This INCREDIBLE Aircraft Changed Everything

Video Description

The Lockheed Constellation roared onto the scene in the late 1940s and took the commercial aviation world by storm. Until then, passengers had had to make do on small aircraft at the mercy of the weather; DC-3s and their like, although trailblazers in their own right, were overshadowed by this incredible new plane. But it wouldn't be an easy road; from the ravages of war to the uncertainty of a new peace, the Constellation faced unexpected challenges along the way that threatened to destroy it. Designed by a team at Lockheed headed by the legendary Clarence 'Kelly' Johnson, the Constellation began life as the C-69 flying with the USAAF before being released from active service to become a truly beloved airliner. The story of its development is an epic that began back in the 30s with such aircraft as the Lockheed Electra, Hudson and P-38 Lightning and its design would inspire competition in the form of the Douglas DC-4. This is the incredible true story of the origins of one of history's finest aircraft; the Lockheed L-049 Constellation! Written by Grant Newman & Mike Brady Animated by Alec http://thisdayinaviation.com/ https://northwestairlineshistory.org/ 'Queen of the Skies' by Claude G. Luisada The Flight Detective, (2024). Have you seen these Lockheed Constellation sleeping berths? Travel Update: https://travelupdate.com/constellation-sleeping-berths/ Dougherty, P. (2021). Prototype Boeing Superfortress bomber crashes into Seattle's Frye packing company on February 18 1943. HistoryLink.org: https://www.historylink.org/file/2874 Driscoll, L. M. (2022). Lockheed Constellation. United States Lines: https://united-states-lines.org/lockheed-constellation/ Dwyer, L. (2024). Lockheed P-38 Lightning. The Aviation History Online Museum: http://www.aviation-history.com/lockheed/p38.html Ethell, J. L. (1983). P-38 Lightning. Zokeisha Publications Ltd. Francillon, R. J. (1987). Lockheed aircraft since 1913 (2nd ed.). Putnam Aeronautical Books. Francillon, R. J. (1995). McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920: Volume I (3rd ed.). Putnam Aeronautical Books. ICAO. (2024). The History of ICAO and the Chicago Convention. ICAO Safe skies, sustainable future: https://www.icao.int/about-icao/history/pages/default.aspx Marson, P. J. (1982). The Lockheed Constellation Series. Air Britain (Historians) Ltd. Martin, L. (2020). How the Constellation became the Star of the Skies. Lockheed Martin: https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/news/features/history/constellation.html Martin, L. (2020). Johnson's hunch becomes a Lockheed signature. Lockheed Martin: https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/news/features/history/electra.html Martin, L. (2020). Kelly Johnson, Architect of air. Lockheed Martin: https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/news/features/history/johnson.html Martin, L. (2020). The Hudson. Lockheed Martin: https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/news/features/history/hudson.html https://www.airwaysmag.com/legacy-posts/twa-maiden-transatlantic-flight https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1945/12/05/94030795.html?pageNumber=10 https://sandiegoairandspace.org/exhibits/online-exhibit-page/11-1946-everything-changes https://www.saam.org.au/history_group_docs/SAAM%20Aircraft%20-%20LOCKHEED%20Constellation.pdf #aircraft #aviation #history #design #engineering #constellation #planes #airplane #airliner #panam #twa #lockheed #documentary 0:00 Intro 1:55 Origins 5:37 Lockheed's Electra Family 12:43 The Hudson 14:40 Lockheed Excalibur Concept 15:14 Excalibur Becomes the Constellation 17:53 P-38 Lightning| 24:39 Wartime 26:50 First Flight 28:07 C-69's Career 32:33 The War Ends 34:20 The Constellation is Born 38:50 The Constellation's Amazing Design 46:21 Outro