US LOCKHEED CONSTELLATIONS - 1970s


A selection of my photographs of Constellations in USA in the late 1970s

At the beginning of the 1970s, Constellations were in widespread use as charter freighters in USA and South American countries.
However by the end of the decade, flying Connies had become a rare sight because of complex maintenance and discontinued
production of the special high octane Avgas required by their mighty Wright R-3350 Turbo Compound engines

Two airworthy Super Constellation freighters loading cargo at Miami International Airport's Corrosion Corner in October 1979.
Both are L.1049H models, N1007C in the foreground and N6922C behind on the left.

L.1049H Super Constellation N1880 was still active at Miami in October 1977


L.749A Constellation N6021C at Miami in October 1977

L.1049H Super Constellation N1007C tramp freighter at Miami in October 1977

L.1049H Super Connie N6922C noses in at a maintenance shed in Corrosion Corner at Miami Airport, October 1979.
Although it appears to be a USAF C-121C, Stefan Bailis explains that it was repainted by moonlighting USAF mechanics
from nearby Homestead AFB for its owner Lance W. Dreyer, who traded as Air Cargo International at Miami.
He had no preference for the paint scheme, so they applied the familiar USAF style!
 

L.1049 Super Constellation N6207C at Fort Lauderdale, Florida in October 1977, in faded Eastern Airlines scheme.
It last flew in 1972 and was parked here until scrapped in 1980


Another Super Connie in long-term storage at Fort Lauderdale in October 1977. Its registration had been painted over in black,
but thanks to reader Stefan Bailis it can identified as L.1049 N6206C


Here's the same aircraft N6206C at FLL two years later in October 1979 while undergoing maintenance to fly again. 
The forward windows are covered in aluminium foil to protect them from the paint stripper. Unfortunately the rebuild was
abandoned and it was broken-up for scrap in November 1980. Stefan Bailis saved the Lockheed plate from the sad remains.

Aircraft Specialties Inc based at Mesa-Falcon Field, Arizona operated Constellations as sprayers on various tasks, including
annual deployments to Canada to spray forests for bud-worm infestations. N608AS was a surplus USAF VC-121B

Sprayer N611AS at Mesa was also a former USAF VC-121B. It was later sold to the Dominican Republic as a freighter

L.1049H Super Constellation N6937C at Mesa in October 1979. Aircraft Specialties Inc installed ad large liquid tank inside
the cabin and it operated with spray bars fitted above the wings. Aircraft Specialties' PV-2 Harpoon sprayers are behind

N73544, a USAF disposals C-121C was a surprise find at the desert airfield Chandler, Arizona in October 1979, where heavy
tanker and sprayer operator T&G Inc was establishing a new base. Mechanics said the boss had just ferried N73544 from
Mesa, Arizona where he had allegedly won it during a friendly card game with the principles of Aircraft Specialties Inc!


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