Lockheed C-121 Constellation

(Redirected from C-121 Constellation) Military transport version of Constellation

C-121/R7O/R7V Constellation

A Military Air Transport Service C-121G Super Constellation flying near the Golden Gate Bridge.
Role	Military transportType of aircraft
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Lockheed Corporation
First flight	March 14, 1947
Introduction	November 12, 1948
Status	Retired from military service, two operated by civilian preservation organisations
Primary user	United States Air Force United States Navy
Produced	1947 to 1958
Number built	332
Developed from	L-749 Constellation L-1049 Super Constellation
Variants	R7V-2/YC-121F Constellation EC-121 Warning Star

The Lockheed C-121 Constellation is a military transport version of the Lockheed Constellation. A total of 332 aircraft were constructed for both the United States Air Force and United States Navy for various purposes. Numerous airborne early warning versions were also constructed. The C-121 later saw service with smaller civilian operators until 1993.

Design and development

VC-121A 48-0614 *Columbine*, the personal transport of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, on display at the Pima Air & Space Museum

A C-121C aircraft, formerly USAF 54-0153, operated by the Super Constellation Flyers Association in Switzerland

Lockheed's first attempt at a military version of the Constellation airliner had been unsuccessful. This was largely due to the problems encountered by the Wright R-3350 engines that powered the aircraft. After the war, the few military Constellations built (designated C-69) were retrofitted by Lockheed for use in the post-war airline industry as the L-049.

In 1947, Lockheed unveiled a more economical Constellation, designated the L-749. It had increased fuel capacity and a more economical version of the R-3350. However, Lockheed had lost 1200 workers that year, and by 1948, production of the L-749 was at a near halt. It was then that the United States Air Force (USAF) signed a contract with Lockheed for ten L-749A aircraft designated the C-121A. The United States Navy (USN) had also placed an order for two AWACS versions of the L-749A designated the PO-1W (later WV-1). The first L-749A variants off the production line were for the US military.

The C-121A versions differed from the L-749 only through having a reinforced floor to handle cargo, and a large aft loading door. Although originally intended for cargo transport duties, they were usually fitted out with 44-seat passenger transport interiors. The aircraft also consisted of a five-man crew with four relief crew members on standby. All C-121As were assigned to the Atlantic division of the Military Air Transport Service (MATS). The aircraft would later see service in the Berlin Airlift. Dwight Eisenhower and General Douglas MacArthur both used the C-121A as their personal VIP transports. In 1950, six of the C-121A Constellations were modified as VIP transports and redesignated VC-121A. The last C-121As were retired in 1968.

In August 1950, the USN ordered eleven passenger/cargo convertible versions of Lockheed's stretched L-1049B Super Constellation (which it had already ordered as the WV-2 AWACS platform). These aircraft, originally designated R7O, were delivered before the WV-2 aircraft due to the R7O being more simple to produce. The R7O (now R7V-1) first flew in 1952. The R7V-1 was able to be quickly converted between a passenger transport for 97-107 individuals or a cargo carrying transport in two hours. The Navy reduced the number of available seats to fit room for life rafts on overseas flights. 73 stretchers could also be used for medical evacuation flights. The R7V-1s saw service over the Atlantic and Pacific in squadrons VR-1 (the oldest transport squadron in the Navy), VR-7 and VR-8. Two modified R7V-1 aircraft were used on Antarctic supply missions while conducting tests and observations at the same time. One crashed on landing in 1970 and remains at the spot to the present day; the other was retired in 1971. In 1962, 32 of the 50 R7V-1 aircraft in Naval service were transferred to the Air Force, being re-designated the C-121G. The remaining 18 in Naval service were redesignated C-121J. One C-121J was later used by the Blue Angels until it was replaced by a Lockheed C-130 Hercules in 1971.

The USAF had also ordered 33 L-1049F Super Constellations in 1951, designated the C-121C. Unlike its Naval equivalent, the C-121C featured square cabin windows instead of round ones. Otherwise, the C-121C resembled the USN R7V-1 aircraft. The C-121C also featured a reinforced structure to handle turboprop engines if necessary. Other features of the C-121C included an Auxiliary Power Unit, Turbo-compound R-3350s, and the ability to carry 75 passengers, 72 fully equipped troops, or 47 stretchers. The seats could be stored under the floor of the aircraft when needed for cargo use. The first flight of a C-121C was in 1955. Deliveries began in August 1955, with aircraft being assigned to the MATS Atlantic division. The aircraft were later in service with the Air National Guard (ANG) and were retired in 1973. Four were later refitted as VC-121C VIP aircraft, six as EC-121S TV and radio broadcast relay systems, two became EC-121C Microwave Airborne Radio Communications (MARCOM) systems and one was converted to a DC-121C observation aircraft.

A video of the Super Constellation Flyers Association's C-121C in flight.

After their retirement from military service, some C-121s and R7V-1s were used by civilian operators as cargo aircraft. The last operators were small Dominican Republic cargo airlines that operated to Miami with surplus military Constellations bought from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. The operations stopped in 1993 after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) banned these operators from flying into the United States due to safety concerns. One former C-121C flies today with the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society of Australia, and the other flew until 2016 with the Super Constellation Flyers Association of Switzerland. The Swiss example was put up for sale in April 2023.

Variants

Main article: Lockheed Constellation variants

Air Force

C-121A: Initial variant, based on the civil L-749 Constellation. Nine built.
VC-121A: Six C-121A transports converted to VIP use. Originally designated PC-121A.
VC-121B: Similar to the VC-121A, but with the cargo door replaced by a smaller passenger door. One built.
C-121C: Initial variant based on the L-1049 Super Constellation. 33 built.
VC-121C: VIP conversion of four C-121C aircraft.

VC-121E: Ordered by the United States Navy as a R7V-1 but modified before delivery as a presidential transport for the United States Air Force.
YC-121F: Two former United States Navy R7V-2s with Pratt & Whitney T34 turboprop engines transferred to the United States Air Force. Designated L-1249A by Lockheed.
C-121G: Redesignation of 32 R7V-1 transports transferred from the USN to the Air Force.
TC-121G: Three C-121Gs converted to AWACS crew trainers.
VC-121G: One C-121G converted to a VIP transport.

Navy

R7V-1: Initial Navy version based on the L-1049. 50 built. Originally designated R7O.
R7V-1P: One R7V-1 modified for Antarctic service.
R7V-2: Two transport aircraft similar to the YC-121F. Also designated L-1249A. Two built.
C-121J: 18 remaining R7V-1s redesignated.
TC-121J: Electronic testbed. One converted.
NC-121J: Four C-121J aircraft converted to television broadcasting aircraft for use in Vietnam. Project Jenny ( Blue Eagles ) VXN-8
VC-121J: Four C-121J aircraft converted for VIP use. One operated with the Blue Angels.

Surviving aircraft

N422NA - C-121A - Airworthy
54-0177 - C-121C on static display at the Smithsonian Institution's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia

Specifications (C-121A / L-749A)

3-view line drawing of the Lockheed Model 649 Constellation

3-view line drawing of the Lockheed C-121C Constellation

Data from Lockheed Constellation:From Excalibur to Starliner, Lockheed Constellation:From Excalibur to Starliner

General characteristics

Crew: 5
Capacity: 44 Passengers (Passenger configuration)
Length: 95 ft 2 in (29.01 m)
Wingspan: 123 ft (37 m)
Height: 22 ft 5 in (6.83 m)
Wing area: 1,650 sq ft (153 m)
Airfoil: root: NACA 23018; tip: NACA 4412
Empty weight: 61,235 lb (27,776 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 107,000 lb (48,534 kg)
Powerplant: 4 × Wright R-3350-75 Duplex-Cyclone 18-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, 2,500 hp (1,900 kW) each
Propellers: 3-bladed constant-speed feathering propellers

Performance

Maximum speed: 334 mph (538 km/h, 290 kn)
Cruise speed: 324 mph (521 km/h, 282 kn)
Service ceiling: 24,442 ft (7,450 m)

References

Notes

L1049 Super Constellation - Lockheed Constellation Survivors; Petersen, Ralph M.; Retrieved 8/4/11
Breffort, 2006, pp.146-159.
"Um dos dois últimos Lockheed Constellation C-121C do mundo pode nunca mais voar". 7 April 2023.
^ C-69/C-121 - US Warplanes.net Archived 2015-10-26 at the Wayback Machine; Retrieved 11/6/11
Breffort, 2006, pp.166-169.
"C-121A Constellation". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
"Lockheed 1049F-55-96, "Constellation"". National Air and Space Museum. 1943-01-09. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
Breffort, 2006, p.175.
Breffort, 2006
Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.

Bibliography

Breffort, Dominique. Lockheed Constellation: from Excalibur to Starliner Civilian and Military Variants. Paris: Histoire and Collecions, 2006. Print. ISBN 2-915239-62-2.
Winchester, Jim. Lockheed Constellation (Classic Airliners). St Paul, MN:MBI Publishing 2001. ISBN 0-7603-1198-6.

External links

Lockheed Constellation Survivors - A website that explains information and whereabouts of surviving Constellations of all variants, including the Super Constellation.

Lockheed and Lockheed Martin aircraft and spacecraft

Transports

Vega family	1 & 2 Vega 3 Air Express 4 Explorer 5 Vega 6 7 Explorer 8 Sirius 8-D, E & G Altair 9 Orion DL.1 Vega
Electra family	10 Electra 12 Electra Junior 14 Super Electra 414 Hudson 18 Lodestar 37 Ventura 43 Harpoon
Constellation family	Constellation L-049 L-649 L-749 L-1049 L-1249 L-1649 Starliner C-69 C-121 EC-121 XB-30
C-130 Hercules family	C-130 C-130J AC-130 DC-130 HC-130 EC-130 EC-130H KC-130 LC-130 MC-130 WC-130 E-130J L-100
L-188 Electra family	L-188 P-3 EP-3 CP-140 P-7
Other types	C-5 C-141 Excalibur JetStar L-1011 Tristar RAF L-2000 Saturn Vega Starliner R6V

Fighter-bombers

Lightning family	P-38 XP-49 XP-58
Shooting Star family	F-80 F-94 T-33 T2V
Starfighter family	XF-104 F-104 NF-104A CL-288 CL-1200
Raptor family	YF-22 F-22 FB-22 X-44 MANTA
Other types	A-4AR A-9 F-16 F-21 F-35 F-117 XFM-2 XF-90 YP-24

Reconnaissance

Blackbird family	A-12 SR-71 Blackbird YF-12 M-21 D-21
Maritime patrol	Hudson PV-1 Ventura PV-2 Harpoon P2V/P-2 Neptune S-3 Viking P-3 Orion CP-140 Aurora P-7 LRAACA
Other crewed	CL-400 U-2 YO-3 Quiet Star TR-1 TR-X
UAVs	Aequare AQM-60 Cormorant (UAV) Desert Hawk Desert Hawk III Fury MQM-105 Polecat RQ-3 RQ-170 SR-72 X-44 (UAV)

Trainers

Helicopters

Experimental

Light aircraft

Missiles

Engines

J37/T35

Model
numbers

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
- A/D
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
44
45
49
50
51
52
60
61
62
75
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
99
100
104
105
122
129
133
136
137
140
141
144
149
170
171
182
185
186
188
189
193
199
200
204
206
207
210
212
222
244
245
246
249
282 (I)
282 (II)
285
286
288
293
295
296
298
300
301
320
322
325
329
330
331
346
349
351
379
380
382
389
400 (I)
400 (II)
402
407
414
422
437
449
475
480
489
500
520
522
549
580
595
622
645
649
680
685
704
749
760
780
785
822
823
840
849
880
901
915
934
949
977
980
981
984
985
995
1000
1010
1011
1020
1026
1049
- A
1060
1080
1090
1132
1149
1195
1200
1201
1235
1236
1237
1249
1329
1400
1449
1549
1600
1649
1700
1800
1980
2000
2329

Vega	1 2 3 4 5 6 7–10 11 12–14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27–32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43

Not assigned

v t e Lockheed Constellation family
Model numbers	L-049 L-051 L-084 L-104 L-139 L-149 L-249 L-349 L-449 L-549 L-649 L-749 L-849 L-949 L-1049 A B/F L-1149 L-1249 L-1449 L-1549 L-1649
Names	Constellation (I) Constellation (II) Constellation (III) Speedfreighter Starliner Super Constellation (I) Super Constellation (II)
Military designations	B-30 C-69 C-121 F EC-121 PO R7O/R7V -2 WV W2V
Accidents and incidents	TWA Flight 513 (1946) TWA Flight 6963 (1946) Pan Am Flight 121 (1947) Pan Am Flight 1-10 (1948) Air France Flight 009 (1949) TWA Flight 903 (1950) Air India Flight 245 (1950) Pan Am Flight 151 (1951) Air France Flight 152 (1953) Air France Flight 178 (1953) KLM Flight 633 (1954) Air India Flight 300 (1955) El Al Flight 402 (1955) LAV Flight 253 (June 1956) TWA Flight 2 (1956) LAV Flight 253 (November 1956) KLM Flight 844 (1957) KLM Flight 607-E (1958) Lufthansa Flight 502 (1959) TWA Flight 891 (1959) Avianca Flight 671 (1960) Air France Flight 343 (1960) TWA Flight 266 (1960) Air France Flight 406 (1961) TWA Flight 529 (1961) IA Flight 201/8 (1961) FTL Flight 739 (1962) Paradise Airlines Flight 901A (1964) EAL Flight 853 (1965) LANSA Flight 501 (1966)
Notable aircraft	Avion Pirata Columbine II Kashmir Princess
Topics	Operators Variants

v t e United States military transport aircraft designations, Army/Air Force and Tri-Service systems
Army/Air Force sequence (1925–1962)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7 C-8 C-9 C-10 C-11 C-12 C-13 C-14 C-15 C-16 C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20 C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27 C-28 C-29 C-30 C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34 C-35 C-36 C-37 C-38 C-39 C-40 C-41 C-41A C-42 C-43 C-44 C-45 C-46 C-47 C-47F C-47T AC-47 C-48 C-49 C-50 C-51 C-52 C-53 C-54 C-55 C-56 C-57 C-58 C-59 C-60 C-61 C-62 C-63 C-64 C-65 C-66 C-67 C-68 C-69 C-70 C-70B C-71 C-72 C-73 C-74 C-75 C-76 C-77 C-77B–D C-78 C-79 C-80 C-81 C-82 C-83 C-83A C-83B C-84 C-85 C-86 C-87 C-88 C-89 C-90 C-91 C-92 C-93 C-94 C-95 C-96 C-97 KC-97 C-98 C-99 C-100 C-101 C-102 C-103 C-104 C-105 C-106 C-107 C-108 C-109 C-110 C-111 C-112 C-113 C-114 C-115 C-116 C-117 C-117D C-118 C-119 AC-119 C-120 C-121 C-121F EC-121 C-122 C-123 C-123A C-124 C-125 C-126 C-127 C-127 (I) C-127 (II) C-128 C-129 C-130 C-130J AC-130 DC-130 EC-130/H HC-130 KC-130 LC-130 MC-130 WC-130 C-131 NC-131H C-132 C-133 C-134 C-135 KC-135 C-136 C-137 YC-137 (I) YC-137 (II) C-137 C-138 C-139 C-140 C-141 C-142
Tri-service sequence (1962–present)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7 C-7 RC-7 C-8 C-9 C-10 C-10 KC-10 C-11 C-12 RC-12 C-13 C-14 C-15 C-16 C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20 C-20A–D C-20F–J C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27 C-27J C-28 C-29 C-30 C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34 C-35 C-36 C-37 C-37B C-38 C-39 C-40 C-41 C-42 C-43 C-44 C-45 C-46
Revived original sequence (2005–present)	C-143 C-144 C-145 C-146 C-147
Non-sequential designations	C-767 C-880
Related designations	CT-39 CT-43 CV-2 CV-7
Not assigned • Assigned to multiple types • Unconfirmed

USN/USMC transport designations pre–1962

T-series (pre–1931)

Atlantic Aircraft	TA

R-series (1931–1962)

Atlantic Aircraft	RA -4
Budd	RB
Curtiss	RC R2C R3C R4C R5C
Douglas	RD R2D R3D R4D R4D-8 R5D R6D
Bellanca	RE
Kinner	RK
Kreider-Reisner	RK R2K
Martin	RM
Lockheed	RO R2O R3O R4O R5O R6O R7O-1/-2 to "V" (see below, at "Lockheed")
Stinson	RQ R2Q R3Q
Fairchild	RQ R2Q R3Q R4Q
Ford	RR
Sikorsky	RS
Northrop	RT
Lockheed	from "O" (see above, at "Lockheed") R6V R7V-1/-2 R8V
Convair	RY R2Y R3Y R4Y

Not assigned
Assigned to a different manufacturer's type
Sequence restarted
Assigned to a different class of aircraft

v t e United States Air Force system numbers
100–199	100 101 P 102 103 104 105 106 107 A-1 A-2 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 L M 118 A L P 119 C/F E L T Y 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 A B 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143–197 198 199 B C D Y
200–299	200 201 A/L B/W E 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 A G 223 224 225 226 227–238 239 240–278 279 280–298 299
300–399	300 301 302 303 304 305 306 A/L B 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 A-1 A-2 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 L M/N 325 326 327 E 328 E 329 F 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338–379 380 A/B/E/F/N P 381–397 398 399 A B
400–499	400 B/C/N E G/H M 401 402 403 404 405 B C D 406 407 408 409 410 E L 411 E L 412 413 414 L M 415 416 L M (I) M (II) P Q 417 418 L M 419 420 L/W 421 422 423 424 425 426 L M 427 L M 428 A L 429 430 431 G (I) G (II) 432 433 434 435 A L 436 437 438 439 440 441 A D L 442 443 444 445 L M 446 447 448 449 450 451 D L 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 L 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 L (I) L (II) 472 473 474 L N 475 476 E 477 478 A T 479 480 481 L 482 E L M/Z 483 484 L M N 485 L Z 486 487 488 489 490 L M 491 492 493 494 495 L (I) L (II) 496 497 A L (I) L 498 A C D E L 499 A C D
500–599	500 501–519 520 521–529 530 531–541 542 543–549 550 A E 551–559 560 A F 561–569 570 571–579 580 A E 581–589 590 591 592 593–599
600–699	600 601 A L 602 A L 603 A L 604 605 606 607 608 609 610 611 612 613 614 615 616 617 618 619 620 621 A/B (I) B (II) 622 623 624 625 626 627 628 629 630 631 632 633 634 A B 635 636 637 638 639 640 641 642 643 644 645 646 647 648 A D P 649 A B C D E F L P 650 651 652 653 654 655 A (I) A (II) P 656 657 658 659 660 661 662 663 664 665 A (I) A (II) 666 A C/P 667 668 669 670 671 672 A M/P 673 674 675 676 677 678 679 680 681 D E 682 683 A J V 684 685 686 687 J P 688 689 690 691 C X Z 692 693 694 695 A B C L N P Q R S (I) S (II) 696 697 698 699
700–799	700–735 736 737 738 739 740 741 742 743 744 745 746–753 754 755–799
800–899	800 801 802 L (I) L (II) 803 804 805 806 807 808–816 817 818 819 820 821 822 823 824–831 832 833 834 835–845 846 847–899
900–999	900–951 952 853 854 855 956 957–967 968
Unknown or not assigned

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