Constellation over Kent 17th July 13

[gcal]

I spotted a Lockheed Constellation being shadowed by a smaller aircraft (possibly filming it) over Dungeness, in the area of Lydd at about 1530A this afternoon.
It seemed a fine shiny example but I was not aware any were still flying. It's sad but I was not close enough to see any markings or reg no.
I was a pax on the Romney Hyth and Dymchurch railway at the time.
Can anyone shed any light on it please?
My father who flew them for Ace Freighters called them Consternations :O but they certainly had an elegant look about them.

[L1649]

You may want to take a look at the "Breitling Super Connie in the UK" thread. ;)

[Hotel Tango]

Best three engined aircraft that ever flew.

[treadigraph]

I recall Roger Bacon on the Connie:


"The old Constipation sat on the ramp and passers-by fled in panic as her four Wright Turbo Compounds burst into flames".

Wonderful old bird, quite the most beautiful airliner. And best sounding...

[SpringHeeledJack]

How I'd have liked to be here https://twitter.com/airtattoo/status/357561488635990016/photo/1 and to have heard the sound of the engines....



SHJ

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

And don't forget the squeaking of the brakes as it taxies.

[The SSK]

Trying to recall the Connies I saw in my spotting days in the mid 60s. They were almost as rare as hen’s teeth then, but you still got lucky sometimes.

An Iberia Super at Gatwick
Quite a few Flying Tigers there also
And at least one Ace Freighters
A couple of seasons regular fortnightly Palma charters from Newcastle, either Skyways or Euravia
Complete and half-wrecked examples in the boneyard at Coventry (Ace again?)
I’ve a notion I saw a Lufthansa example at Heathrow but I’m fuzzy about that.

quite the most beautiful airliner
I'll second that

[gcal]

My father flew the Consternation with Ace Freighters.
He also flew:
Electra's for TelAir (Basle based)
Brits for Caledonian
707s for the same and BCAL
1-11s for the above.
Plus umpteen military types including NF14 Meteors.

[PaperTiger]

I’ve a notion I saw a Lufthansa example at Heathrow but I’m fuzzy about that.You're not wrong, LH did fly them to LHR well into the 60s although they may have been Starliners. Air France were common too and if you were real lucky a Brazilian or Argentine one :ok:.

[Hotel Tango]

LH used a Connie into BHX (Birmingham UK) as late as 1966 (during the World Cup tournament).

[Hartington]

Around the time of the Biafra crisis a connie turned up at Gatwick. My precise memory is hazy but I think it had 2 different registrations (one from Cyprus?) and used a different registration as a call sign on approach. I think it was one of the gun runners?

[treadigraph]

One of Hank Wharton's Connies - Ostensibly Mauritanian registered?

[DaveReidUK]

You're not wrong, LH did fly them to LHR well into the 60s although they may have been Starliners. Air France were common too and if you were real lucky a Brazilian or Argentine oneAnd, just up the road at Northolt, Indian AF Connies were relatively common up to the early 70s:

http://www.abpic.co.uk/images/images/1003785M.jpg
http://www.pprune.org/javascript:popUp('/popup.php?q=1003785')

[UAVop]

There is a live one at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

http://www.museumofflight.org/files/resize/FileUploads/connieJanetDetz2008-360x225.jpg

[compton3bravo]

Had the pleasure of flying on an Iberia Super Connie from Manchester to Palma 50 years ago last month. The airline ticket was Aviaco (still got it) and travelled with Wallace Arnold for two weeks full board for 30 quid. Had my own room with a shower and toilet at the hotel. I remember having to step over the spar when landing at Manchester and also having to identify one´s own luggage on the tarmac at Manchester before embarkation. Happy memories and very lucky to fly on a Connie.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Treadigraph... I saw 5T-TAF in Malta in February, 1968 but I don't think it was airworthy. Would that be one you referred to?