LOCKHEED C-69 / C-121 CONSTELLATION

 CONSTELLATION SERVICE

Manufacturer: The Lockheed Aircraft Corp., Burbank, California, USA
Models: Model 49, 049, 649, 749, 1049, 1249, 1649
Designations: C-69; C-121; B-30, PO, R7O, R7V, WV, W2V
Names: Constellation (Model 49, 049, 649, 749); Super Constellation
(Model 1049, 1249); Starliner (Model 1649);
Warning Star (RC-121, WV-2)
First official flight: (L-49/C-69) 01/09/1943
(L-1049) 14/07/1951
Factory production period: 1941 - 1958
Primary service period: 1944 - 1978
Last official flight: (NC-121K) 25/06/1982

CONSTELLATION VARIANTS

Constellation

1943 Model 49-46-10 L-49/C-69 1 Total: 001
         
1945 Model 049 L-049 73  
1946 Model 649 L-649 14  
1947 Model 749 L-749 60  
1949 Model 749A L-749A 59 Total: 206
         
1943 Model 49-46-10 C-69 13  
1945 Model 49-46-19 C-69C 1  
1948 Model 749-79-36 C-121A 9  
1948 Model 749-79-38 VC-121B 1  
1949 Model 749A-79-43 PO-1W 2 Total: 026

Grand Total: 233

Super Constellation

1951 Model 1049 L-1049 24  
1953 Model 1049C L-1049C 48  
1954 Model 1049D L-1049D 4  
1954 Model 1049E L-1049E 28  
1954 Model 1049G L-1049G 102  
1956 Model 1049H L-1049H 53 Total: 259
         
1955 Model 1049F-55-96 C-121C 33  
1953 Model 1049B-55-84 RC-121C 10  
1954 Model 1049A-55-86 RC-121D 72  
1953 Model 1049B-35-97 VC-121E 1  
1952 Model 1049B-55-75 R7V-1 50  
1954 Model 1249A-95-75 R7V-2 4  
1954 Model 1049A-55-70/
-86/-91/-127 		WV-2 142  
1954 Model 1049A-55-95 WV-3 8 Total: 320
Grand Total: 579

Starliner

1956 Model 1649A L-1649A 44

Grand total: 044

 

GRAND TOTAL: 856

CONSTELLATION PRODUCTION

Constellation

L-49 / C-69
Protoype 4-engined civil airliner, stubby nose.
To USAAF as military C-69, assigned s/n: 43-10309.
Later converted to XC-69E.
Produced 1941 - 1943
Lockheed Burbank, California (LO)

NX25600 (civil reg.) 49-1961 1 Total: 001

L-049 / L-649
L-749 / L-749A
Civil airliners, various performance differences,
stubby nose. 7 L-049's factory onverted from
C-69 airframes, assigned s/n: 42-94554 / 42-94557,
42-94559 / 42-94561.
Produced 1945 - 1951
Lockheed Burbank, California

L-049 mixed 049-1975 to 2088 73  
L-649 mixed 649-2518 to 2535 14  
L-749 mixed 749-2503 to 2618 60  
L-749A mixed 749-2619 to 2677 59 Total: 206

L-149, L-449, L-549, L-849, L-949 - Proposed civil versions, cancelled.

 C-69
As L-49, military transport model, astrodome.
Produced 1943 - 1945
Lockheed Burbank, California (LO)

42-94549 49-1970    
42-94551 / 42-94553 49-1972 / 1974    
42-94558 49-1979    
43-10310 / 43-10317 49-1962 / 1969 13 Total: 013
167 additional airframes cancelled.

(Model 49-43-11) C-69A - Proposed troop transport, cancelled.
 (Model 249) XB-30 - Proposed bomber version, cancelled.
(Model 349-43-11) C-69B - Proposed long-range troop transport, cancelled.
C-69C
As C-69, 43-seat VIP transport.
Produced 1945
Lockheed Burbank, California (LO)

42-94550 49-1971 1 Total: 001

C-69D - Development of C-69C, 3 ordered, none completed.

 C-121A
As L-749, cargo / personnel transport, strengthened floor,
long nose, rear cargo door, 6 later upgraded to VC-121B
standard, some designated as PC-121A (passenger)
for a short time.
Produced 1948 - 1949
Lockheed Burbank, California (LO)

48-609 / 48-617 749-2601 / 2609 9 Total: 009

VC-121B
As C-121A, VIP transport, no cargo door.
Produced 1948
Lockheed Burbank, California (LO)

48-608 749-2600 1 Total: 001

PO-1W
As L-749A, AEW aircraft for US Navy, long nose.
Redesignated as WV-1 in 1952.
Produced 1949
Lockheed Burbank, California (O)

BuNo.124437, 124438 749-2612, 2613 2 Total: 002

 

Grand Total: 233

Super Constellation

L-1049 prototype 1950, prototype converted from the original prototype L-49 (c/n: 49-1961).
Fuselage stretched, engine upgrade, various changes.
New civil reg.: NX67900, new c/n: 1049-1961S.
Later fitted with radome as WV-2 prototype.

L-1049 / C / D / E / G / H
Civil airliners, various differences, lengthened fuselage,
stubby nose, square windows.
Produced 1950 - 1958
Lockheed Burbank, California

L-1049 1049-4001 / 4024 24  
L-1049C 1049C-4501 / 4548 48  
L-1049D 1049D-4163 / 4166 4  
L-1049E mixed 1049E-4549 to 4615 28  
L-1049G mixed 1049G-4572 to 4687 102  
L-1049H 1049H-4801 / 4853 53 Total: 259

L-1149, L-1249B, L-1349,
 L-1449, L-1549 - Proposed civil developments, cancelled.

 C-121C
As L-1049, USAF personnel transport, long nose.
Produced
Lockheed Burbank, California (LO)

54-151 / 54-183 1049F-4170 / 4202 33 Total: 033

RC-121C Warning Star
As R7V-1, AEW aircraft, dorsal and ventral radomes.
Redesignated as EC-121C in 1962.
Produced
Lockheed Burbank, California (LO)

51-3836 / 51-3845 1049B-4112 / 4121 10 Total: 010

RC-121D Warning Star
As RC-121C, AEW aircraft, wing-tip tanks, equipment changes.
Redesignated as EC-121D in 1962.
Produced
Lockheed Burbank, California (LO)

52-3411 / 52-3425 1049A-4329 / 4343    
53-533 / 53-556 1049A-4348 / 4371    
53-3398 / 53-3403 1049A-4372 / 4377    
54-2304 / 54-2308 1049A-4386 / 4390    
55-118 / 55-139 1049A-4391 / 4412 72 Total: 072

VC-121E
R7V-1(131650) factory converted, named: "Columbine III".
Third US Presidential aircraft, served D. Eisenhower
from 1953-1961.
Produced 1953 
Lockheed Burbank, California (LO)

53-7885 1049B-4151 1 Total: 001

R7V-1
As L-1049, USN cargo / personnel transports, long nose.
First 11 designated as R7O-1 up to 1952.
32 transferred to USAF as C-121G.
Remaining redesignated as C-121J in 1962.
Produced
Lockheed Burbank, California (V)

BuNo.128434 / 128444 1049B-4101 / 4111    
BuNo.131621 / 131629 1049B-4122 / 4130    
BuNo.131632 / 131649 1049B-4133 / 4150    
BuNo.131651 / 131659 1049B-4152 / 4160    
BuNo.140311 / 140313 1049B-4167 / 4169 50 Total: 050

R7V-2
As R7V-1, turboprop engine upgrade.
Produced 1954
Lockheed Burbank, California (V)

BuNo.131630, 131631 1249A-4131, 4132    
BuNo.131660, 131661
- 2 delivered as
(Model 1249A-94-75)
YC-121F to USAF:
53-8157, 53-8158		 1249A-4161, 4162 4 Total: 004

WV-2 Warning Star
As L-1049, USN AEW aircraft, wing-tip tanks, radomes,
long nose. Original designation was PO-2W.
Redesignated as EC-121K in 1962.
Produced 1953 - 1958
Lockheed Burbank, California (V)

BuNo.126512, 126513 1049A-4301, 4302    
BuNo.128323 / 128326 1049A-4303 / 4306    
BuNo.131387 / 131392 1049A-4307 / 4312    
BuNo.135746 / 135761 1049A-4313 / 4328    
BuNo.137887 / 137890 1049A-4344 / 4347    
BuNo.141289 / 141333 1049A-4413 / 4457    
BuNo.143184 / 143225 1049A-4458 / 4499    
BuNo.143226 / 143230 1049A-5500 / 5504    
BuNo.145924 / 145941 1049A-5505 / 5522 142 Total: 142
22 additional airframes cancelled.

WV-3
As WV-2, no wing-tip tanks, weather reconn. duties.
Redesignated as WC-121N in 1962.
Produced
Lockheed Burbank, California (V)

BuNo.137891 / 137898 1049A-4378 / 4385 8 Total: 008

 

Grand Total: 579

Starliner

 L-1649A
As L-1049G, new wing design - squared off ends,
higher fuel capacity. First airframe (N1649), was prototype.
Produced 1955 - 1958 
Lockheed Burbank, California

civil reg. 1649A-1001 / 1042    
civil reg. 1649A-1044, 1045 44 Total: 044
1 (1649A-1043), additional airframe cancelled.

L-1649B - Turboprop version, cancelled.
XW2V-1 - US Navy version of L-1649A with dorsal radome, cancelled.

Grand Total: 044

CONSTELLATION CONVERSIONS

Civil Conversions

L-049A / B /
C / D / E		 1+  Civil L-049, conversions for various civil airline requirements.
L-649A 14 Civil L-649, 1947, modifications with extra outer wing fuel tanks.

Military Conversions

USAF

ZC-69 1+ C-69, 1948, redesignation as "obsolete".
ZC-69C 1 C-69C, 1948, redesignation as "obsolete".
VC-121A 3 C-121A, 1948-1968, VIP transports. s/n: 48-610 "Columbine II", used
by president-elect Eisenhower in 1952-1953. s/n: 48-613 "Bataan", used
by General MacArthur in Korea. s/n: 48-614 "Columbine I", used by General
Eisenhower from 1950-1952. All later upgraded to VC-121B standard. 
EC-121C 1 C-121C, "E"xempt conversion for special tests, not to be
confused with the RC-121C (EC-121C), 1962 redesignation.
JC-121C 3 2 C-121C / 1 RC-121C, systems tests and electronic research.
TC-121C 9 RC-121C, temporary conversions as AEW trainers.
VC-121C 4 C-121C, VIP transports, one was backup for VC-121E "Columbine III".
XC-69E 1 Model 49-39-10
C-69 prototype (43-10309), 1943, temporary conversion as engine test-bed.
Sold to Howard Hughes in 1945. Converted to the L-1049 (NX67900)
prototype in 1950.
NC-121D 1 WV-2(143226), permanent conversion to USAF for radiation tests of
high-speed bodies into the atmosphere, assigned s/n: 56-6956.
C-121G 32 R7V-1, transfers to USAF, assigned s/n: 54-4048 / 54-4079.
(TC-121G) 4 C-121G, training conversions.
(VC-121G) 1 C-121G, temporary VIP transport.
EC-121H 42 EC-121D, 1963, upgraded with specialized electronic equipment.
EC-121J 2 EC-121D, additional electronic equipment.
NC-121J 4 C-121J, 1967-1970, airborne TV / radio transmitters in Vietnem.
JC-121K 1 EC-121K, electronic experiments by US Army, no new s/n.
EC-121Q 4 EC-121D/H, additional electronic equipment.
EC-121R 30 28 EC-121K/P / 2 WC-121N, 1967-1970, USAF conversions for
electronic warfare in Vietnem. Assigned s/n: 67-21471 / 67-21500.
EC-121S 5 C-121C, Electronic reconn. / counter-measures conversions.
EC-121T 22 15 EC-121D / 7 EC-121H, further improved electronic systems.

US Navy

R7V-1P 1 R7V-1, temporary designation for Antarctic polar ice-pack reconn. 
WV-2E 1 WV-2, 1956, test-bed for equipment for cancelled W2V-1 project.
(EC-121L) 1 1962, redesignation of WV-2E.
WV-2Q 1+ WV-2, conversions for electronic counter-measure duties.
(EC-121M) 1+ 1962, redesignation of WV-2Q.
NC-121K 6 EC-121K, USN conversions for special tests.
(ENC-121K) 1 NC-121K, "E"xempt status for test duties.
(YEC-121K) 1 NC-121K, conversion for service testing of new equipment.
WC-121N 9 1962-1976, redesignation of 8 WV-3 / 1 WV-2, used as hurricane hunters.
2 later to USAF as first EC-121R's, assigned s/n: 67-21471, 67-21472.
EC-121P 1+ EC-121K, USN aircraft fitted with submarine detection equipment.
3 transfers to USAF as JEC-121P for avionics testing, no new s/n.

FOREIGN MILITARY / CIVILIAN SERVICE
 - Super Constellations in service with Indian and Indonesian Air Forces.
 - Many Constellations sold on civil market as airliners for smaller countries or
   as freighters and transports etc. with many operators worldwide.