Super Constellation cold engine start and take off at Tököl, Hungary
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.ย. 2024
- The Lockheed Constellation "Connie" is a propeller-driven, four-engined airliner that was built by Lockheed Corporation between 1943 and 1958. Lockheed built 856 in numerous models, most were powered by four 18-cylinder Wright R-3350 engines.
The Constellation was used as a civil airliner and as a military and civil air transport, seeing service in the Berlin Airlift and the Biafran airlift. It was the presidential aircraft for Dwight D. Eisenhower.
The first production L-1049 flew on July 14, 1951 and received certification in November 1951. The Turbo-compound versions of the R-3350 engine were not yet available for civil use, leaving Lockheed to use a less powerful version. The aircraft entered service with Eastern Air Lines in December 1951 flying Miami to New York.
Nowadays only a few Lockheed Connie operating around the world.
![The last flying Lockheed Super Constellation: engine start, flaming takeoff and landing. [4K]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Rc3pUpY7GpM/mqdefault.jpg)
Lockeed has built some the most beautiful aircraft in the world! The Constellation is breath taking!
Even as a little kid in the '50s, I thought this was the most gorgeous airplane ever made. What a treat to see one fly again.
As a highschooler in the 50's, I took a TWA Super Conne from Chicago to Miami non-stop for winter vacation in Ft.Lauderdale (the rage place of the time). Needed my Dramamine in the front pocket to avoid air sickness when we got tossed around on the trip down there. I remember DISTINCTLY getting on the plane when it was windy,snowy & cold. Then stepping off the plane was a shock with warm humid winds in my face. There were no terminal loadings in those days. You walked outside & up or down the stairs on the field. THOSE WERE THE DAYS!!!
August 10, 1956. On a flight from Pensacola, Florida to Lake Charles, Louisiana, my mom went into labor with me and a stewardess helped deliver me somewhere over Mississippi in the back of a Super Connie. I have a very special relationship with that aircraft!
Wow! You certainly do have a special relationship!
What a great thing for your family to talk about for ever!!!!
Thank you all. By the way, I got my pilots license on my 16th birthday. My dad, a retired bomber pilot from WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, had to drive me to the airport for my final check ride. Then, a few days later, he drove me to the DMV so I could get my drivers license. My ultimate dream came true when I got to log a 4 hour flight in a Super Connie that was owned by a friend of my dad. Miracles do happen!
Your name should be Connie Coupland.
So, Mister, your place of birth is...??? Uhumm. Seat number? :D
One of the most strikingly beautiful airplanes that was ever built. I oftentimes wonder what thoughts were evoked upon seeing it for the first time.
I can tell you, at the age of 15 in 1965, I moved from west London to Luton, I was used to London airports BEA Viscounts and vanguards and BOAC ..my memory fails here, I know I saw comet 4s, did boac have jet aircraft then... so, at Luton there were squat aircraft which were BMA and Britannia airlines had Britannia's but one day a super constellation landed out of the blue... wow, what a sleek curved triple tailed beauty, what an emotional moment that was, I was hooked, never saw one at Heathrow, and will never forget that day, never seen one since, except on you tube, and I went to air shows when I was young, Biggin Hill amongst others, memory fading, my dad took us to a few air shows but don't recall ever seeing a constellation at any, no thoughts just joy at seeing one for the first time. live in hope of seeing another before I shuffle off this mortal coil.....
As some have noted, this is the former "Camarillo Connie" which sat for over a decade at the east end of Camarillo airport (KCMA). For years, I would drive past wondering if anyone was restoring it. While renewing my private pilot's license, I started wandering over to the bird and occasionally chatted with the old timers who were doing volunteer work on it. One guy let me climb up into the cockpit and poke around and another spent an hour showing me how the turbocharger worked on a spare Wright 3350 engine sitting on the ground. (He called them "PRTs" for Power Recovery Turbines.) I couldn't imagine the complexity of such a beast of an engine, and this thing had four of them. I missed the inaugural flight of Camarillo Connie once restorations were complete but saw her flying over Malibu on several occasions. I lost track of her after that (and let my license lapse again) but years later saw a radome-equipped Connie in the same spot, so I assumed it twas the same bunch restoring another Constellation. I'm very pleased to see that Camarillo Connie has a good home now. Now if only Breitling would issue a watch with her likeness on the face!
I rode one of these with my mother from Houston to Tampa when I was 12 years old. A pretty stewardess took me to the cockpit and introduced me to the flight crew. It was a beautiful experience for a little boy 60 years ago. This is a magnificent aircraft.
Connies were majestic and magnificent piston/propeller powered "Queens" of the airways. The USAF EC-121 was based on 1049 series, if I'm not mistaken. A tall/high bird when walking under the wing...with seemingly unending fuselage/cabin inside. An 'oil leaker' for sure...from those 3350s. Turbo Compound? Turbo & Supercharged, PLUS last vestiges of exhaust also running over waste gate type powered turbine on propeller hub/shaft. Efficient...at least as efficient as internal combustion powered transports could be. And those 3350s were "brutes". But Boeing's Dash 80 707/KC-135 prototype rendered these guys obsolete almost over night. Nice TH-cam post!
One of the most beautiful Airplanes ever made!
What a wonderful experience again to see & hear the engines starting & an actual takeoff. Very impressive! Thank you
The most beautiful airplane I ever flew in. This happened in the late 50's with my mom on a trip from San Jose Costa Rica to LAX. Pan American of course.
Never got to fly in a Connie but watched many TWA Connies start up and take off from Kansas City. The most majestic airplane to ever grace the sky. I would have to say the Connie influenced me to become a pilot and enjoy a 35 year airline career.
As a kid, I grew up within bicycle riding distance of the Cincinnati-Northern KY airport (KCVG) in the late 50's. Saw many Connies in TWA, Eastern and Delta livery while DC6s and 7s were used by American Airlines. The smaller Piedmont and Lake Central flew mostly DC3s. We go up on the observation deck and just watch. The smell of the exhaust from the radials was something special. They always had a fire extinguisher cart handy. Neat times. In those days a 130 Octane av-gas was available - now I think that they are limited to 100 Low Lead fuel so the engines cannot be operated at max power.
I flew on Connie from Anchorage Alaska to Minneapolis Minnesota ,I was 12 at the time and the captain let older kids come up and watch the crew fly this wonderful machine. I had to transfer in Minn. to a Douglas DC3 and it was like being kicked off a Golden Eagle Trailways bus on to a farm tractor.....Well it was'nt that bad but their was a world of difference in the comfort of flying a Connie to a DC 3 . You have to admit its graceful lines get your attention. Thnx for posting this nice video
My very first plane ride was on a "Connie". Sep (I think) 1955 from Amarillo, TX to Chicago to NYC to Frankfurt, Germany. Flew back on one also in Jul 1958 from Paris to Shannon to NYC. I don't remember much of the first flight (I was almost 4) but the flight back will stick in my memory until I die.
Those were such beautiful airplanes, they looked like they couldn't wait to fly even when they were parked. Seeing and hearing those big engines start was exciting.
One of the most graceful airframes produced by Lockheed a true classic.
I flew in a Lockheed Constellation way back when -- I can hardly remember, except I think it was about 1950 or so. I was awed at the sight of the plane, as a child, to me, it seemed HUGE! And it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen! The stewardess gave me a gold wing pin and I was in 7th heaven! I also rode in a DC-3 or 6 from LAX to my grandparents farm in Kansas (with my sister) for the summer once. I was about 7 or 8 and all I remember was the stewardess holding our hands from the plane into the terminal, and the word "Albuquerque:" We had stopped there en route. Much later, when I became a GA pilot, I flew in the co-pilot seat of a DC-3 at my home airport, and was in awe again!
This was luxury travel in the early and mid 50's. An Uncle of mine would never tire telling us how brilliant this plane was.
First of all, a shout out to Peter Anninos. The APU Peter mentions has the exhaust on the right side of the aircraft. It's the black circle between the blue stripes, just before the elevator. It's controlled by the Flight Engineer from his overhead panel. Does sound like a rapid vacuum cleaner.
As beautiful as that aircraft looks on the ground, it looks at least 10 times better in flight. Howard Hughes, working with Lockheed, had a major role in the design of the Constellation, and he absolutely nailed it.
Took one of these in 1958 NY to Sao Paulo. I was 15, it was a 24 hr flight. What a gas! It was single aisle 2 by 2 seats, rather loud radials and cozy.
I flew on a Super Constellation in the early 60's from Recife Brazil to Miami. It was my first flight on an airplane. I remember the stewardess pinned some wings on my chest and gave us a tour of the cockpit. I was so excited. I was 5. We stopped to refuel don't remember where, but I left my seat went down the stairs in the to the tarmac and came back up several times.
I used to stand on the berms/levees, that separated the Missouri River from the Kansas City Airport where these beautiful "Connies" took flight! I would stand in their "prop wash" as they revved up before take-off....what fond memories I have of those times! If ever there were a more beautiful creation of man; I surely cannot imagine it!
Used to do the same thing. I started my flying career at Fairfax in the 70's.
I believe the 'Connie' to be the most singularly beautiful aircraft ever designed. She was born to course the skies.
I remember flying from Kadena AFB Okinawa to Clark AFB Philippines in a Connie. To this day I still remember the scrambled eggs I had for breakfast. Those were the days of grace and civility that have been long forgotten except for the few who were fortunate enough to experience that era of flying.
Such an elegant aircraft. I flew from Bermuda to London via Santa Maria (Azores) & Lisbon in a BOAC 749 Connie in August 1951,
My father was a flight engineer on one of these for Venezuelan Airlines. He thought it was beautiful, and I have to say that I also think it is one of the most beautiful aircraft ever.
Wow, just wow! It is the prettiest plane ever built.
I flew from Frankfurt to Berlin in a Super Conny when I was three years old. I still remember the sound and the vibrations and the silver discs of the propellers in the sunlight. What a beautiful, graceful plane!
Thank you Breitling for doing this. Much respect.
I lived near Burbank where the Lockheed plant was and saw Connies all the time. We always picked up relatives from back East at the airport and I watched quite a few Connies land and taxi in. Beautiful plane.
Most beautiful passenger aircraft ever built. IMO of course.
+TheMILVET could't agree more.
Apparently one of the last...if not THE last...commercial airliners to be completely designed by a human without any computer input whatsoever.
I remember seeing Super Connies in Air France livery at London Heathrow in the early 60's. No wonder the French flew such a curvy lady!
True.
IMHO too :) When I was a wee lad I loved that airplane. The triple tail fins were so cool! And its long pointed nose. Special!
was on one of these in 66 from kansas city to spokane, and taking off from denver it took quite a while to get high enough to get over the mountains. I remember it flying at 10k all the way, and was very motion sick the whole way.
I'm happy I grew up with this! I took Super Constellations several times when I was a little boy in the late 50s and the early 60s between Marseille, South of France and Ajaccio Corsica. I got the virus right there. I then became a flight attendant.
I still can hear the sound of the engines and feel the vibes!
The Super Constellation is my favorite airplane! They were years ahead of their time and still look great.
Most beautiful prop-plane ever made, in my opinion. What a winner!!!
I remember in the sixties seeing consolations flying over head. What a beautiful sight.
The Connie was all just sexy lines and propellers that somehow floated in the air.
Thank you for the video memories. As a young corporate pilot, I flew right-seat in a 1049G (Super "G" Connie) in the early 70s with a former Pan Am chief pilot; an unforgettable experience. (The CEO, a distinguished WWII pilot [B-24s & B-26s] had earned four bronze stars while flying in the Pacific theater. He bought the aircraft to use in a movie.) The Connie remains a beautiful ship.
Wwe
Dad worked on these after the Korean War. For Pa-Am and United Airlines. One of the most beautiful planes ever made.
The irony of having a turbine engine APU to start piston engines xD
Exactly
Thanks for clarifying. I was wondering that the turbine whine was coming from other aircraft nearby.
Is it a start kart or a generator?
What a beautiful, graceful aircraft!
Built and flown by the best generation that has ever lived.
What a life it must have been for Howard Hughes when he ordered several Connies for his TWA!........The MOST pleasing...and greatest..explaining for the 'Art Deco' era for aviation!
Prestwick Scotland to Montreal in October '54 when I was 4 - will never forget it - love this plane - turns out that actual tail number was refurbed and is on display in Seattle.
I am not a fan of air liners but the sexy connie floats my boat.
was a passenger on a charter flight Constellation in Aug 1965 from JFK to Ok City...great flight
Many thanks for the privilege of seeing my first aeroplane beauty start up and take off on this video. A few tins of oil per engine during the start up seen there. Sleek and slender as a lady should be.
This was the type plane I was in the first time I crossed the Pacific back in 1961. From San Francisco to Tokyo it was 36 hours of air time with stops at Honolulu, Wake Island, and Okinawa. Today's jet travelers have it made with the speedy direct flights.
Operating on the extended DEW line from Midway Island to the Aleutians and back - 17hrs+, I was one on several in Crew F-11 '64-'65.
When I was a kid we used to go from Nairobi to Cairo and on toLondon and flew one of these magnificent aircraft...
December 1st 1959 I joined the Air Force at Chicago IL and that evening a plane load of new Airman flew to Lack land AFB in Texas. I had a window seat and after being airborne on my first flight, I noticed I could see the moon just above the horizon off the end of the left wing. I fell asleep for a couple of hours, and when I woke up the moon was still in the same place? I then realized it was the light on the tip of the left wing!
That brought back some memories oif working at Stanstead Airport in the early 60s Skyways operated a fleet of Connies and I was lucky enough to work on some if them, Yes it sure brought back the memories, Thank YOU
WHAT A THING OF BEAUTY.
Beautiful plane.
great looking aircraft
The pinnacle of piston engine passenger airliners.
Just fabulous stuff. Memories of my flying from Christchurch, New Zealand to McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, as a young lad of 20 years in 1969. In the USAF Phoenix aircraft (sister to the Pegusus). Michael Orchard, NZ.
John Travolta as a child so loved seeing the Connies fly over his home, that for a short time during the mid-1980’s, he owned Vern Raburn’s “MATS Connie”, C121A N494TW.
I was a passenger in one as a child. Our family came back from England where my father was a sergeant the USAF. The pilot invited us kids up to the cockpit and I got to sit in the co-pilot's seat. The pilot gave us a gold colored toy 'pilot's wings' and the stewardess escorted us back to our seats. In the dark you could see a bluish flame around the exhaust ports. Things were different then.
a sight of pure magnificence! what a sleek looking aircraft, playing music to my ears! thanks a lot for sharing this!
One of the most beautiful planes ever build.
Beautiful aircraft!
agreed, so graceful and such beautiful lines... real head turners... wasn't actually aware there was any left still flying, thought they were all in museums by now
One of Lockheed's most beautiful planes they ever built and I only flew in one , one time when I was a kid.
Great video that brings back lots of memories. The startup complete with exhaust flames and smoke was the real memory!
Esse avião era o máximo. Bela epoca! Rio Brasil
john dallas Arrived in Canada from Scotland with mother and brother 1948 via Gander Nfld then on to Dorval. Had an opportunity to get a photo taken sitting in cockpit in Toronto 1980. Nice to have this photo to pass onto children!
Flew from New York to Los Angeles in one of these. 17 hours and lots of stops. 1963.
If something has already reached perfection is the end. It was the last and most beautiful airliners with piston engines, then came the jets.
My uncle was a flight commander in the AF flying the Connie radar picket ships out over the Pacific. He was also a check pilot for just about anything heavy with a propeller...
What a supremely elegant airliner...
A classic beauty if there ever was one!
Love the round engines and prop-liners. Thanks for posting this !!!!!!!!!!!!
Always love the start up of the old radial engines. Oil would gather in the lower cylinders and a good deal of blue smoke would occur when they fired.
Dad and our Navy family flew many hops on these between SFO, Honolulu and Marshall Islands between 1959 and 1962. Seats were backwards on those MATS flights. Lost an engine and had to land on Johnston Is until replacement engine was flown in. 3 days later boarded same plane to reach Kwajalein.
I remember as a small child fling a "Connie" from Florida to Cuba...Yes, this was before Castro. I'm that old.
Good to hear those engines. Nice sound. Thanks
flew with my family ,may 1960 on a PanAm connie from Vancouver ( originated Seatle) to Prestwick Scotland via Winnipeg, Gander Reykjavik 26 hrs .. We were also the only children , remember being in the cockpit with my Dad when they started the engines up.. hooked on aviation there on..
Ein wirklich schönes Flugzeug. Und auch noch flugbereit. Hoffe noch lange. Kenne die SuperConny noch, als sie in den 80ern zur Ausstellung in Frankfurt war.
A beautiful aircraft and piece of machinery....
I worked on that engine during the Vietnam war at Korat RTAFB Thailand. I was a recip eng mech in the U.S. Air Force 1969-73. I seen one at an air show at Hill AFB Utah in about 1999. They were used for reconnasance over Vietnam. I always wanted to fly in one.
Best looking commercial prop passenger plane
Oh man, I've always loved those curves. What a beautiful airplane! I'm so glad there are several still flying!
One of the most beautiful aircrafts ever build.
Beautiful Aircraft.
One of the most beautiful airplanes ever built, in looks and sound.
I helped start one at Cubi Pt. RP in the 60's. My job was to man the huge bottle and give the start signal for each engine. This one was either old or the crew wasn't good at starting them. I recall a special hand signal for flooded engine, which I used to abort the start and move on to another engine. Eventually after quite a bit of smoke and fire, all was well. I think Global airlines had a lot of these planes. I think Howard Hughes was involved with this airline. It was mentioned in the Howard Hughes life story. They could stay in the air for around 20 hours, the Navy had 2 flight crews aboard as well as lots of electronics for some sort of eavesdropping on various countries, just a rumor of course.
one of the most beautiful passenger planes ever built...
By Howard Hughes
Hughes did not design the Connie. The designers of record were Clarence "Kelly" Johnson and Hall Hibbard. Hughes did provide some input as to some of its features, as he owned TWA at the time and they were to be one the Constellation's biggest users.
Kelly Johnson strikes again. No one has ever approached his skill at aircraft design; his planes still hold many records.
That sound is awesome. If I saw one, I would definitely take it for a joyride! :D
My father worked on the Super Constellation at Lockheed Aircraft in Burbank in the late 40's and early 50's, first as a riveter, and later as an inspector.
First time I've seen the Constellation in contemporary sharp color. That's quite a treat. Prettier than I knew. Hey, I'm going to share my P-51 story here, while corresponding with a likely audience. Happened last spring. Was outside in the yard. I heard an incoming airplane and thought man that's coming on fast, wonder what it is. Then I started hearing the characteristic whistle. Mustang flew by about 1/2 mi. away and a little under 1000 feet. North to South across the CDN border. I was pretty thrilled actually. Never thought I'd see and hear one in flight. I could see how they could come up on you on the ground real quick.
I flew over seas twice in one of these in 58 and 59, great plane.
Magnificent!!! Love that bird
My first 'air time' was in a Connie, we flew Montreal to Miami.
Some versions had beds similar to trains, like upper and lower berths for oversea flights.
Also in the tail was a lounge area and complimentary drinks.
Later as a teen (summer job) I worked for Air Canada at an OH facility that rebuilt the engines.
awesome clip thnx
Beautiful. If my car blew smoke like that when it started, it would be very concerning but here it looks awesome.
beautiful plane
I love this high standing sleek ahead of its time airliner
In the early 70', I played with 2 plastic planes: a TWA Comet and a PANAM 747. Which one do you think I enjoyed the most?
The most beautiful Plane ever build......!!
Have to agree!
Behind Concorde...... 😉