ROBERT McMAHAN COLLECTION
No. 3687. Lockheed 049-46-10 C-69 Constellation (43-10310 c/n 1962) US Army Air Forces
Source

Lockheed 049-46-10 C-69 Constellation

04/30/2006. Remarks by Jack McKillop: "This aircraft was the second C-69-1-LO for the USAAF. First flown in August 1943, it was used as a test and development aircraft operating from Lockheed Air Terminal, Burbank, California, USA. Transcontinental and Western Airline (TWA) accepted the aircraft on behalf of the USAAF at Las Vegas Army Air Field, Nevada, USA, on April 16, 1944. The next day, the aircraft, in full TWA markings and USAAF serial number with the "The Transcontinental Line" markings, made a record-breaking flight from Lockheed Air Terminal to Washington National Airport, D.C., in 7 hours and 3 minutes. One of the pilots was Howard Hughes.

The aircraft was parked for disposal at Burbank by February 24, 1947 and was transferred to the War Assets Administration for disposal on March 31, 1947. It was used for spare parts and was a shell by January 1950 awaiting scrapping. It was rebuilt during 1952 and leased to The Flying Tiger Line, Inc. of Burbank and registered N39836. On January 22, 1953, the aircraft made a wheels up landing at Burbank and was destroyed by fire because the fuel valves had been left open."


Created September 1, 2004