Warbird Information Exchange

A German Group has bought the 3 Lockheed L-1649A Starliner (Constellation) aircraft that Maurice Roundy has hoped for years to restore.

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=104&sid=1313113

I hope that at least one of these will be restored to flying status for display at air shows, but I am very conerned that most of our vintage propliner and particularly Cosntellation type aircraft are seeming to end up in Eurpoe or other overseas locations. With the current sad sitiatuon at the Airline History Museam in Kansas City, we are in danger of having no flying Constellation type aircraft in North America.

I hope I can see one of these L-1649A Starliners in the air sometime.

What's the "sad situation at the Airline History Museum"?

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"Everyone wants to live here (New Jersey), evidenced by the fact that it has the highest population per capita in the U.S..."

Lufthansa bought them. Sounds like the Florida plane (originally flown by Lufthansa) will be beautifully restored. I wonder what ill happen to the two in Maine.

Regards,

Art S.

Art et al--

I expect the Maine 1649s will be used for spares (far as I know Mr Roundy's aircraft comprise three quarters of the 1649 population!); but given how highly regarded Connies thankfully are these days, one would certainly hope the airframes will survive as statics somewhere after being donor airframes for the ex-Lufthansa one.

Hm, what about Pima? They have an 049/C-69...the other end of the Connie development cycle, parked alongside, would be way cool...

S.

That is a huge price in comparison to what was paid for the Connie in Kansas City. The price was only 3-4k paid by the bidder and he donated it.

Go to the following website:

http://www.propliners.com/

and click on the "Discussion" page

Go to the "Propliners" Forum and then go down to Topics and about the 9th one down is:

"Airline History Museum "TWA" Super Constellation"

If you read several of the last posts in there you can get the gist of the "sad" situation there over this past year.

Yikes...What a sad state of affairs...

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"Everyone wants to live here (New Jersey), evidenced by the fact that it has the highest population per capita in the U.S..."

So as I understand it, there are no Connies currently flyable in the US, one in Australia, one in Switzerland, and one nominally airworthy but hasn't flown since being delivered 5 years ago in Holland.

Weren't Yanks having one restored for a ferry flight? Planes of Fame's flew to Arizona a few years back, so presumably could fly again if the will existed and funding was forthcoming. And now the one at Kermit's place another potential flyer. Plus the Kansas City one seemingly grounded due to lack of funds and internal politics. And of course the former MATS one, now grounded forever in Korea, with the engines going to the Dutch group.

Any others either flyable or under active restoration that I've missed?

Mike - I think you have about summed up the situation. I hope we will not have to go on indefinitely without seeing a flying Connie or Starliner in the U.S.

Sorry to hear about the KC museum's woes. Fondly remember N6937C visiting a couple shows up here in Ontario in the early 90s. Hope they're able to resolve things soon...given what happened with the flying C-121A, I can imagine "37 Charlie" ending up grounded too, if she were placed on the market.

Anyway, here's a link to an earlier thread with some photos of the Maine 1649As taken a couple years ago...

http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/p ... php?t=8085

S.

I first saw the AHM Super Connie in the early 90s also (Fort Wayne, Indiana - June 1993). It was an impressive aircraft then (in Save-a-Connie/"SAC" markings), but not nearly as impressive as when they finally painted it in the classic 1950s/early 60s TWA paint scheme. I sure hope this classic beauty gets back in the air.

And thanks for the links to the earlier 1649A forum posts/pictures. I will keep my fingers crossed that we will get to see one of these great propliners in the air before too far into the future.

Some new informations: http://www.amtonline.com/publication/ar ... &pageNum=1

J-F: Thanks for the link to the updated information. It looks like this will be a very serious undertaking. I look forward to the opportunity to hopefully see some of the proving flights and/or the beginning of the ferry flight, before it heads to Germany in 2010.

So they're going to use the other two for parts? It would be nice if they don't scrap out the rest and at least leave enough for a static restoration.

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

Any updates?