Lockheed R6V Constitution

The Lockheed R6V Constitution (originally Lockheed XR6O -1) was in the 1940s, originally developed for the U.S. Navy Lockheed heavy long-range transport aircraft with four piston engines. The peculiarity of the R6V were the two mounted one above another druckbelüfetete flight decks, which were connected by a spiral staircase. The hull had a pronounced constriction. Both decks were continuous over the entire body length.

Only two prototypes were built by the R6V: One of them was fitted internally as a military transport, the second received a luxurious passenger cabin on the upper deck and a large cargo area in the lower deck. The maiden flight was on 9 November 1946.

The biggest problem of the new aircraft was its too weak engine: Despite use of four Pratt & Whitney R -4360 radial engines with 28 cylinders and 3,000- hp rated power the engines were heavily used and tended to overheat. A drive with turboprops would have been useful, but corresponding engines were not yet ready for production. A six -engined interpretation would turn the net mass of the wings increased so much that an economic operation would also not have been possible.

The originally placed by the U.S. military order of 50 items was reduced to the two prototypes before the maiden flight, which were removed in 1949 and again in 1955 skartiert lack of demand. Also civil buyer for the aircraft (which as a passenger aircraft up to 168 passengers could be transported across the North Atlantic ) were not found, and the project failed. No copy of the Constitution has survived until today. In the U.S. Navy could be the last letter of the aircraft designation identify the manufacturer until 1962. Originally, this was an O, but this was changed in 1950 in V for Lockheed. Thus the R6V from the R6O. See also designation system for aircraft of the U.S. Navy by 1922 until 1962.

Specifications

527003
de