Lockheed C-69 / C-121. A photo. Characteristics.
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Lockheed C-69 / C-121. A photo. Characteristics.

Lockheed C-69 / C-121. A photo. Characteristics.

USA

A type: Chetyrehdvigatelny transport aircraft, aircraft radar detection and guidance of fighter aircraft - the relay of data and television signals

Capacity: A crew of four or five people and 64 passenger (airline-69) or 88 passengers (airline-121), or 22-26 system operators (in the plane of the EU-121)

Designed for the Howard Hughes of TWA aircraft majestic "Konstelleyshn" wore olive-gray outfit faster than the red and white, as the first production aircraft were requisitioned for the US Air Force as strategic transport aircraft and were designated C-69. At the service were taken only 22 instance, but the plane made a great impression, and after the war it was purchased a number of long-haul aircraft C-121.

With the development of the Super Constellation aircraft in 1950, the entire military potential of this aircraft was used, since the Air Force and the US Navy received specialized modifications of long-range radar detection (called Warning Stars) and Electronic Intelligence Elint. In total, about 20 of various subtypes visited the site. The best time of the aircraft came during the Vietnam War, when the radar reconnaissance platforms of EC-121D were sent to control the electronic environment in North Vietnam. To these planes, improved modifications of the H / J / Q, controlling the interception of MiG aircraft, bringing fighter planes to the tankers and marking the coordinates of the downed pilots, were added. The armed forces received at least 72 RC-121D aircraft, many of which were later converted into electronic reconnaissance and radar detection aircraft of the EU-121T.

Other tasks carried out during the war by the EU-121 aircraft included operating as radio relay stations (EC-121R aircraft) for the Igloo White electronic surveillance network created in Laos to determine the movement of trucks moving along the Ho Shi Ming "; monitoring and control from the air of the strikes of the Tactical Aviation Command (EC-121 H); Shuttle transport tasks of the Military Transport Aviation Command (EU-121С / 6 aircraft). The US Navy was the last military organization that operated the plane, their reconnaissance aircraft EC-121K / Q were finally withdrawn from service at the end of 1970-ies.

Basic data

Dimensions:

  • Length: 35,41 m
  • Wingspan: 37,49 m
  • Height: 8,1 m

The weight:

  • BLANK: 36 275 kg
  • Maximum take-off: 64 620 kg

Aircraft performance characteristics:

  • Maximum speed: 517 km / h
  • Range: 7405 km

Power point: 4 star-piston engine R-3350-34 or -91 turbocharged company "Wright"

Power: 8800 l. from. (6562 kW)

Date of first flight:

  • January 9, 1943 (S-69 aircraft), 1953 (RC-121 aircraft)

The surviving airworthy modifications: 121A C / S and EU-121T

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