BSteinIPMS
1st February 2005, 20:49
The second of five Lockheed Constellations flew into Stillwater International Airport (Corgi Field) today for the “Connie Gathering”. The weather, temperature, and sun angles were perfect for photography, and here you see it taxiing in, parking on the ramp, and being serviced by ground vehicles. The Shell Oil truck on the left bringing lubricants to the aircraft is a 1948 Ford service van. The Railway Express Agency parcel truck on the right is a Ford ‘C’ box van.
The aircraft is a Lockheed L-649-79-12, construction number 2518, in Eastern Air Lines markings, registered as NC101A, and carries the fleet number 101. It was delivered to Eastern on 19 March 1947, ended up with LANSA Airlines, and was finally scrapped in Lima, Peru, some time after 1968.
Lockheed denoted the various configurations of the Constellation by a string of numbers, the first three of which identified the model, the second two digits identified the particular engine installation, and the third two digits identified the interior layout.
This is Corgi’s seventh Constellation, #47507, and like the others, it looks just like what it is supposed to represent: a classic. I’m pleased to have it and consider it a handsome addition to my collection.
I’m unable to verify the window arrangements since these were enclosed in a dark blue cheat stripe on the original aircraft and period photos don’t show the windows clearly. I’ll have to trust Corgi on this one.
This is another older Corgi model (1999) and much of what I wrote in Chapter 1 applies here. This includes notes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
6. Corgi used waterslide decals for the Eastern Eagle markings on the vertical fin & rudders, and again these were flaking off on my example. Using modeler’s decal setting solution I was able to save about 99% of these decals, but had to mix up the various shades of paint for final touch-up to make the model (in my eyes, at least) presentable. If you’re a modeler this is a minor nuisance. If you’re not, this could be a major disappointment. Otherwise the model has tampo printing which is well done.
7. The model carries an astrodome which is not painted to represent glass (it’s silver along with the rest of the fuselage) and I can’t say whether this aircraft carried one. Its construction number was low enough to entertain the possibility it had an astrodome originally, but these were often removed later in the aircraft’s career to reduce drag as a result of celestial navigation being supplanted by more modern methods.
The model does not carry overhead cockpit eyebrow windows, unlike the TWA bird in Chapter 1, and it’s probable it should. I have no photo of this particular aircraft, but do have a photo of an Eastern sister ship very close (11 units later) in the production sequence to this one which is another L-649-79-12, C/N 2529, registered NC108A, which does have the eyebrow windows. This aircraft is shown as Photo 5. These windows were often removed later in the aircraft’s life as they proved to be of little value and took up space in the cockpit ceiling better used for additional equipment and controls. As a result I can’t say Corgi is wrong by omitting them, and have to trust them since I know their consultant is impeccable and fastidious in his research.
8. The cast metal piece comprised of the wings and lower forward fuselage section was a poor fit at its junction with the nose. This shows as a pronounced lip which spoils the smooth sweep of the lower fuselage line. This is visible in the second photo.
Chapter 3 will deal with a military Connie which has an unusual and surprising history not entirely covered by the Corgi box & card information.
The aircraft is a Lockheed L-649-79-12, construction number 2518, in Eastern Air Lines markings, registered as NC101A, and carries the fleet number 101. It was delivered to Eastern on 19 March 1947, ended up with LANSA Airlines, and was finally scrapped in Lima, Peru, some time after 1968.
Lockheed denoted the various configurations of the Constellation by a string of numbers, the first three of which identified the model, the second two digits identified the particular engine installation, and the third two digits identified the interior layout.
This is Corgi’s seventh Constellation, #47507, and like the others, it looks just like what it is supposed to represent: a classic. I’m pleased to have it and consider it a handsome addition to my collection.
I’m unable to verify the window arrangements since these were enclosed in a dark blue cheat stripe on the original aircraft and period photos don’t show the windows clearly. I’ll have to trust Corgi on this one.
This is another older Corgi model (1999) and much of what I wrote in Chapter 1 applies here. This includes notes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
6. Corgi used waterslide decals for the Eastern Eagle markings on the vertical fin & rudders, and again these were flaking off on my example. Using modeler’s decal setting solution I was able to save about 99% of these decals, but had to mix up the various shades of paint for final touch-up to make the model (in my eyes, at least) presentable. If you’re a modeler this is a minor nuisance. If you’re not, this could be a major disappointment. Otherwise the model has tampo printing which is well done.
7. The model carries an astrodome which is not painted to represent glass (it’s silver along with the rest of the fuselage) and I can’t say whether this aircraft carried one. Its construction number was low enough to entertain the possibility it had an astrodome originally, but these were often removed later in the aircraft’s career to reduce drag as a result of celestial navigation being supplanted by more modern methods.
The model does not carry overhead cockpit eyebrow windows, unlike the TWA bird in Chapter 1, and it’s probable it should. I have no photo of this particular aircraft, but do have a photo of an Eastern sister ship very close (11 units later) in the production sequence to this one which is another L-649-79-12, C/N 2529, registered NC108A, which does have the eyebrow windows. This aircraft is shown as Photo 5. These windows were often removed later in the aircraft’s life as they proved to be of little value and took up space in the cockpit ceiling better used for additional equipment and controls. As a result I can’t say Corgi is wrong by omitting them, and have to trust them since I know their consultant is impeccable and fastidious in his research.
8. The cast metal piece comprised of the wings and lower forward fuselage section was a poor fit at its junction with the nose. This shows as a pronounced lip which spoils the smooth sweep of the lower fuselage line. This is visible in the second photo.
Chapter 3 will deal with a military Connie which has an unusual and surprising history not entirely covered by the Corgi box & card information.