Flying aboard the Lockheed Constellation part 1

An interesting look at Connie flight operations, particularly the intensive maintenance required. Confidence inspiring? Judge for yourself

[@mbazell]

This film brings great credit to LOCKHEED and how thorough and customer oriented the airline industry was back in the 50's.

[@kasley26]

The Constellation has got to be the most beautifully designed passenger plane ever.

[@turbocompound]

absolutely perfect comment, yes I agree in all points. I`m restoring one of these old Curtiss-Wright R-3350- engines from 1957 and I do this with full respect to all these people, who developed this masterpiece of engineering. Regards A.

[@lsnows]

The Connie sure was a beauty of a plane. I especially like it in the Varig Airlines colors.

[@GeorgeVreelandHill]

I miss the way things used to be. Every part of life was better years ago. I want to go back in time. George Vreeland Hill

[@oisiaa]

Fabulous Video! The Connie is such a beautiful aircraft.

[@spencnaz]

This should show younger generations what you can build with a slide rule and maintain with good training. NO computers required! The Connie was and will continue to be a classic design.

[@Blanchefort2]

Total coolness. I remember my first flight as a nine year old way back in 1973. In economy claas we could choose between a fishmeal and a meatmeal for lunch. Nowadays they sell you some instant soup and a dry sandwich.

[@TerminatorFRA]

And it was the best aircraft engineer who designed it like the P38, U2 and the SR71. Thanks Kelly Johnson :D

[@divisioneight]

Thank you so very much for sharing that story. I can imagine that the purring of those engines would be far nicer than the general din of air rushing past the cabin at around 400 knots. There's something to be said of the slower pace that's been lost. I don ear plugs to diminish both the noise of the plane, and the noisy occupants inside the plane! Still, nothing beats watching lightning illuminating the inside of thunder clouds back lit by the setting sun at 34,000 feet.

[@12291949cairo]

On the night flights they used to dim the lights and the 'Hostesses' handed out red Egyptian Cotten slippers for us to wear while we went to bed. I always had a great sleep listening to the mighty Wright turbo 18 cylinders lullaby !

[@ImperialRetrovision]

@divisioneight I am 800 years old and yes in those days everyone dressed up in suits and dresses if not formal wear. Meals were generally first class gourmet, and all the drinks were free. The seats were so big and there was so much legroom that you could lay completely flat and fall asleep. When you awaken, a very sexy stewardess would be leaning over you, asking if you need any buckets of cash or bourbon. People were so courteous that even the hijackers said "please" and "thank you."

[@boblackey1]

Wow. Sorry it seized up. Hope you can get it fixed or get another. I will never forget sitting on the port side next to the engine on a Martin 404 on a flight from Atlanta, Ga to Virginia. It was at night & the engine was loud & made the cabin rattle & there were two long flames of fire coming out of the two exhaust pipes under the engine. When we landed I wanted to know exactly what kind of engine it was. The pilot said P&W R2800CB-16. This was in 1967 but I remember it like yesterday.

[@mellotrongirl]

Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic! Connies are such great birds--how many airlines these days disassemble and reassemble the whole plane with such diligence at such timed intervals? Well, I guess those were back in the days when they really needed to do that a bit more often...

[@stevenewman01]

They looked especially good in the white and red TWA paint scheme

[@rileysteve]

Great film. Very few irregularities---rare for a film of this vintage. This is NOT a "Super" Constellation! TWA took delivery of this Model 049 Constellation on January 16, 1946. (Ship #504, Reg.#N86504)"Star of France". After over 17 years service with TWA was sold Jan.1963. Sadly, crashed on approach to Tahoe Valley Airport (TVL) Lake Tahoe, California January 3, 1964, while operated by Paradise Airlines.

[@danf321]

Unless I'm mistaken, the Connie's used the Wright R-3350 Cyclone engines, same as the B-29 that also had a lot of engine trouble. I think Lockheed has plans to switch to the Pratt-Whitney R-2800 engines but that never happened. Finally with the 1049 Connie, much of the problems were fixed and a newer turbo compound R-3350 engine was used. The 1049 was a stretched version with longer wings, engines mounted further away from the fuselage to reduce noise and more, but all this happened at a time

[@ceemosp]

*sighs* TWA, PanAm, Swissair, Sabena...how I miss them. I remember the days when their 707s were a daily sight at all international airports. I am glad that at least a few names are still to be seen, such as Lufthansa, KLM, Air France, Iberia or BA. I wonder when the next of these names will vanish...

[@lostinthetriangle]

I enjoyed this a lot! Really nice video, thanks for sharing.

[@sybermen]

Es interesante ver lo elegante de los pasajeros y el mantenimiento que se daba a estos bellos aviones era todo un acontimiento volar

[@VladAndreis]

My how that era of aviation has changed..........Flights used to be an occasion now it is no more irregular for some people than getting on a bus.

[@mlynch001]

Kelly Johnson was a genius!

[@fordroad]

This Up-load is 5 stars all the way simpely great. We will never see their numbers or times again. I remember QANTAS in Australia flying those babies to England. GREAT.

[@Fleetwing1627]

mellotrongirl, aircraft even today undergo rigorous inspections at specified intervals. There are A, B, C, and D checks, and a D check is like rebuilding an aircraft to new standards. It's so thorough that sometimes older planes are sold or mothballed if they're not worth the time and expense of a D check.

[@granskare]

it was nice to see the interior. I'd ridden on an air force c121 which was a bit more spartan and seating facing the back. :)

[@mcslashvideos]

Pretty spooky, the Grand Canyon reference, pilots efforts to give passengers a great view, may well have caused the TWA united mid air collision over Canyon a few years later.

[@WAL_DC-6B]

I have a video tape recording of the this TWA promotional film with its original soundtrack. In the original, the actual TWA pilot, complete with his apparent "Missouri accent" narrates this movie. Also, the original movie has a few scenes that this later generic version left out.

[@oneaokguy]

Great Video, thanks for posting

[@barthoedemaker]

Yeah it is. I still enjoy the flying in today's jet engines era, but i'd love to experience a plane like this. I feel sad people see it like a busdrive today. They forget all the technology needed to get you up in the sky.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

I hate flying in today's planes. Way too cramped. I want comfort and service, even if I have to give up speed.

[@redf1966]

I like the cool contoured humpback body shape of the Constellation.. Very similar to the supersonic Concorde.

[@ThunderAppeal]

'The weight of a paper match box will make the propeller revolve.' Heh. All of this was back when the people working in facilities like this had just come back from the war and were well trained in their craft. They also had pride in their jobs, makes me wonder what happened in the decades that followed. I dont think it was any single factor.

[@GinaMoryson]

Great Video, Gina

[@roberthuffstutter8776]

Great history lesson.

[@jonb0002]

The pratt and witney engines on most of the american designed aircraft) were serviced the same way I`m not a great authority on this though I did grow up thro the radial piston engined era. Some of the more exotic designs were even more complex than these were. All were stripped down and examined/serviced/ parts replaced after a certain number of hours run - answer to your question "yes" they were - all large multi piston engined aircraft were.

[@RomelioSanzz]

@barthoedemaker I think it could be interesting, I flew twice in a Antonov An-32 across the Andes, it was my only fliying experience, really remarkable.

[@Gaygarious]

"Those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end..."

[@cpdrj]

WOW GREAT TKS FOR SHARING

[@MerleOberon]

flying over Grand Canyon, this must have been before the 1956 mid-air collision over Grand Canyon

[@Millen52]

Sinto muitas saudades dêsses tempos.

[@MerleOberon]

@ImperialRetrovision Yes, all true, there weren't even bathrooms then, because no one needed them....

[@cosmochest]

fantastic

[@divisioneight]

What a difference then: folks flew dressed respectably, not in their pajamas. Folks had leg room, and did not have to have their knees jammed for three hours in "coach". The food was a meal served to you, not a bag of chips tossed to you across two seats. The folks acted in a courteous and decent manner, not like overgrown children with earphones turned up to an annoying buzz. There was conversation in lieu of complaining and the flight there was the event, not merely the way to get there.

[@mellotrongirl]

That's great to know, Fleetwing1627. I was wondering...do the airlines set forth their own criteria and do the checks in their own hangars, or do they fly them into Airbus Industrie or Boeing or where ever for the overhaul? Is this done after so many flying hours or take-off/landings, or a combination of both? Do federal mandates from the countries they fly out of override/oversee this criteria?

[@miguelmouta]

Nice video, very nice plane indeed ! But I cant see any video on YT about her cousin, Lockheed Beechcraft baby.

[@canuckrcp]

DOH! Sorry - My Bad! as if I didn't know the difference! Thanks for catching that.. What I meant to ask was, were all radial pistons as maintenance intensive as what was shown on the video, or was this a routine peculiar to the Connie?

[@CaptainB737]

Damn, nice vid!!

[@canuckrcp]

Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful! Thank You!! A quick question - were all turbo-props (such as the DC6/DC7) so maintenance intensive, or was this something peculiar to the Constellation?

[@michaelbenardo5695]

They were not turbo-props.

[@miguelmouta]

UNESCO should consider this plane, as well as the DC-3, as Patrimonies of Mankind.

[@lulubellers]

"sir,would you like TWA coffee or TWA tea?"

[@MrRonnieG]

All one needs to do is look at the circumstances surrounding AA191 to know that forklifts around airplanes is not a good idea.

[@barthoedemaker]

@divisioneight yeah to bad, times have changed.........

[@mrFalconlem]

@mrFalconlem You have to admit it was much more exclusive all I'm saying.

[@ragemanchoo82]

So were the Super Constellation's overall dimensions the same as the Constellation's?

[@tlfrantz1]

I have a P&W R2800 on a stand; it ran up to about a year ago when it seized up. Do you know where I might get another one? Look up "R2800 start and run" under tlfrantz1. Thanks!

[@johneddy98033]

@flygweilo, did BOAC operation the Constellation? If so, which versions did they use?

[@llanamejia]

Will today airlines do all that that us depicted in the movie? I doubt it

[@barthoedemaker]

@shaquo890 right !!

[@crybabygirl3]

Where do you get all the old film bomberguy?

[@boblackey1]

The engine on the test platform which ran for 6 hours had FOUR blades & different cowling. Probably was a P&W from a DC-7, not a Wright Curtis from a Connie. I wish I didn't notice things like that. It ruins the film for me. I was watching an old movie the other night. Airport scene & in long shots the props were stopped differently than in the close ups of the pilots talking on the ground. As it cut back & forth it bugged me the stopped props were in different positions.

[@rileysteve]

Correction! Oops---speaking of irregularities----in the previous comment I made a "typo", should read Jan. 1962 for the date TWA sold the aircraft!

[@barthoedemaker]

As a mechanic this makes me really sad, cause this kind of engine rebuilds can't be afforded anymore today, it's all import from china or taiwan. The cheap import competition kills homeland labour and expertise.

[@barthoedemaker]

4 engines replaced after every 1300 flying hours!

[@KLM777300er]

didnt lockheed help with the F- 35?

[@dpvisser]

So nice to see a video of flying back in the hey-day, when it was a pleasure and a privilege to fly. I still cringe when I get on a plane and I see how people dress: overly baggy clothing that is hanging on their knees, men in women's lingerie, scruffy shorts and dirty sandals. I'm glad I was still able to take part in those days as a young child. Now...I don't care which airline you are with, you are treated as livestock and all you want to do is get the hell off the plane safely.

[@RaoulStankovitch]

Does anyone know if this is Hal Blackburn #1 Seniority Captain?

[@LJDRVR]

No. Doesn't look like Blackie at all.

[@jonb0002]

none of them were turboprops - all piston engines !!

[@TheUnknowKING]

Lol Good piont

[@flysobo737]

that is not a lockheed super constellation it is an erlier lockheed constellation

[@mrFalconlem]

TWA... one of the greatest till that punk took over in the 90s and killed it.

[@dutchgoing]

@divisioneight And hardly anybody could afford to fly.

[@mrFalconlem]

@divisioneight Yes and everyone was RICH and no blacks allowed.. so fair.

[@RomelioSanzz]

They seem a autoparts not plane parts. A totally old fashioned techniques.

[@FsxAv8r91]

he is god :-)

[@Flies2FLL]

What a difference then: folks dressed up for no reason at all, even mechanics! Folks had legroom because the airplane was TINY! The meal was disgusting. The folks DID NOT act courteous to you, they simply barked orders like unruly children. The conversation was banal because back then you simply didn't talk about certain subjects. When the media means more than the message, something is WRONG!

[@manhoot]

I agree. Goes to show how spoiled and demanding we are today. Now I see the flip flop crowd buzzing away on their blackberries, bitching, looking like they just rolled out of bed. Some stink. Others are so "put out" with a gee whiz attitude towards a wondrous event. Suffice it to say, I don't enjoy flying not because of the plane, but because of the people.

[@TheUnknowKING]

that time no blacks were aloud in planes!