One thing that has always impressed me about this plane is that, even today, it looks futuristic. It's an impressive achievement to put forward a design in the 1930's that looks futuristic still in the 2020's.

There's an airworthy super Connie in Wollongong Australia

I always loved the Lockheed Constellation and in 1959, I was a little toddler of 4 years old, my Italian father took my mother and sister from New York to Rome at Ciampino airport. I think I had fell in love with this airplane and remember very well listening to the powerful engine and the blue flames. I never forgot this flight and the wonderful airplane. I would love to fly again on this airplane again...

I was a child in the fifties living next to LAX. I would watch airplanes, including occasional military craft, take off and land. There was one airplane that really, really really got my attention. Guess which.

It has a triple "tail" for a very good reason. The very first customer for it, even before it went into production was TWA. TWA did not have hangers tall enough for a tall single vertical stabilizer /rudder. So, three shorter ones were designed.

My mom was a stewardess for Eastern. Connie and Electra was her favorites. Lol. Mine too and L1011

The first aircraft I associate with my father as an A/P mechanic for Douglass, Mc Donald, Northrup, and FAA the last in OKC Okla at FAA Headquarters. An incredible aircraft for the day.

My dad was a captain with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines based out of Amsterdam. I clearly remember flying to New York (Idlewild) at night mesmerized by the KLM logo lit up by the strobe light on the wing tiptanks. First class was in the back of the plane in those prop days. My dad flew the full range of Douglas aircraft (3, 4, 6, 7 and 8), all of the KLM owned connie's to finish his career on the 747. Those were the days in aviation.

I built a model of that Eastern paint scheme for mom one christmas. Best gift I ever gave her. I wish she was still her so I could show this video. She would have liked it

My first ever flight was on Eastern from St. Louis to Miami in 1957, with two stops on the way. Sister and I were unaccompanied minors, 10 and 8.

As a TWA stewardess my mother's first plane was the Connie from NY to England and Italy. Visions of a dream world of yesteryear 🙂

I was 8yrs. young and my family of 4 crossed the Atlantic arrived in NYC on October 30, 1956 . Flew with the Constellation over the USA to LAX and arrived at night at thee then old airport . It was amazing ALL THE CITY LIGHTS . I'm 72 yrs. now .

When dad got stationed to Japan in ‘57, it was a Connie that flew us from San Francisco. My only recollection is of me playing with my Lincoln Logs on the floor somewhere over the pacific. Dad loved the plane and at one time was assigned to fly it during his time in the Air Force.

I grew up on the north boundary of LA International (LAX now). One of my best memories of childhood is of the propliners which I saw every day. By far, the best was the Connie. After High School (1966) I got a job as a Baggage Smasher at Terminal 6. If there was time between my flights, I would take a tug and go over to American and oggle the Connies. Only a great looking airplane can look that good on the ground. I can still see them starting up with a huge cloud of smoke and the wonderful sound of the Wrights. I knew they were going away and I tried to soak in every db of engine sound and fix those images in my mind forever.

I had the pleasure of having my first commercial fight in an Eastern Airlines Connie in 1955 , from Chicago's Midway airport to Jacksonville, Florida. Now 83 years old and it is still a clear memory.

The Lockheed Constellation probably was one of the most beautifully built airplanes of it's time. To this day, the ones that are restored, are real sights to see. It was an ultra-luxurious airplane back in it's hey-day and it was impressive then as it would definitely be now.

I was around in the time of the Constellations, but we were ground people back then. When I saw it in the movies, I knew it was a beautiful plane. Thanks for the fine review.

September 1969 I found myself stationed at Otis AFB as a crew chief on Connies. ADC had them flying up and down the coast as part of the Early Warning System. By December 1069 I spent six weeks TDY at McCoy working on "R" models while flight crews trained how to use the sensitive microphones to fly over the trail. By August 69 I spent a year at Saigon working on a 123 called the White Whale. After my year there I ended up working on Connies in California. One night one came back from it's turn flying up and down the west coast as again part of the "Early Warning system". The pilot overshot the nose wheel mark by about 3 ft. I motioned him to BACK up the aircraft using his two inboards with his props reversed. A process we did on the 123 all the time to park it on the tarmac. Well he complied and it ended up on the mark and not on its tail either. After that activity I did another TDY in Iceland for just under two months again covering the Early Warning system. Nothing exciting during the tour other than when I got back I had less than six months left of my tour in the Air Force. Thanks for the video. As you can tell it brought back a couple of memories of being an aircraft mechanic on Connies.

Never flew as a passenger on one because dad preferred United and sometimes Western. But, our next door neighbor was a TWA flight engineer. He told me stories how difficult it was to keep those R-3350's running.

I grew up in the 1950's in Orlando, FL hanging on the fence of what is now Orlando Executive Airport. The Eastern Airlines "Connies" would make their approach to, what was then, runway 3 right over our house. No one had air conditioning then and you could hear them coming. They would shake the hell out of the house. At night it was a double treat. Not only did the house shake but if you ran outside, you could see the flames coming out of the exhaust stacks. I never got a ride in one but did in an Electra in 1962 down to Miami to catch a 707 to London, England. Those were my first airplane rides. The "flying bug" bit me. I've been an active pilot now for 52 years. Fond memories. Thank you.

I was 11 in 1961 when my family immigrated to USA. It was August 18, 1961, we boarded a VARIG RG Super Constellation G/01 in Sao Paulo destination Idlewild. We took off and stopped in Rio, Belem, Port of Spain ( Trinidad ) then on to Idlewild. As we were going to Chicago, we transferred to LGA and boarded a TWA Connie to the Windy city. It was night already, I remember stopping at Pittsburgh, then Cleveland, then Finally MDW, we arrived about 2AM. I remember TWA used to call the service " AMBASSADOR" or " CHIEFTAIN" but I sure did not feel like an ambassador. But, I am now 73 and will not forget that voyage until my last day on this earth, love the Super Constellation, and the DC-10!

My first commercial flight was on a TWA Super Connie from Wichita to Denver in '63. We flew 1st class, and I thought we were treated like royalty. I was 9 at the time, I'll never forget what an elegant plane that was.

I can remember as a kid on holiday in northern France in 1971 having a walk around the inside of a Super Con.

I was born and raised in Kansas City. Many of my aviation mentors were TWA pilots and mechanics. A few of them were Connie Captains. I can still remember watching Connie's load and start engines from the observation deck at MKC airport. (early '60's) What a great time in aviation. It influenced me to pursue an airline career myself. Thanks for the video.

Very nice history of the Connie. As a young lad, I lived under the take off path of BUR and I SAW ALL of Lockheed's finest fly over my house, including the P-38. I very well remember witnessing a BRAND NEW TWA Super G fly right over my house heading for its new home.. I was an FE on the C-124 in the Air Force Reserves back in 1967 and continued on to the Lockheed C-141 as FE. As fate would have it, I ran into the "Camarillo Connie" at a airshow at VNY in 1997. I became active in the group and was eventually checked out as a back up FE on the Connie! 30 years later I am back in the sky! Flew the Connie until sold to Switzerland in 2004. Helped them fly it in Europe until they got their own FE. Those were the days...

It's been a long time, but I still remember the sound of its engines. I was a child in 1956.

Thank you Mike for this wonderful story on my favorite prop-driven airliner. The Connie looked great in all of its many iterations and color schemes both civilian and military. I have kits and built-ups of all the models shown, and a Heller 1/72 scale EC-121 Warning Star kit. Glad you included the models in your presentation and very nice job on the builds. It just keeps getting better and better.

Props to you Mike, you have created a really good channel here. The way you delve deeply into the details of different aircraft is impressive. Keep up the good work.

I had the pleasure of visiting Hawaii, Midway, Wake, and Guam on my way to Japan in 1960.

I would be proud to own one even today! 🤠👍

The only piston airliner I ever flew on was a DC-6, then many times on the turboprop Electras. Loved that airplane! We had a Constellation on the roof of a restaurant right down the road from me, they used it as the cocktail lounge. It was a local landmark for many years. It was finally taken down and moved to the Military Air Transport Museum at Dover AFB in Delaware, reassembled and repainted as a C-121 as a static display.

I always entertained ideas of engineers swapping props for jets and relaunching the model. Its such a beautiful shape. Oh well...

I flew in one of the last constellation ‘s from Frankfort, Germany to NY in 1959. Shortly the Boeing 707 took over. The Constellation is so beautiful it has to be see, this 4 big radial engines were magnificent when they Wirral to life. I remember room was not much, very loud. But at least you were served 3 good meals. I’ll never ever forget at 14 flying in this wonderful plane and would jump to fly in her once more. Now at 76 I just have great memories that will never go away.

Looks like a dolphin jumping out of the water! Love it!

In May of 1966 I was sent to basic training at Ft. Polk LA and they flew me from Indianapolis, In to Jackson, MS on a Connie and from there we flew into Ft. Polk on a DC-3, that was my one and only ride in a Connie.

Thank you.

thank you

I remember seeing my aunt off from Los Angeles to Kansas City in 1957 in a TWA Constellation.

Gorgeous aircraft.

Superb contribution, thank you.

Well done, thank you.

I grew up near and in the flight line of McCellan AFB where the early warning connie was kept and some friends of mine maintained. The California Aero Space museum is at McCellan field and they have a connie radar plane that on weekends you can walk thru

Propeller airliners often got gremlins on the wings. In the original Twilight Zone tv show, a gremlin landed on the wing in a storm, and tried to peel back the engine cover! William Shatner spotted it, and when he opened his window curtain, the Gremlin WAS RIGHT THERE with his NOSE PRESSED AGAINST the WINDOW!! Very Scary! Jets went faster and would blow the gremlins off.

Great, Mike! The Connie is such a beautiful design and still is by today's standard. I don't think we'll ever see the kind of development/change in commercial aviation that transpired between 1955 and 1959. It's a pretty staggering amount of technology shift in those short few years!

You didn't mention Qantas Airways which, being an Australian airline always had need of aircraft with longer range. My parents, my brother and I migrated to Australia on a Qantas Super Connie from London to Australia in October '62. I still have a picture of us standing next to the Connie just below the tail on the tarmac in Melbourne. I was 3 years old and still have snippets of memory of the flight. I remember the plane was full and there seemed to be a lot of stop overs. I also remember seeing a stratofortress parked at one of the airports we stopped. Unfortunately the Connie's registration isn't visible in the photo, I wish it was.

Loved to watch the TWA Constellations fly over my boyhood house inbound to the old downtown airport (MCI) in Kansas City. we lived about 60 miles out and the planes would generally be up about 6,000 ft when they passed overhead. Saw one once spitting small flames and black smoke out of its right inboard engine, but never heard about any problems with that flight.

In 1960, living near LAG my friend and I rode our bikes over to LaGuardia Airport right up to a Connie which was on the ramp. I always loved the sound of those engines. We laid our bikes under the aircraft, then the copilot came along and showed us around the aircraft, including the cockpit. What a thrill for two 10 year old kids. Whoever that man was......thank you sir !

It's the little black dress and strappy high heels of airliners.

So much fun seeing these aircraft from my youth

Love your shows Mike.

I flew as aircrew on the EC-121s out of Kwangju,ROK in 1971-1972. Night takeoffs were fascinating as those R-3350s threw a flame about 3’ long out of the exhausts at full military power. Our missions lasted up to 14 hours out over the SOJ and the East China Sea waiting for the PRCAA to come out to chase us back home.

One of my favorite airline designs. Thanks for all of the great info. Beautiful lines, one of a kind.

There was one of these Beauties in an empty field across Cairo Lane , Opa Locka Fl. It sat there till 1973 & as a Kid i knew it was there to get scrapped in nearby junkyards.

Great video. Love the Connie

I would love to fly on a “Connie”! Imagine getting out of a DC 3, to the beautiful Constalation!!

Outstanding, Mike. Your usual excellent work.

Great thanks

My old man thought this was one of the most beautiful planes ever built. I am inclined to agree.

Beautiful bird

Great video on undoubtedly the most graceful propliner ever built. Both books mentioned are well worth reading.

One of my favourite airplanes. Just wish I was able to see and hear one in person.

Thanks again Mike.... the Connie is a fascinating subject to aviation geeks like myself.... I noticed while watching your video, and please note this isn't a criticism, that you didn't mention the 4 total only L-1249 turboprop versions built for the US Navy initially as R7V-2 (2 only), and later for the USAF, the YC-121F (also 2 only).... to me, they were even more beautiful and sleeker appearing with the closely cowled engines and the shortened wings they had.... I think the engines used at that time (1955-56) were troublesome but ultimately used successfully on the Lockheed C-133 and that's why only those 4 were built.... if the L-1679 Starliner had incorporated those engines, it may have been a more successful aircraft.... in my eyes, all the Constellation series were beautiful aircraft....

Great video. My grandfather worked at Lockheed and did something on the tails

Anything that Kelly Johnson was involved in, was awesome!

Undeniably the most beautiful passenger liner ever built. 👀

Thanks for the history! My dad use to tell me stories about working on Connies for Eastern Airlines..it was his favorite and it was nice to see them as he remembered them! Thanks

Great documentary of one of the most beautiful piston airliners ever created. Well done Mike! I absolutely enjoyed the entire video. 😀

They were magic to me as a boy. Belch smoke and fire starting, and at night, through a gap at trailing edge of cowl flaps, the light from a collector ring white hot.

I really enjoyed your presentation since my father came off the Iowa farm and spent his lifelong career with Lockheed Burbank (ending in the Skunk Works). Too bad he couldn't talk about most of his work when I was old enough to understand. He always said he did sheetmetal bench work! Thanks

when I was growing up my best friends dad was a mechanic on a Navy Constellation- gorgeous airplane

Enjoyed this video very much , Thanks

Excellent video and story, Mike! Well put together and very informative. Please keep up the good work and keep'em coming!

Thanks, my dad used to fly those. Electras, too.

What a gorgeous aircraft. In it's day it must have been stunning to look at.

Thank you for this wonderful history of my favorite prop plane ever built. When I was young I bought and attempted to build the Monogram model you mentioned. My build failed miserably but as an adult I had an opportunity to visit Lockheed on business and I bought the wood Super G model from the Lockheed employee store. I cherish that model.

Top video. Thank you.

Mike, fantastic video and appreciate the crossover to the modeling hobby. I have a Heller Connie in my build queue and now can’t wait to start the project.

Thank you Mike for this great history of the Connie. I always loved the look of the aircraft. Never realized there were many configurations and model numbers.

I remember going on a field trip to Moffet Field when I was in the sixth grade around 1961 and seeing one of these planes up close. Another plane on display there was a Crusader jet, which at the time was the latest thing.

Another wonderful presentation. Thank you Mike! I love the model kit tie in also! Yup, gonna get me a book and a connie kit...lol

With my dad being an engineer for Republic Aviation, he got sent all over the world. In 1955, we travelled from Nellie AFB Las Vegas NV to New York. From there, we flew ( I was 5 and have no memory of this flight) to England as my dad was to work at Bentwaters AFB where I attended first grade with my siblings. I know about the travel as my mom spoke of it several times. I wish I could remember the flight but it must’ve been amazing since my mom spoke fondly of it.

In May 1959, at the age of seven, I flew with my parents from Amsterdam to New York on board of a KLM Lockheed L-1049G Super Constellation after making an unscheduled landing in Scotland for 2 hours for some brake repairs. The following year, June 1960 we flew back, also on a KLM Lockheed L-1049G, but with less drama. I have always carried fond memories of this airplane. Your comment that it looks like it's flying at 300 mph while still on the ground is so true, just like looking at a Lamborghini Miura standing still but looking like it's doing 200!

Great finish to vid with the art ILS app. ✈

What a nice tribute to my favorite airliner!

I came across yours just today and what a happy person I am today!

Another fabulous video-so well done and comprehensive. As a kid in the 50’s my father, who loved to watch planes, took me to Philadelphia Intl. Airport where the most exciting part of the afternoon were Connies coming and going, mostly TWA. I built a Connie model, which was about average quality for a 9-year-old. Unfortunately, as with the other numerous models from my childhood and teen years, it’s long gone. Nevertheless, I never lost my admiration for the Connie. Truly one of, if not THE, classic airliner of all time.

Loved your presentation, So interesting seeing a you-tube video without any video, only stills. Very effective. I too look forward to more of these.

I'm an A & P mechanic and I learn a lot from your videos. Thank you.

And I immediately purchased the book.

WONDERFUL

I have 265 hours in the Connie as a new hire at Eastern Airlines back in 1966.

Connie is, in my opinion, the best looking airliner. If I ever had the bucks to own and operate a private plane, this Super G would be it.

❤.... love that Connie 💖 and God bless you for the best documentary of her I've ever seen 💯🆒

Great, now I want to build a Connie. Wonderful presentation Mike.

SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL ...Thanks, Mike, for the referral which didn't let down. Why does the fuselage and horizontal stabiliser complex make me think of a breath-taking graceful dolphin/whale?

Eastern Airlines flight 633 from Newark to Miami. Super C December 1959.

Great video, thank you

Mike, you are my #1 aviation artist!

Yep, flew on a Connie back when.

Mike good go and thank you for doing it. A couple of things after 4 mins in. At 3:55 it states engines were 200HP.. The R3350 were first bench run in 1937 and the first variants produced 2200shp. Later variants cracked over 3000shp.. At 2:29 you say that the Constellation comes from the military transport the C-69. The C-69 was developed from the pre-war Constellation, built to Howard Hughes specs.