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Cranston Fine Arts  Aviation Art and Artists Civilian Aviation  Pilot Signatures |
[UP] - Aircraft - Pilot Signatures - Civilian Aviation Print List |
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Concorde - The Last Flight Home by Robert Tomlin. October 24th 2003, and British Airways Concorde G-BOAG makes its final scheduled flight from New York to London under the command of Chief Concorde pilot and General Manager of Concorde Operations, Captain Mike Bannister. With Manhattan now far below, Mike punches through the clouds to take Speedbird 002, Concorde G-BOAG, together with its complement of celebrity passengers through Mach 2 for the last time. |
Sentimental Journey by Stan Stokes. (D) The distinctive tri-tailed Lockheed Constellation, viewed by many as the epitome of piston-engine airliners, was the brain child of Howard Hughes who controlled Transcontinental & Western Airlines. Hughes drew up the initial specifications for this aircraft which was designed under the guidance of C.L. Kelly Johnson. As one of the largest airplanes designed up to that point, the Connie had a number of firsts including hydraulically boosted controls, high lift wing flaps, and a fully pressurized cabin. The prototype was completed in 1942, but all production was shifted to military applications. Designated the C-69 by the USAAF, the Connie carried Orville Wright on his final flight during its service trials. The aircraft was well received and immediately set a number of performance records. With the end of the War, and the onset of the post war recession, the Connie was almost canceled. FAA certification was granted on October 14, 1945. For safety purposes, due to past fire problems with the R-3350 engines, fire detection and extinguishing systems were added. The Model 49 had a maximum takeoff weight of 86,250 lbs. Eighty-eight Model 49s were sold, with TWA and Pan Am accounting for more than half the sales. The Constellation did not have a good safety record in its first few years of operation. One unusual accident occurred when the Plexiglas astrodome broke while the navigator was taking a fix. The navigator was, unfortunately, blown out of the aircraft. With the Model 649 Lockheed utilized more powerful engines, and for the first time utilized a rubber barrier between the inner and outer skins to reduce vibration. The 649 was faster, more economical, and had a much more comfortable cabin than the first Connie. Eighteen of these aircraft were delivered to Eastern. An improved version of the 649 was introduced in response to the DC-6, and was designated as the Model 749. This model had much greater fuel capacity and range. More than one hundred of these airliners were delivered. The Model 1049, or Super Constellation, was first delivered in 1952. It was basically a Model 749 which had been stretched some eighteen feet. Increased fuel capacity and more powerful engines were utilized. Unfortunately, the initial 1049s, with a gross maximum takeoff weight of 120,000 lbs, were slower than the DC-6. Only twenty-four Model 1049s were built. In 1953 Lockheed incorporated turbo-compound engines on the Model 1049C. This upped cruising speed to nearly 300 MPH, and takeoff weight by an additional 10%. Forty-eight of these aircraft were built, but the engines suffered from reliability problems. The major production model of the Super Connie was the 1049G. The G had 609 gallon wing tip tanks which added an additional 700 miles to the Connies range. The G Model also utilized square windows. The first 1049G flew in 1954. TWA purchased 28 of the 102 Super-Gs which were built. A total of 856 Connies, including military versions, were produced. The aircraft was phased out by major airlines prior to its useful life being reached because of the introduction of passenger jets. TWA phased out all its Constellations by 1963. In Stan Stokes magnificent painting, a TWA Super Connie departs San Francisco in 1957 for points unknown. |
Outward Bound by Stan Stokes. (C) The Boeing Model 377 Stratocruiser was the commercial version of Boeings C-97 military transport. The first 377 was test flown on July 8, 1947. Stratocruisers were delivered to airlines in 1949 and 1950. Pan American, Northwest Orient, BOAC, United, and American Overseas Airlines were all customers. They sold for approximately $1.5 million each. Stratocruisers could accommodate anywhere from 55 to 100 passengers depending on configuration. With a pressurized cabin, Stratocruisers had a ceiling of 32,000 feet, thus permitting fights above the weather. Many were equipped with sleepers for long distance flights. The 377 had a large flight deck, and a lower passenger deck which was typically used as a lounge. With a wingspan of more than 141 feet, and a gross take off weight of 120,000 pounds, the Statocruiser was a big airplane. Powered by four Pratt and Whitney R-4360 engines, Statocruisers had a maximum speed of 375-MPH, and a range of more than 4,000 miles at a cruising speed of 340-MPH. Northwest Orient Airlines took delivery of ten Statocruisers. They differed from other Model 377s because they utilized rectangular windows. Later Northwest further modified these aircraft by adding a radar dome to the nose. Northwest flew the 377s for about ten years, and eventually traded them to Lockheed which sold some of them to Aero Space Lines. The latter company extensively modified these aircraft into what was one of the most unusual appearing aircraft which was nicknamed the pregnant guppy. In addition to lengthening the aircraft, a huge new upper hull section was added. A unique feature was the ability to detach the entire rear section of the fuselage to assist in cargo loading. These bulbous aircraft were utilized to transport very large spacecraft sections from various manufacturing plants to Cape Canaveral. By the early 1960s many of the 377s were being sold off by the primary airlines to secondary carriers, cargo airlines, or charter operators. Transocean Airlines of Oakland California obtained a large number of these aircraft which they modified to high density seating for charter operations. In Stan Stokes dramatic painting a Northwest Orient Airlines Stratocruiser departs the New York area in 1952. |
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