Lockheed EC-121 Constellation (HB-RSC)

This is not an EC-121. This is a straight civilian Lockheed 1049.

Paul, I agree that it isn't a 121, just too many of us know them as that. It is however a great looking Connie.

Great looking Connie - brings back memories. Thanks for sharing.

One of the most beautiful airplanes ever built... IMHO

Sweet Photo !!

Paul and Alan , read this https://www.superconstellation.net/index.php/en/flugzeuge-en/l-1049-hb-rsc-en/175-geschichte-hb-rsc-en

This Connie is ex USAF aircraft ;)

http://n73544.tripod.com/CHSHistory.htm

The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society's (HARS) Super Constellation based in Wollongong south of Sydney is the only one of its type currently airworthy.

Flew out to Bahrain in one of these in about 1955/56. BOAC had several on the Singapore run from Heathrow. In those days Heathrow was not much more than a Nissen hut, they weighed me and my luggage together. I think so the pilot could calculate how much extra fuel he could carry for the safe take-off eight! There was no tourist or economy in those days. As a mere schoolkid going out from boarding school to visit my parents for the summer. I had to choose each of five courses for the main meals and was allowed to choose cigars from the humidor to take to give to my father. I had a "Junior Jet club log book" for the pilot to sign for me to log my airmiles travelled. The logbook was given to me by group Captain "Catseyes" Cunningham the ex night fighter pilot who was the chief test pilot for De Havilland when he flew around the middle east with the Comet 1 to test it in the tropics and give freebie rides to dignitaries. I was in a group of junior schoolkids who got a ride.

The 'E' in EC-121 is for 'Electronics'. The EC-121 has a very large search radar antenna (~20 feet) on the bottom of the fuselage and a smaller altitude radar on top of the fuselage. The aircraft here is a passenger plane, not an Electronic model.

I had the GRRR8 opportunity to have TWO long distance Connie flights...one in each configuration. The 1st flight(s) were on TWA/Lockheed 1049 transcontinental flights in May 1958 from Washington D.C. to LAX on TWA. I was in the USAF on leave to my Calif. home town after my appointment & reporting to the USAF Academy for the Class of 1962's BCT(Basic Cadet Training). The 2nd opportunity was in March 1959 on a EC-121 mission from March AFB during our (class of 1962) Freshman Class Spring Field Trip to various California active duty Air Force bases.

@Bob Hackney: Very impressed that you have flown on both the L-1049 AND EC-121! You must have some great stories of the USAF from those days! Cheers!

"Hundo"

I used to see these (1049)at the Miami airport in the early 1070s. Impressive despite the oil

For me, it's the most beautiful plane ever built. Nice photo.