Lufthansa L-1649A "Super Star" under restauration

[Jaxon]

When the Lufthansa was reformed after the war as a complete new company, but in spirit of the pre war Luft Hansa, they started with American propliners.
DC-3 etc.

Of course the most interesting route was over the Atlantic.
At first, they used the Lockheed L-1049 SUPER CONSTELLATION, but had to stop in Shannon/Ireland before hopping over the pond.

Firstly with the new enhanced L-1649 STARLINER, it was possible to do the jump in one leg.

This plane marked the peak of prop driven Airliner development.
Not only technically, but also regarding the service: With just around 40 first class seats, the Super Star
(as Lufthansa branded her L-1649As) even from todays view was a pure luxurary liner.
---

Well, in 2007 Lufthansa bought 3 out of only 44 built L-1649 STARLINERs, which are ex-TWA freighters and had been collected by an enthusiast who finally went broke under the effort in making his dream come true: To see one of the proud planes in the sky again.
Included in the pack are several spare-parts such as additional engines and such.

And indeed, one of the inspected planes was in a condition, that she will be brought back to flying condition and operate next to the famous Ju 52 D-AQUI, which is a symbol of the Pre-War Luft Hansa.

Here are a few pics of the Super Star as they looked back then:

http://www.focus.de/reisen/fliegen/die-super-star_did_18588.html

There already has been built a new hangar at Auburn-Lewiston/Maine Airport extra for the restauration and several Lufthansa technicians are already at work restaurating the plane, advised by some mechanics who really worked at the type some decades ago.
Bought in 2007, it is scheduled to see the plane in the sky already in 2011!!

http://www.lufthansa-technik.com/applications/portal/lhtportal/lhtportal.portal?requestednode=4221&_pageLabel=Template7_8&_nfpb=true&webcacheURL=TV_I/Media-Relations/Media-Archive/Archive-Press-Releases/Press-Releases-2008/Auburn_Rollin_SuperStar_DE.xml

Plus, Lufthansa uses its wide possibilities and expertise to overhaul the parts. Last week the landing gear came into the repair shop in Hamburg and is disassembled for the overhaul right now.

I have seen it with my own eyes, because I found my new job right in this Workshop: WL2 Landing Gears (A319/320 & 330/340, B-737 normally)

[Jaxon]

At flightsim.com is a skin based on original textures by Manfred
Jahn, this texture set requires the L-1649A
Starliner v2.0 package (L1649A20.ZIP)

Unfortunately, I was not able to convert the plane, maybe (hopefully) someone else can.

On this pic is easy to see, that the L-1649 had squared wing-tips and no tanks. Also the radome was introduced.
Plus, the fuselage was stretched a bit, but to be honest: I can`t spot the difference myself.

[Jaxon]

When invastigating the Connie in LH colours, I found out the paint varied over time.
It was very confusing to me, so I want to clear:

(Note that the Lufthansa L-1049G Super Connies used the wingtanks, but had no radome (short nose) )

Here is the 1955 outfit: L-1049G D-ALAP, D-ALOP & D-ALAK

The outer fins & tanks are silver only, the fuselage stripe is jagged one time, mid fin is white.

[Jaxon]

In 1957, the old Lufthansa logo was painted on the fin and the fuselage stripe lost its jagged part, but was painted down at the nose

See L-1049G D-ALID again:

(Also the dress to see on many L-1649 pics)

[miamieagle]

Nice!:rapture:

[Jaxon]

But already in the early 1960s, her successor - the B-707 Jet Intercontinental was introduced, which was able to fly the same route in much shorter time.

Early planes wore the prop-area colouring, and later the last prop-liners were repainted in the more modern straight fuselage stripe.

[Jaxon]

Now you know the difference, I want to show the FS models, which are somehow wrong:

At first the Lockheed L-1049 SUPER CONSTELLATION by Mike Stone

The model represents the long nose version of the L-1049, which was not used by Lufthansa.
Or it should represent the L-1649, which had the radome, but the square wingtip without tanks?

Who knows? - Beside, it is a nice model!!

[Jaxon]

Next is the ALPHAsim freeware-plane.
It represents a Connie roughly flown around 1965, but has no wingtiptankss.
Probably because the restored original laccks her wingtiptanks, too.

[Jagdflieger]

Thanks for the history lesson Jaxon.

I always thought that the Connie was probably the most graceful looking aeroplane to grace the skies.

How's the new job going?

[PSULLYKEYS]

Great info Jaxon, thanks!:wiggle:
For those in North America, there is a "Connie" with Lufthansa markings at "Fantasy of Flight" located near Orlando FL.

Sadly, the A/C is stored outside and was flown in some years ago. There is extensive denting of the front wing/tail surfaces, possibly from quite a hailstorm. Lack of hanger room for this A/C as well as a PBY Catalina mean further deterioration. The collection there is so vast and varied, that no room exists in its 2 massive hangers and numerious storage buildings.

In the 60's growing up in the mid-Atlantic US states, I visited a restaurant/bar called Flannery's in Langhorne Pennsylvania that had a Connie mounted on the roof, and the bar was the fuselage accessed by steps. The only Connie I was ever in! The restaurant was demolished in the 90's I believe, and the fate of the Connie is unknown.