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weight and performance calculations for the Lockheed L-049 Constellation
Lockheed L-049 Constellation
role : long range airliner
importance : ****
first flight : C-69 : 9 January 1943 flown by Edmund Allen (hired from Boeing)
L-049 : 12 July 1945 operational : February 1946
country : United States of America
design : C.L. “Kelly” Johnson
production : 22 C-69, 88 L-049
general information :
The Constellation was designed for TWA, which at the time was led by Howard Hughes . Hughes wanted a transcontinental aircraft with a pressurized cabin. It had to be able to maintain a larger pressure difference then the Boeing Stratoliner , so that it could cruise more high. Howard Hughes ordered 40 aircraft on 10 July 1940, priced at 450.000 USD each, making it the most expensive airline till then. The development was to be kept secret until the 35 th aircraft was delivered to TWA so to keep competing airlines from ordering the aircraft. Hughes had the interior designed by Raymond Loewy . A few months before the USA entered WWII the Lockheed plant was inspected by the military and the secret could no longer be kept. Juan Trippe , head of Panam, when hearing of the existence of the L-049 ordered 22 aircraft. Military production had priority slowing down the development of the Constellation.
In January 1943 it made the first flight. It reached a maximum speed of no less than 558 km/h. However the war situation ensured that the planned 80 aircraft for airline use, went to the army as military transport. In February 1943 the Constellation was grounded due to problems with the R-3350 engines. When the problems with the engines were solved they were dedicated for use in the B-29 bomber , slowing down the Constellation production. Then in April 1944, it entered service with the USAAF as C-69 and R7O with the US Navy. Due to the course of the war, the initial order of 260 aircraft was reduced to 73 aircraft and at the end of the war there were only 22 aircraft delivered. Lockheed re-converted the C-69’s into L-049 civil airliners by refurbishing the interior, better air conditioning and more sound-insulation. Airworthiness certification was soon granted due to much test were already done for the C-69. On 5 February 1946 the first L-049 started service with TWA on the route New-York -New Foundland - Ireland (Shannon)- Paris, flying the distance in 17 hours.
On 1 March 1946, United Air Lines started the service between San Francisco and New York with the DC-4. Soon showed the superiority of the "Connie". The pressurized cabin
provided greater comfort and the Connie flew the trajectory in 11 hours versus 13 to 14 hours for the DC-4.
However, the Connies were grounded between July 12 and 20 September 1946 due to failures of the superchargers, resulting in loss of cabin pressurization.
The wings were enlarged P-38 wings and were equipped with Fowler flaps.
As early as 1943, KLM was the first non-American company to place an order on four 049's, for delivery after the end of the war.
On September 4th, 1946 KLM received its first L-049, the PH-TAV "Venlo".
The KLM Connies were deployed on the Amsterdam-New York route (straight distance 5877km). On November 30, 1946, the "Arnhem" flew in record time of exactly 12 hours from New York to Amsterdam. KLM received 6 L-049s, which the airline used until 1950.
Air screw diameter : 4.57m reversable pitch propellors.
It had electric de-icing equipment.
Max. landing weight : 34050 [kg] cruise speed : 480 km/hr at 65% power
Landing speed : 128 km/hr Take-off run fully loaded : 488m over 50m obstacle : 854m landing run over 50m obstacle : 700m
primary users : TWA, Panam, American overseas airlines, KLM, BOAC, Delta airlines, Air France, El Al, Cubana de Aviacion, Braniff
flight crew : 4 cabin crew : 3 passengers : 60 (44-64)
flight crew consist of pilot, co-pilot, radio operator and engineer
powerplant : 4 Wright R-3350-C18-BA3 Duplex-Cyclone air-cooled 18 -cylinder radial
engine 1800 [hp](1342.3 KW) normal rating, supercharged engine, high blower,
constant power to height : 4260 [m] and with 2200 [hp](1640.5 KW) available for
take-off
dimensions :
wingspan : 37.49 [m], length : 29.03 [m], height : 7.21 [m]
wing area : 153.29 [m^2]
weights :
max.take-off weight : 39122 [kg]
empty weight operational : 22404 [kg] useful load : 7000 [kg]
performance :
maximum continous speed : 558 [km/u] op 4260 [m]
normal cruise speed : 504 [km/u] op 5100 [m] (68 [%] power)
service ceiling : 7700 [m]
range with max fuel : 5250 [km] and allowance for 456.8 [km] diversion and 30 [min]
hold
description :
low-winged monoplane with retractable landing gear with nose wheel
tapered multi-cellular wing with flush-riveted stressed skin
with Fowler flaps airfoil : root : NACA 23018 tip : NACA 4412
engines and landing gear attached to the wings, fuel tanks in the wings
construction : all-metal aluminium-alloy stressed-skin construction with pressurized fuselage
fuselage shape : O
airscrew :
four Hamilton-Standard constant speed, reversible pitch 3 -bladed tractor airscrews
with max. efficiency :0.81 [ ]
diameter airscrew 4.57 [m]
relative pitch (J) : 1.94 [ ]
power loading prop : 195.81 [KW/m]
theoretical pitch without slip : 9.85 [m]
blade angle prop at max.speed : 43.44 [ ]
tip-speed close to speed of sound (above Mach 0.85) > loose of efficiency
reduction : 0.44 [ ]
airscrew revs : 1050 [r.p.m.]
aerodynamic pitch at max. continuous speed 8.86 [m]
blade-tip speed at max.continuous speed : 295 [m/s]
propellor noise in flight : 102 [Db]
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
measured wing chord : 3.89 [m] at 50% wingspan
mean wing chord : 4.09 [m]
calculated average wing chord tapered wing with rounded tips: 3.99 [m]
(7 rows x5 )+(4 rows x4)+4 = 55. The cabin width is not constant along the length of the aircraft, this gave the Constellation its nice lines, but was expensive to build, with no section being the same (compare to DC-4 / DC-6)
wing aspect ratio : 9.2 []
seize (span*length*height) : 7847 [m^3]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 43.0 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption (econ. cruise speed) : 924.6 [kg/hr] (1261.4 [litre/hr]) at 60 [%] power
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 0.55 [km/kg] at 5100 [m] height, sfc : 286.0 [kg/kwh]
estimated total fuel capacity : 14913 [litre] (10931 [kg])
calculation : *3* (weight)
weight engine(s) dry with reduction gear : 4848.0 [kg] = 0.90 [kg/KW]
weight 732.3 litre oil tank : 62.25 [kg]
oil tank filled with 40.3 litre oil : 36.1 [kg]
oil in engine 29.9 litre oil : 26.8 [kg]
fuel in engine 36.6 litre fuel : 26.85 [kg]
weight 536.3 litre gravity patrol tank(s) : 80.4 [kg]
weight Burgess type silencers : 107.4 [kg]
weight NACA cowling 60.1 [kg]
weight variable pitch control : 47.8 [kg]
weight airscrew(s) incl. boss & bolts : 1194.2 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 6442 [kg](16.5 [%])
***************************************************************
fuselage aluminium frame : 3955 [kg]
cabin layout : pitch : 87 [cm] ( 3+2 ) seating in 12.0 rows
pax density (normal seating) : 0.91 [m2/pax]
weight 3 toilets : 25.2 [kg]
weight 6 fire extinguisher : 18 [kg]
weight pantry : 87.5 [kg]
weight 26 windows : 23.4 [kg]
weight 4 emergency exits : 12.0 [kg]
weight 8 life rafts : 90.0 [kg]
weight oxygen masks & oxygen generators : 39.0 [kg]
weight 2 entrance/exit doors : 24.0 [kg]
weight 2 freight doors (belly) : 8.0 [kg]
weight ladies’ powder room : 16 [kg]
weight men’s dressing room : 12 [kg]
weight diplomatic mail locker : 2 [kg]
cabin volume (usable), excluding flight deck : 124.92 [m3]
passenger cabin max.width : 3.27 [m] cabin length : 16.63 [m] cabin height : 2.36 [m]
pressure at cruise height 6100.00 [m] : 0.47 [kg/cm2] cabin pressure : 0.77 [kg/cm2]
weight rear pressure bulkhead : 128.5 [kg]
weight air pressurization system : 32.1 [kg]
fuselage covering ( 204.8 [m2] duraluminium 2.57 [mm]) : 1391.4 [kg]
weight floor beams : 161.9 [kg]
5-abreast (3+2) seating
weight cabin furbishing : 373.4 [kg]
weight cabin floor : 297.4 [kg]
fuselage (sound proof) isolation : 74.6 [kg]
weight radio transceiver equipment : 7.0 [kg]
weight radio direction finding (RDF) equipment : 5.0 [kg]
weight artificial horizon : 1.1 [kg]
weight instruments. : 13.0 [kg]
weight APU / engine starter: 67.1 [kg]
weight lighting : 15.0 [kg]
weight electricity generator : 15.0 [kg]
weight controls : 13.5 [kg]
weight seats : 335.0 [kg]
weight air conditioning : 90 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 7211 [kg](18.4 [%])
***************************************************************
total weight aluminium ribs (489 ribs) : 1395 [kg]
weight engine mounts : 268 [kg]
weight fuel tanks empty for total 14377 [litre] fuel : 1150 [kg]
weight wing covering (painted aluminium 1.73 [mm]) : 1433 [kg]
total weight aluminium spars (multi-cellular wing structure) : 1655 [kg]
weight wings : 4483 [kg]
weight wing/square meter : 29.25 [kg]
cantilever wing without bracing cables
weight rubber de-icing boots : 41.2 [kg]
weight fin & rudder (16.3 [m2]) : 479.6 [kg]
weight stabilizer & elevator (17.2 [m2]): 505.5 [kg]
weight flight control hydraulic servo actuators: 32.0 [kg]
total weight wing surfaces & bracing : 6960 [kg] (17.8 [%])
*******************************************************************
wheel pressure : 9780.5 [kg]
weight 4 Dunlop main wheels (1250 [mm] by 250 [mm]) : 480.2 [kg]
weight nose wheel : 60.0 [kg]
weight hydraulic wheel-brakes : 29.4 [kg]
weight pneumatic-hydraulic shock absorbers : 39.2 [kg]
weight wheel hydraulic operated retraction system : 104.9 [kg]
weight undercarriage struts with axle 863.1 [kg]
total weight landing gear : 1573.1 [kg] (4.0 [%]
*******************************************************************
********************************************************************
calculated empty weight : 22187 [kg](56.7 [%])
weight oil for 12.5 hours flying : 536.9 [kg]
calculated operational weight empty : 22724 [kg] (58.1 [%])
published operational weight empty : 22404 [kg] (57.3 [%])
weight crew : 567 [kg]
weight fuel for 2.0 hours flying : 1849 [kg]
weight catering : 218.7 [kg]
weight water : 175.0 [kg]
********************************************************************
operational weight empty: 25534 [kg](65.3 [%])
weight 60 passengers : 4620 [kg]
weight luggage : 732 [kg]
weight cargo : 1648 [kg]
operational weight loaded: 32534 [kg](83.2 [%])
fuel reserve : 6588.2 [kg] enough for 7.13 [hours] flying
operational weight fully loaded : 39122 [kg] with fuel tank filled for 77 [%]
published maximum take-off weight : 39122 [kg] (100.0 [%])
calculation : * 4 * (engine power)
power loading (Take-off) : 7.29 [kg/kW]
power loading (operational without useful load) : 4.76 [kg/kW]
power loading (Take-off) 1 PUF: 9.72 [kg/kW]
total power : 5369.0 [kW] at 2400 [r.p.m]
calculation : *5* (loads)
manoeuvre load : 7.8 [g] at 1000 [m]
limit load : 3.0 [g] ultimate load : 4.5 [g] load factor : 1.3 [g]
design flight time : 7.29 [hours]
Note the big extended fowler flaps
design cycles : 2298 sorties, design hours : 16755 [hours]
operational wing loading : 1634 [N/m^2]
wing stress (3 g) during operation : 168 [N/kg] at 3g emergency manoeuvre
calculation : *6* (angles of attack)
angle of attack zero lift : -1.80 ["]
max. angle of attack (stalling angle, clean) : 12.97 ["]
max. angle of attack (full flaps) : 12.08 ["]
angle of attack at max. speed : 0.12 ["]
calculation : *7* (lift & drag ratios
lift coefficient at angle of attack 0° : 0.16 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. speed : 0.17 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. angle of attack : 1.31 [ ]
max.lift coefficient full flaps : 1.67 [ ]
induced drag coefficient at max.speed : 0.0013 [ ]
drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0186 [ ]
drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0173 [ ]
calculation : *8* (speeds
stalling speed at sea-level (OW loaded : 38197 [kg]): 199 [km/u]
stalling speed at sea-level with full flaps (normal landing weight): 137 [km/u]
landing speed at sea-level (normal landing weight : 31390 [kg]): 158 [km/hr]
max. rate of climb speed : 203 [km/hr] at sea-level
max. endurance speed : 226 [km/u] min.fuel/hr : 534 [kg/hr] at height : 610 [m]
max. range speed : 403 [km/u] at cruise height : 6401 [m]
cruising speed : 504 [km/hr] at 5100 [m] (power:73 [%])
max. continuous speed* : 558.00 [km/hr] at 4260 [m] (power:100 [%])
climbing speed at sea-level (loaded) : 602 [m/min]
climbing speed at 1000 [m] with 1 engine out (PUF / MTOW) : 362 [m/min]
climbing speed at 1000 [m] with 2 engines out (2xPUF / MTOW) : 141 [m/min]
The L-049 could take a “speed pack” cargo container under its belly. Here we see KLM PH-TEN “Nijmegen”. This aircraft crashed fatally on 20 October 1948 near Prestwick airport killing all 40 people on board.
calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)
take-off speed : 241.1 [km/u]
emergency/TO power : 2200 [hp] at 2800 [rpm]
static prop wash : 176 [km/u]
high wheel pressure, can only take off from paved runways
take-off distance at sea-level concrete runway : 687 [m]
take-off distance at sea-level over 15 [m] height : 771 [m]
landing run : 311 [m]
lift/drag ratio : 17.91 [ ]
climb to 1000m with max payload : 2.32 [min]
climb to 2000m with max payload : 4.70 [min]
climb to 3000m with max payload : 7.16 [min]
climb to cruise height 5100 [m] with max payload : 14.28 [min]
practical ceiling (operational weight empty 25534 [kg] ) : 10100 [m]
practical ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 30 min.fuel:38660 [kg] ) : 7800 [m]
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
published range : 5250 [km] with 7 crew and 6199.9 [kg] useful load and 88.1 [%] fuel
(no reserves)
range : 4814 [km] with 7 crew and 7000.0 [kg] useful load and 80.8 [%] fuel
range : 5712 [km] with 60.0 passengers with each 12.2 [kg] luggage and 95.9 [%] fuel
Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) : 342732 [paskm]
max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks total 22260.8 [litre] fuel : 7980 [km]
useful load with range 500km : 15400 [kg]
useful load with range 500km : 60 passengers
production (theor.max load): 7762 [tonkm/hour]
production (useful load): 3528 [tonkm/hour]
production (passengers): 30240 [paskm/hour]
combi aircraft mail/freight/passengers
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 0.12 [kg]
fuel cost per paskm : 0.032 [eur]
crew cost per paskm : 0.030 [eur]
time between engine failure : 415 [hr]
can continue fly on 3 engines, low risk for emergency landing for PUF
writing off per paskm : 0.036 [eur]
insurance per paskm : 0.001 [eur]
maintenance cost per paskm : 0.124 [eur]
direct operating cost per paskm : 0.223 [eur]
direct operating cost per tonkm (max. load): 0.869 [eur]
direct operating cost per tonkm (normal useful load): 1.913 [eur]
Literature :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_L-049_Constellation
Amerikaanse vliegtuigen 40-45 page 99,100
praktisch handboek vliegtuigen deel 5 page 46,47,48
Amerikaanse vliegtuigbouwers page 104 - 108
piston engined airliners page 54 - 58
Luchtvaart dec'86 page 347 t/m 355
Luchtvaart jan'87 page 24 t/m 31
Jane’s fighting aircraft WWII page 242
Crash van de Nijmegen - Wikipedia
* max.continous speed : max.level speed maintainable for minimal 30 min.
DISCLAIMER Above calculations are based on published data, they must be
regarded as indication not as facts.
Calculated performance and weight may not correspond with actual weights
and performances and are assumptions for which no responsibility can be taken.
Calculations are as accurate as possible, they can be fine-tuned when more data
is available, you are welcome to give suggestions and additional information
so we can improve our program. For copyright on drawings/photographs/
content please mail to below mail address
(c) B van der Zalm 22 January 2022 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail.com python 3.7.4