing shape. The Connie was designed around the powerful new Wright 3350 engine, which would give it the high altitude and economical high-speed cruising power needed to fulfil Hughes requirements. The 18-cylinder turbocharged engine was one of the most powerful ever made, but it proved troublesome from its first fire-up in 1937. This delayed the development of the Constellation, as did the onset of World War Two. While Lockheed was busy building Lightening fighters and Hudson patrol bombers, development of the new airliner went on the back burner, with several airframes sitting on the ramp at Burbank waiting for attention. The Army snatched up the first 20 or so airframes from the Hughes order and re-designated them as C-69 transports. The R-3350 was also slated for use in the first high tech strategic bomber, the Boeing B-29, and engine development was rushed as a result. Many B-29 prototypes came back in with two or even three failed engines. Several caught fire and some crews were lost. Part of the issue was in trying to use big carburetors for fuel distribution. It was such a major problem that Senator Harry Truman became involved by heading a congressional investigation. The success of the Truman Commission earned him a spot as vice president in the next election. The engine was redesigned to use mechanical fuel injection and that problem was solved. Hughes managed to get some good R-3350’s and repainted a military C-69 into TWA colors. He then set a transcontinental speed record with it in 1944 of just under 7 hours, a blistering speed for a four engined transport. While it made a good wartime morale story, it also set the public image of the Connie as one of the fastest planes in the sky. When the war was over the public would be looking forward to flying in this rocket ship. After the war the Army cancelled the orders for C-69’s, and Hughes got his planes back. They were re-converted for civilian service, the olive drab paint removed and the aluminum buffed to a high gloss, and the TWA red speed stripes added. Transcontinental Constellation service was established, soon followed by transatlantic flights. Airlines all over the world bought Connies for their long distance routes. They were considered overpowered, and their engines would be throttled back so much you could almost see the individual blades of the propellers. They were highly efficient for their time. But those 3350’s could still a problem. Larger models with longer fuselages were developed along with adding the high power turbo-compound version of the engine. This added supercharging along with three power recovery exhaust driven turbines. Engine failures were so common on Connies they earned the reputation of the best flying 3 engined airliner of their day. Gradually the 3350’s became more reliable, eventually getting over 10,000 hours between overhauls. Our subject plane is an L-1049 ‘Super G’ Constellation with her characteristic wingtip long range fuel tanks. Connies were the very icon of modern international travel in the 1950’s. Featured in all sorts of movies and posters at the time, and while seen in dozens of airline color schemes, it’s the TWA version that’s the most remembered. This aircraft was rescued from the Arizona desert by Save-A-Connie, a group of enthusiasts out of Kansas City, which was the maintenance hub for TWA. There they had the experience needed to return the derelict former Slick Airways freighter into a fully outfitted 1950’s airliner, including the full interior and galley. Constellations are complex airplanes and the 3350’s are much more expensive to keep in operating condition today. This Connie is flown occasionally for air shows and movies, most recently having been seen in “The Aviator”. Through digital magic they turned this one Super G into a ramp full of TWA airliners! For those of us in the jet age the piston engined airliner experience was very different. For example, it was quite a sight for the passengers to observe an engine start. First you started number three (the inboard engine on the right wing), which had the generator on it to help power the other engine starts. The flight engineer had the responsibility to make sure they didn’t blow up, which they would easily do if mishandled. You first turned the engine over without the mags (ignition) on and the mixture at idle cut-off, counting 9 blades while squirting fuel into the cylinders with the manual primer. At 9 blades (three full rotations to get oil out of the lower cylinders) you kicked on the mags and stood back. The long orange flames belching out of the three exhaust stacks along with the smoke cloud was perfectly normal, and also required a ground crewman with a fire extinguisher in hand! Individual cylinders would ‘catch’ shaking and rocking until all 18 were firing. Once three was running you added mixture and set the idle speed. When running smoothly and building oil temperature, you’d repeat the show three more times. With luck all 4 would start and run properly without setting off fire bells in the cockpit. In route the flight engineer used his oscilloscope to check the firing of each spark plug. With 144 to check it took a while. While somewhat ungainly on the ground with its long nose gear, in the air she is a true thing of beauty. Connie’s engines have a beautifully smooth exhaust note, muffled by the turbos. At night you would see eight blue exhaust stack flames from the ground. The impression is one of overall smoothness and grace. Unlike jet airliners, they lift off the runway in an almost flat attitude, as if lifted by a string. Our Connie image is showing a take-off, gear cycling up but take-off flaps still down, with all 72 cylinders and 144 spark plugs balanced in harmony. The pilot is waiting for the flight engineer to call out ‘METO power!’ The 3350’s can only run at take-off power for a few minutes before the manifold pressure is pulled back to climb cruise settings. Landings were different too. The pilot pulled back on the power but not to idle, they carried some thrust right to touchdown. The attitude was nose down, the flight crew aiming the nose at the runway numbers, only flaring out when over the runway. Compared to a modern jet that descends tail first, it’s a totally different technique. While 50 years ago this was a common sight, today only a few Constellations are in operating condition worldwide. With fuel and restoration costs plus the lack of experienced flight crews, today every flight is an event to be savored. |
1040 Constellation t-shirt
1040 Constellation Shirts:
|
1040 Super G Constellation cup
1040 Constellation Mugs:
|
If you experience any technical problems with the web site contact British Pacific, 26007 Huntinton Lane, Unit 2, Valencia, California 91355 Web site Copyright 2006 by
and
. All rights reserved.
|