IATA L49ICAO CONI

Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation

Lockheed

TravelerPulse profile

Stretched, more powerful evolution of the classic Constellation.

First flight

1950

Category

Piston airliner

Seating

66–109

Range

8,900 km

Engines

Four Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone 18-cylinder radial piston engines

Status

Retired

The Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation was a stretched and significantly upgraded development of the original L-749 Constellation, featuring a fuselage lengthened by approximately 5.6 metres and more powerful engines. It entered service in the early 1950s and became one of the premier long-range piston airliners of its era, capable of operating transcontinental and transatlantic routes. The aircraft retained the distinctive triple-fin tail and dolphin-shaped fuselage of the Constellation family, while offering improved payload and range. It was operated by numerous major airlines as well as military services, with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force operating dedicated variants for patrol and transport missions. The Super Constellation served throughout the 1950s as a frontline airliner before being displaced by the arrival of jet-powered aircraft such as the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8. Several variants were produced, including the L-1049C, G, and H, with progressively improved engines and fuel capacity. A small number of airworthy and static examples survive today as museum pieces.

Notable operators

Major operators included TWA, Eastern Air Lines, Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, and Qantas, among others.

Notable facts

›The fuselage was stretched by approximately 5.59 metres compared to the original L-749 Constellation.
›The U.S. Navy operated the type as the WV-2 Warning Star for airborne early warning missions.
›Later variants such as the L-1049G introduced wingtip fuel tanks to extend range.
›The type was capable of non-stop transatlantic passenger service in both directions.
›Fewer than ten complete airframes survive worldwide, with only a handful maintained in airworthy condition.