List of Lockheed Constellation variants

The Lockheed Constellation was a civil airliner and military transport in operation in the 1940s and 1950s. This is a list of variants of the Constellation that were produced during its production run.

Commercial transport

File:049-connie-gov.jpg

The original L-049 civil variant.

File:Tran14G3.jpg

The L-1049 was operated most famously by Trans World Airlines.

L-049

The L-049 was the original commercial airliner produced, although some earlier L-049s were begun as military transports and completed as airliners. L-649 aircraft followed, with more powerful engines, but all were soon upgraded to L-749 standard with long-range fuel tanks. 88 L-049, 27 L-649, and 113 L-749 were built, including conversions from earlier models and military versions.

L-049 - first production version, first 22 aircraft delivered as C-69 transports, first flight 9 January 1943
L-649 - R-3350-749C18BD engines with 2,500 hp (1,865 kW) each, seating for up to 81, first flight 19 October 1946
L-649A
L-749 - additional 6,145 US gal (23,640 l) of fuel providing the capability for non-stop transatlantic flights, 2 ft (0.63 m) fuselage extension, first flight 14 March 1947
L-749A - reinforced landing gear and fuselage

L-1049 Super Constellation

An 18 ft 4 in (5.59 m) stretched version with a maximum capacity of 109 passengers, retained square windows until the L-1049G. Later models added tip tanks, round windows, and more powerful Turbo-Compound engines. First flight 14 July 1951. 564 built, including military versions.

L-1049 - first production version, R-3350-749C18BD engines with 2,500 hp (1,865 kW) each, 22 built
L-1049C - R-3350-87ТС18DA-1 engines with 3,250 hp (2,425 kW) each, 56 built
L-1049D - freight version of L-1049C
L-1049E - minor enhancements, 18 built
L-1049G - R-3350-972ТС18DA-3 engines with 3,400 hp (2,536 kW) each, distinguished by round windows, ability to carry wingtip fuel tanks, 99 built
L-1049H - passenger/freight convertible version of L-1049G, 53 built

L-1249

L-1649 Starliner

Long-range passenger aircraft designed to compete with Douglas DC-7C. The standard radome for the weather radar extends total length by 2 ft 7 in (0.78 m) over L-1049 without radome. New thin-section wing with a straight taper, and much larger fuel capacity giving a ferry range of over 6,880 mi (11,080 km), first flight 10 October 1956. 43 were built.

L-1649A - production version, R-3350-988TC18EA12 Turbo Cyclone engines with 3,400 hp (2,536 kW) each

United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) military transport

C-69

The C-69 was the original military transport version for the USAAF. All aircraft built during World War II were pressed into military service under this designation.

C-69A
C-69B
C-69C-1 - VIP transport aircraft, later designated ZC-69C-1. Only one aircraft was produced.
C-69D
XC-69E - one C-69 was converted into an engine testbed.

U.S. Air Force (USAF) transports and electronic reconnaissance aircraft

C-121

The C-121 was the military transport version of improved L-749 introduced in 1948.

See also EC-121 Warning Star

C-121A - reinforced floor, cargo door in port rear fuselage
VC-121A - VIP transport aircraft, converted from the C-121A
VC-121B - VIP transport for use by the President of the United States of America
C-121C - R7V-1 with R-3350-34 engines with 3,400 hp (2,536 kW) each, based on L-1049
JC-121C - two C-121C and one TC-121C used as avionics testbeds
RC-121C - USAF long-range airborne radar analogous to Navy's WV-2
TC-121C
VC-121C - VIP version of C-121C
EC-121D - Big Eye/College Eye/Disco early warning variant, redesignated RC-121D
RC-121D - WV-2 with wingtip fuel tanks, later redesignated EC-121D
VC-121E - VIP transport for use by the President of the United States of America
YC-121F - two prototype R7V-1 with Pratt & Whitney T34-P-6 turboprops with 6,000 shp (4,476 kW) each
C-121G - 32 Navy R7V-1 delivered to USAF
EC-121H - 42 EC-121D with upgraded electronics
C-121J - redesignated Navy R7V-1
EC-121J - 2 EC-121D with upgraded electronics
EC-121K - redesignated Navy WV-2 Warning Star
JC-121K - one EC-121K used as an avionics testbed
NC-121K - EC-121K used by the Navy
EC-121L - redesignated Navy WV-2E
EC-121M - redesignated Navy WV-2Q
WQC-121N - redesignated Navy WV-3
EC-121P - EC-121K equipped for anti-submarine warfare
EC-121Q - EC-121D with upgraded electronics
EC-121R BatCat - EC-121K and EC-121P equipped to process signals from seismic instruments
NC-121S - electronic warfare and reconnaissance version
EC-121T - upgraded radar

U.S. Navy transports and reconnaissance aircraft

R7

PO-1W - two maritime patrol aircraft equipped with search radar based on L-749
R7O-1 - the original US Navy designation of the R7V-1 based on L-1049D, R-3350-91 engines with 3,250 hp (2,425 kW) each
R7V-1 - later redesignated C-121J
R7V-1P - one R7V-1 modified for Arctic use
R7V-2 - four prototypes with Pratt & Whitney YT34-P-12A turboprops of 4,140 shp (3,088 kW) each

WV

WV-1
WV-2 Warning Star - long-range airborne radar aircraft, R-3350-34 or R-3350-42 engines with 3,400 hp (2,536 kW) each, based on L-1049, later redesignated EC-121K
WV-2E - experimental version of WV-2, later redesignated EC-121L
WV-2Q - WV-2 equipped for electronic warfare, later redesignated EC-121M
WV-3 - eight aircraft equipped for weather reconnaissance