The military Constellation
The Lockheed Constellation series of aircraft was a successful design that originally started as a military transport. Limited numbers were introduced towards the end of World War II, but the aircraft gained greater fame in the civilian airliner role soon after. The design was based on the military concept of long-range transport and was refined to produce one of Lockheed's most iconic models. Initial models were flown as early as 1943, but by the war's end, only 22 examples had been delivered for military use. The Constellation's performance was impressive; it reached a speed of 347 mph, comparable to the best fighters of that era. In early 1945, the USAF placed an order for 150 C-69C aircraft, but this order was canceled with the conclusion of the war in the Pacific in September of that year. At its peak, the total number of orders reached 260 Connies, but this figure was eventually reduced to 73, with all supply contracts ultimately being canceled. In total, 22 C-69 aircraft were produced for the USAF in two batches, with the last seven directly sold to civilian operators.
C-121
The C-121A versions differed from the L-749 primarily because they had a reinforced floor designed to handle cargo and featured a large aft loading door. Although originally intended for cargo transport, they were typically outfitted with passenger interiors accommodating 44 seats. Each C-121A had a five-man crew, with four additional relief crew members on standby. All C-121As were assigned to the Atlantic division of the Military Air Transport Service (MATS) and later participated in the Berlin Airlift. Notably, both Dwight Eisenhower and General Douglas MacArthur used the C-121A as their personal VIP transports. In 1950, six C-121A Constellations were modified for VIP use and redesignated as VC-121A. The last of the C-121As were retired in 1968.
The military Super Constellation
The first aircraft from the L-1049 Super Constellation family ordered officially by the USAF was the RC-121C. However, these were not specific aircraft but rather R7V-1/WV-2s, which were originally intended for the Navy. These planes were part of the contract signed with Lockheed but were transferred to the USAF during production. The USAF designated them as the RC-121D Airborne Early Warning (AEW), an updated version of the RC-121C. The RC-121D featured wingtip tanks, additional internal fuel capacity, and a crew of 31 personnel. It was powered by 3,400 hp Wright Cyclone R-3350 75DA1 Turbo Compound engines.
In the late 1940s, the US Navy acquired two WV-1 models based on the L-749 and found the experience valuable for testing new combat tactics. With the onset of the Korean War, the Navy decided to leverage the advancements made with the L-1049, which was under development at the time in Burbank, to create a tailored aircraft with enhanced performance. The recently available Wright Turbo Compound engine was economical, particularly at low altitudes, and it was also used in another aircraft in the Navy's inventory, the P2V Neptune. This commonality in power plants would simplify maintenance and spare parts management.
Consequently, on July 14, 1950, the US Navy signed its first contract with Lockheed for the delivery of six Connies based on the L-1049A, initially designated as PO-2W but later changed to WV-2 before the aircraft even entered service. This first order was followed by additional contracts, resulting in a total of 142 "Warning Stars" being supplied to the US Navy.
Gallery of all military Connies: