USA 1990s - LOCKHEED CONSTELLATIONS

A selection of my photographs the legendary Constellation series seen on USA visits during the 1990s

The ultimate development of the Lockheed Constellation was the L1649 Starliner. This former Lufthansa L1649 N974R was
saved from the scrap man by Constellation officiano Maurice Roundy at Auburn Maine. During its delivery flight the ferry
crew made an emergency diversion to Sanford, Florida where it was left parked while Roundy devised a rescue plan.
My photo at Sanford in November 1991, ten years before it was flown out to Fantasy of Flight, Polk City Florida.


C-121A N494TW at Tucson Airport in November 1991 being restored back to USAF markings from its Conifair paint scheme
as a Canadian forest sprayer. It had just been ferried across from nearby Ryan Field where it had been stored for some years.

Lockheed EC-121T Warning Star 23417 at the Helena Vo-Tech College on the airport at Helena, Montana in October 1992.
This instructional aircraft been civil registered N4257L for the delivery flight from Davis Monthan AFB AZ storage.
At the time of my visit the Wright turbo compound engines were still being run to demonstrate the powerplant systems.

Former USAF C-121C N73544 was undergoing restoration at Camarillo, California in March 1993.
It had recently been acquired by the Constellation Historical Society whose members were determined to get her airworthy.

Camarillo March 1993, faded paintwork from her bug spraying days was being stripped.

N73544 at Camarillo two years later in March 1995, completed and flying in USAF scheme.

The last of the military disposals Constellations could still be found in the civilian contractors yards that lined the boundary
fence of the Davis Monthan AFB storage grounds in Arizona. This former USAF EC-121T was seen in November 1991.

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