Lockheed L-188 Electra

what is it?

The Lockheed L-188 Electra is an American turboprop airliner built by Lockheed. First flown in 1957, it was the first large turboprop airliner built in the United States. With its fairly high power-to-weight ratio, huge propellers and very short wings resulting in the majority of the wingspan being enveloped in propwash, large Fowler flaps which significantly increased effective wing area when extended, and four-engined design, the airplane had airfield performance capabilities unmatched by many jet transport aircraft even today—particularly on short runways and high altitude airfields.

🔎How to recognise it: 4 turboprops · low wing · retractable tricycle gear · 30.2 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 721 km/htop speed
• seats 98passengers
• size 51.3 tmax take-off weight
• built 170made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 69 years ago, in 1957.
• 🏎️Top speed is 5.5× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 🚗Wingspan of 30.2 m: about 7 cars parked nose to tail.
• 🐘Fully loaded it can weigh as much as 9 African elephants (~6 t each).

turboprop: A jet-style turbine turning a propeller: efficient on short hops.

spec sheet

first flight

1957-12-06

introduced

1959

status

still flying

number built

170

role

turboprop airliner

origin

🇺🇸 United States

makers

Lockheed Corporation

engines

4× Allison 501-D13

passengers

98

length

31.9 m

wingspan

30.2 m

height

10 m

max take-off weight

51.3 t

top speed

721 km/h

cruise speed

600 km/h

range

—

ceiling

8,656 m

wings

low wing

landing gear

retractable tricycle gear

ICAO code

L188

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.

family