Lockheed Constellation 049 ( Source TWA Adv)

  The plans for the Constellation were conceived in April 1939 by Howard Hughes  who had controlling interest in TWA. He was looking for an airliner capable of 300 mph and a non stop West to East coast flights in 8 hours. The picture above is a post WWII model 049. TWA started New York to Paris flights on February 6. 1946, followed by Los Angeles New York flights on March 1. The early days were not without their problems and a series of engine fires and propeller failures culminated in the type's grounding for modification after a TWA aircraft crashed on a training flight.
   Because of it's speed and capacity numerous airlines purchased the plane. It became the epitome of piston engine airliners. The plane's  sensuous curved fuselage, long legs, and superb streamlining made it one of the most graceful airliners ever built.

   TWA Lockheed 1649A  Starliner ( source TWA)

   TWA was the first major operator of the last Constellation Model 1649A eventually operating 29 of them. The first flight was in May 1957. The planes were equipped to carry 66 passengers and a crew of 11.The extended range allowed airlines to operated longer flights.  Lufthansa, which ordered four, flew from Los Angeles to Hamburg in seventeen hours and nineteen minutes. The Super Constellation were only used for a few years as jets replaced piston driven planes. The last Lockheed Constellation was delivered on February 12 1958.     (Picture from TWA adv)

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TWA Adv