Lockheed L-1249 Super Constellation
L-1249 Super Constellation R7V-2/YC-121F Constellation | |
---|---|
Lockheed R7V-2 | |
Role | Experimental military transport |
National origin | United States |
Manufacturer | Lockheed |
Designer | Clarence "Kelly" Johnson
|
First flight | 1 September 1954 |
Introduction | 10 September 1954 (Navy) July 1955 (Air Force) |
Status | Retired |
Primary user | United States Navy United States Air Force |
Produced | 1954 and 1955 respectively |
Number built | 4 |
Developed from | L-1049 Super Constellation
|
The Lockheed L-1249 Super Constellation was a
Design and development
On 18 August 1950, the
In November 1951, an idea came about to build a turbine-powered version of the R7O-1. This new aircraft was designated L-1249A by Lockheed. In 1954, two R7O-1s (then designated R7V-1) were pulled off the assembly line for conversion into prototypes for the new L-1249A. The landing gear was strengthened along with the fuselage and wings of the aircraft. Extra fuel tanks were also added on the wingtips of the two aircraft, increasing the fuel capacity to 7,360 gallons. The wings were also shortened from 123 ft (37 m) to 117 ft 7 in (35.84 m). Finally, four
In 1953, the
Lockheed proposed an airliner version of the L-1249A, designated L-1249B. This would have had the fuselage of the L-1049E and be equipped with extra fuel tanks on the wingtips as well as four 5,500 hp (4,100 kW) Pratt & Whitney PT-2F1 turboprops (the planned civilian version of the YT34). This would have allowed the L-1249B to fly from
Only four aircraft were built, as the T34 was found to be complex and only used on large aircraft such as the 50 examples of the
Variants
Military
- R7V-2
- Originally designated R7O-2. Four converted R7V-1 aircraft (BuNos 131630-131631, 131660-131661) with a shorter wingspan and powered by four Pratt & Whitney YT34-P12A turboprop engines. Used by the United States Navy.
- YC-121F
- Two R7V-2 aircraft transferred to and used by the United States Air Force and powered by four T34-P-6 turboprops.[7]
Civilian
- L-1249A
- Company designation for the R7V-2 and YC-121F.
- L-1249B
- Planned airliner based on the L-1249A, with an L-1049E based fuselage and Pratt & Whitney PT2F-1 turboprops (civilian version of the YT34). None built.
Specifications (YC-121F)
Data from Lockheed Constellation: from Excalibur to Starliner Civilian and Military Variants[5], YC-121F Charactaristics Summary[7]
General characteristics
- Crew: 4-15
- Capacity: 87-106 Passengers (Passenger configuration) / 73 Stretcher Cases (Medical configuration) / 24,210 lb (10,981 kg) payload
- Length: 116 ft 2 in (35.41 m)
- Wingspan: 117 ft 7 in (35.84 m) without tip-tanks
- 119 ft (36 m) with tip-tanks
- Height: 25 ft 6 in (7.77 m)
- Wing area: 1,615 sq ft (150.0 m2)
- Airfoil: root: NACA 23018; tip: NACA 4412[8]
- Empty weight: 50,999 lb (23,133 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 136,000 lb (61,689 kg)
- Powerplant: 4 × Pratt & Whitney T34-P-6 turbopropengines, 5,531 shp (4,124 kW) each
- Propellers: 3-bladed Hamilton Standard Hydromatic, 15 ft 0 in (4.57 m) diameter constant-speed feathering propellers
Performance
- Maximum speed: 479 mph (771 km/h, 416 kn)
- Cruise speed: 430 mph (690 km/h, 370 kn)
- Stall speed: 117 mph (188 km/h, 102 kn)
- Combat range: 1,150 mi (1,850 km, 1,000 nmi) at 24,210 lb (10,981 kg) payload
- Service ceiling: 26,400 ft (8,000 m) at MTOW
- 32,900 ft (10,028 m) at combat weight with maximum power
- Rate of climb: 2,310 ft/min (11.7 m/s) at MTOW
- 4,600 ft/min (23.37 m/s) at combat weight with maximum power
See also
Related development
- Lockheed Constellation
- Lockheed L-049 Constellation
- Lockheed C-69 Constellation
- Lockheed L-649 Constellation
- Lockheed L-749 Constellation
- Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation
- Lockheed C-121 Constellation
- Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star
- Lockheed L-1649 Starliner
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
- Boeing YC-97J Stratofreighter
- Bristol Britannia C.1/C.2 (Series 250)
- Douglas DC-7D
- Douglas YC-124B Globemaster II
- Douglas C-133 Cargomaster
- Lockheed L-188 Electra
- Lockheed P-3 Orion
Related lists
References
Notes
- ^ alternatewars.com - YC-97 Characteristics Summary Archived 2017-02-22 at the Wayback Machine; Retrieved 10/12/11
- ^ US Warplanes.net - ENGINE GUIDE - Post World War II & The Modern Era Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine; Retrieved 10/12/11
- ^ Associated Press, "Special Superconnie Sets Transcontinental Record", The San Bernardino Sun. San Bernardino, California, Saturday 26 January 1957, Volume LXIII, Number 127, page 5.
- ^ US Warplanes - C-69/C-121 Archived 2015-10-26 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 10/8/11
- ^ ISBN 2-915239-62-2, pp. 133-134 & 154-155.
- ^ AirForceTimes - History in blue: Turboprop Super Connies didn't have military future; Dorr, Robert F.; Published 5/22/06; Retrieved 10/19/11
- ^ a b alternatewars.com - YC-121F Charactaristics Summary Archived 2016-10-07 at the Wayback Machine; Retrieved 10/11/11
- ^ Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
Bibliography
- Breffort, Dominique. Lockheed Constellation: from Excalibur to Starliner Civilian and Military Variants. Paris: Histoire and Collecions, 2006. Print. ISBN 2-915239-62-2
External links
- The Characteristics Summary Archived 2012-05-14 at the Wayback Machine and the Standard Aircraft Characteristics Archived 2011-10-14 at the Wayback Machine of the R7V-2 from Alternate Wars.com
- Characteristics Summary for the YC-121F Archived 2016-10-07 at the Wayback Machine, available on alternatewars.com Archived 2012-11-21 at the Wayback Machine
- Lockheed Constellation Survivors - A website that explains information and whereabouts of surviving Constellations of all variants. The fates of the four L-1249 aircraft are mentioned in the Q&A section of the website.
- 1000 Aircraft Photos - Lockheed 1249A-94-75 YC-121F Constellation - A photograph of the second YC-121F delivered to the U.S. Air Force. Below the image is a small detailed summary on the L-1249A.
- Zoggavia - Lockheed 1951-1960 - A link which includes photographs and brief summaries of Lockheed aircraft from 1951 to 1960, including the YC-121F and R7V-2.