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Designed in the early 1940s under the leadership of Lockheed’s chief engineer Clarence "Kelly" Johnson (1910–90), with direction from TWA’s (Transcontinental & Western Air) owner Howard Hughes (1905–76), the Lockheed L-049 Constellation was introduced as a commercial airliner shortly after World War II. It was an advanced, large-capacity propliner featuring a unique, aerodynamic, dolphin-shaped fuselage with a distinctive triple tail. Introduced in 1951, the TWA (Trans World Airlines) Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation was a larger, long-range upgrade of the Constellation. The L-1049G Super Constellation was introduced four years later. It was designed for even longer-range flights and included wingtip tanks for extra fuel, radar equipment, and more powerful engines. Promoted by TWA as the “Super G,” the airline touted its technology, speed, exceptional comfort, and smooth flying characteristics. The airliner could accommodate between sixty-two and ninety-five passengers depending on the class configuration. During the mid-1950s, the Super G served as TWA’s premier long-distance transoceanic airliner on routes to Europe and beyond. See “A Cut Above: Airplane Models from the SFO Museum Collection” on display, pre-security, in the Mayor Edwin M. Lee International Terminal Departures Hall and online at: https://bit.ly/CutAboveModels 📸: TWA (Trans World Airlines) Lockheed L-1049G Super Constellation model aircraft 1990s Gary Field scale 1:32 metal, paint Collection of SFO Museum Gift of the San Francisco Aeronautical Society 2018.127.007 a c L2024.0401.002 a d https://bit.ly/3zWfIXq
This image was posted on July 16, 2024.