Manufacturer: Lockheed (United States)
Type: Airliner/Transport
First flight: 14 March 1947
In Service: 1947-1967 (Individual Connies are still being flown today)
The Constellation was a highly versatile commercial airliner and military transport aircraft, regarded by many aviation enthusiasts as one of the most beautiful aircraft ever built. The Model 749, the fifth major Constellation variant, was specifically designed for transoceanic airline operations. It served as the basic airframe design for President Dwight Eisenhower's VC-121B and the Navy's two PO-1Ws, the first airborne early warning aircraft. The cockpit reflects technology typical for military and civilian transports of the period with dedicated displays and indicators and a center console dominated by engine controls. The Connie had fully powered flight controls.
