Super Connie at Faro
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Speaking of windows, if you look at the last picture of the 1049G you will see a small round window just aft and lower from the Captains cockpit side window. It has a unique function other than just looking out.
The FE had a mirror mounted near his panel that was positioned so that when he looked in the mirror he could see out that window and count the blades as they started the engines on the port side of the aircraft.
For the starboard side the FE could look out the small window in the small round window in the cockpit door as seen in the first photo.
Some Connies had the Radio Operators station installed immedeately aft of the Captains seat and this same window would serve for a little light ambient light for that person as well.
The FE had a mirror mounted near his panel that was positioned so that when he looked in the mirror he could see out that window and count the blades as they started the engines on the port side of the aircraft.
For the starboard side the FE could look out the small window in the small round window in the cockpit door as seen in the first photo.
Some Connies had the Radio Operators station installed immedeately aft of the Captains seat and this same window would serve for a little light ambient light for that person as well.
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A little bit of trivia - a friend of mine was presented with the stencil that was used to apply the registration on 83H during a visit to Faro ATC. It's now in his collection in East Sussex.
If you'd like to read about the air war and airlift in Biafra I can thoroughly recommend Michael Draper's highly detailed book 'Shadows' published by Hikoki Publications, Aldershot in 1999, ISBN 1 902109 63 5
I became involved in Hank Warton's side of the operation and met him on a number of occasions. A very likeable rogue, you might say...!
cheers
Alan
If you'd like to read about the air war and airlift in Biafra I can thoroughly recommend Michael Draper's highly detailed book 'Shadows' published by Hikoki Publications, Aldershot in 1999, ISBN 1 902109 63 5
I became involved in Hank Warton's side of the operation and met him on a number of occasions. A very likeable rogue, you might say...!
cheers
Alan
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the last plane from Biafra?
I am a Connie enthusiast (I remember being close to the one in Faro, and it was a super G.) I think it was the one that got the government personal (rebel side) out of Biafra, mentioned in the "Shadows " book.
Connie at Biggin Hill
At one of the 'Air Fairs' a Connie managed a cloud break, did a low go around and then seem to suffer a power loss as it staggered off towards Gatwick. The sight and sound of the beast apppearing out of the damp gloom was never forgotten.
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Pobjoy, that was one of Duncan Baker's Lanzair Connies - 1975 or '76? How I wish I'd been there, even though I did see the MATS Connie there years later.
Last edited by treadigraph; 14th May 2012 at 20:36.
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"It seems the cockpit and nose of CS-TLA were preserved. However, the photo by Peter is not this aircraft.
Planepictures.net search: Registration: CS-TLA
Laurence"
Sorry to correct you, but the Connie sections at Sintra appear to be from 5T-TAK, yet another Portuguese connection Connie survivor:
Lockheed Constellation Survivors
Planepictures.net search: Registration: CS-TLA
Laurence"
Sorry to correct you, but the Connie sections at Sintra appear to be from 5T-TAK, yet another Portuguese connection Connie survivor:
Lockheed Constellation Survivors
Last edited by Proplinerman; 15th May 2012 at 06:51.
Regarding the Super Connie.
In 1982 I went through Faro, and went across to check out the Connie restaurant. It was closed but I walked round the aircraft and took photos.
Next back at Faro in 1998 and it was gone. However, returning to the airport from the Albufeira direction we passed, in a flash on the road approaching the airport, what looked like a scrapyard on the south side of the road, with what certainly looked like the remains of a Connie triple tail inside, pushed up against the fence.
I presume it was the same aircraft. Can anyone identify where the scrapyard was ?
In 1982 I went through Faro, and went across to check out the Connie restaurant. It was closed but I walked round the aircraft and took photos.
Next back at Faro in 1998 and it was gone. However, returning to the airport from the Albufeira direction we passed, in a flash on the road approaching the airport, what looked like a scrapyard on the south side of the road, with what certainly looked like the remains of a Connie triple tail inside, pushed up against the fence.
I presume it was the same aircraft. Can anyone identify where the scrapyard was ?
Last edited by WHBM; 15th May 2012 at 17:31.
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Super Connie restaurant in Malta?
Not when I was there in September 2008, tho there is a rather good aircraft museum at what's left of an old RAF field, including this very nice Spitfire:
692 Malta Av Mus 24-9-08 Spitfire 1e | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
And a Hurricane, a Meteor, a DC-3, a Sea Hawk and others.
692 Malta Av Mus 24-9-08 Spitfire 1e | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
And a Hurricane, a Meteor, a DC-3, a Sea Hawk and others.
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"In 1982 I went through Faro, and went across to check out the Connie restaurant. It was closed but I walked round the aircraft and took photos.
Next back at Faro in 1998 and it was gone. However, returning to the airport from the Albufeira direction we passed, in a flash on the road approaching the airport, what looked like a scrapyard on the south side of the road, with what certainly looked like the remains of a Connie triple tail inside, pushed up against the fence.I presume it was the same aircraft. Can anyone identify where the scrapyard was ? "
It was in that same area I took the photos posted above-a mile or so outside of the airport at Faro-from memory-on the left hand (South) side of the road-heading towards Albufeira.
There is a "new" motorway style link road now along the coast-which wasnt there then-and the road was a narrower more windy road than it is now.
Next back at Faro in 1998 and it was gone. However, returning to the airport from the Albufeira direction we passed, in a flash on the road approaching the airport, what looked like a scrapyard on the south side of the road, with what certainly looked like the remains of a Connie triple tail inside, pushed up against the fence.I presume it was the same aircraft. Can anyone identify where the scrapyard was ? "
It was in that same area I took the photos posted above-a mile or so outside of the airport at Faro-from memory-on the left hand (South) side of the road-heading towards Albufeira.
There is a "new" motorway style link road now along the coast-which wasnt there then-and the road was a narrower more windy road than it is now.
Last edited by Halcyon Days; 18th May 2012 at 22:24.
We went to the Maltese Connie restaurant in September 1988. We tried to go back a few days later and it was closed - permanently it seems.
Later some vandals set fire to it and all that remains are at the museum at Ta'Qali. Just the wings and engines IIRC.
Later some vandals set fire to it and all that remains are at the museum at Ta'Qali. Just the wings and engines IIRC.
Thread Starter
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From my mixed dates and memeory when starting this thread what a lot of brilliant answers and question have expanded outwards from my first "stone in the Pond".
Pehaps one of you more experienced watchers or even Flyer might give me an answer to this, last evening I was watching the History Channel, something about US Politians, it was explaining about the way they started flitting all over the world in the most up to date Aircraft, typical of a TV film they cut to a shot of a Trans World Airlines Connie landing, I noticed a fairing/bulge in the Belly area starting just in front of the wings and ending just before the end of the wing root fairing toward the rear,....was this some type of auxillery Fuel tank system or luggage locker, it looked very well streamlined but I could not get sufficiant watching time to work out what it was...can you help?
My regards
Peter R-B
Lancashire
Pehaps one of you more experienced watchers or even Flyer might give me an answer to this, last evening I was watching the History Channel, something about US Politians, it was explaining about the way they started flitting all over the world in the most up to date Aircraft, typical of a TV film they cut to a shot of a Trans World Airlines Connie landing, I noticed a fairing/bulge in the Belly area starting just in front of the wings and ending just before the end of the wing root fairing toward the rear,....was this some type of auxillery Fuel tank system or luggage locker, it looked very well streamlined but I could not get sufficiant watching time to work out what it was...can you help?
My regards
Peter R-B
Lancashire
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At one of the 'Air Fairs' a Connie managed a cloud break, did a low go around and then seem to suffer a power loss as it staggered off towards Gatwick.
You'll find some notes about it here, almost at the bottomof the page, as well as elsewhere on the web.
Lockheed Constellation Questions and Answers
and a picture of one
Photos: Lockheed L-749A Constellation Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net
Last edited by WHBM; 21st May 2012 at 16:26.
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The Faro Connie was taken to a company called Metalofarense in Faro on the link road from the A22 to Faro city (about 1km before the Airport turning) I seem to remember it being there until about 97ish, if this helps
Tex
Tex
