Lockheed L-749 Constellation

what is it?

The Lockheed L-749 Constellation is the first Lockheed Constellation to regularly cross the Atlantic Ocean non-stop. Although similar in appearance to the L-649 before it, the L-749 had a larger fuel capacity, strengthened landing gear, and eventually weather radar.

🔎How to recognise it: 4 piston engines with propellers · low wing · retractable tricycle gear · 37.5 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 555 km/htop speed
• seats 81passengers
• size 48.5 tmax take-off weight
• built 113made 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 79 years ago, in 1947.
• 🏎️Top speed is 4.3× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 🚗Wingspan of 37.5 m: about 8 cars parked nose to tail.
• 🐘Fully loaded it can weigh as much as 8 African elephants (~6 t each).

piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.

spec sheet

first flight

1947-03-14

introduced

1947

retired

1993

status

retired

number built

113

role

airliner

origin

🇺🇸 United States

makers

Lockheed Corporation

engines

4× Wright R-3350-749C18BD-1 Duplex-Cyclone

crew

6

passengers

81

length

29.7 m

wingspan

37.5 m

height

6.8 m

max take-off weight

48.5 t

top speed

555 km/h

cruise speed

515 km/h

range

—

ceiling

7,346 m

wings

low wing

landing gear

retractable tricycle gear

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

family