I have a serious love affair with this thing.

rsv1cox Sun Mar 03, 2019 12:23 pm

Partly because my my wife and I with our infant daughter flew in one from Pensacola to Boston in 1957.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5IWNSaC6ME

Just popped up on yourtube while I was searching something else.

Bob

balogh Sun Mar 03, 2019 12:33 pm

Yes this plane has a very slender shape, I like it..I am just wondering if the engines were multi-cylinder radial ICE-s, or, turboprop?

rsv1cox Sun Mar 03, 2019 12:38 pm

balogh wrote:Yes this plane has a very slender shape, I like it..I am just wondering if the engines were multi-cylinder radial ICE-s, or, turboprop?

R3350's. Definitely rad.

Bob

getback Sun Mar 03, 2019 4:44 pm

Great but I don't think it was turboprop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6N3rM-MNvHk

rsv1cox Sun Mar 03, 2019 4:59 pm

Maybe everyone's seeing the warm up and missing the feature presentation. Wait a few seconds for the Lockheed Constellation to appear featuring Wrights R3350 Cyclone engines.

Bob

66 Malibu Sun Mar 03, 2019 6:02 pm

Our ANG unit had C-119 Super Connies and later converted to C-124 Globe Masters so we got see a lot of R-3350's fire off.
My friend Tim, that I had known since the 5th grade and was a flight engineer there in the Guard, told me that the proper starting procedures was to turn over the big radials for 21 "blades" and then turn on the ignition.
Those revolutions would clear out all the oil that accumulated in the lower cylinders of the round engines and prevent a hydro lock caused by the cylinders being lower than the crankcase.
Hence the big clouds of oil smoke and sometimes flames.
Love the big radials....

edw Sun Mar 03, 2019 7:59 pm

Wasn't the Connie a C=121? Years ago Trans World Airlines had row after row of Connies on the ramp at Kansas City Fairfac airport, Kansas City Kansas. They had giant guillotines chopping them into tiny pieces. I cried every time I flew in and saw them gradually disappear. I believe there is a 'flying museum' Connie based at Kansas City, along with a couple other old airliners (Martin 404, etc.) What was once a large, thriving airport is now a Ford truck assembly complex. The buildings were built right on the old runways, so if you fly over you can still see the runways.

edw Sun Mar 03, 2019 8:02 pm

As I remember, there was a derelict Connie on the ramp at Salina, Kansas also. I haven't been into Salina in years, so probably gone now.

66 Malibu Sun Mar 03, 2019 9:27 pm

edw...
Correction Super Connie was the C-121 as the C-119 was the Flying Boxcar...
CRS raises it's ugly head.

batjac Sun Mar 03, 2019 10:31 pm

Does a radial ever not smoke on a cold startup???

Mark

66 Malibu Sun Mar 03, 2019 11:17 pm

batjac wrote:Does a radial ever not smoke on a cold startup???

Mark

If one ever does that means it's out of oil since the bottom cylinders are below the oil level in the crankcase.
If it starts at all it won't run long before catastrophic failure occurs.
That is always a bad thing for airplanes.....

Oldenginerod Sun Mar 03, 2019 11:35 pm

We have one of our own out here. I remember seeing it on its first tour of Australia after being restored.

Such a graceful and elegant aircraft. I've read that some people call them ugly. They don't know what they're talking about Mad

rsv1cox Mon Mar 04, 2019 6:59 am

Thanks for sharing Rod, I missed that one.

My first impression of the Connie was when we first entered, how dark the planes interior was despite the bright Florida sunshine. We were seated right up front, perhaps because my wife was carrying a baby and I had a seat looking right over the wings leading edge and a clear view of the engines.

The start-up smoke didn't bother me as I had seen and even started a very similar radial on the F4U Corsair. Then it was just another airline flight, didn't realize we were riding in a soon to become legend.

Wish I had brought a camera. Smile

Thanks to all for your comments.

Bob

KariFS Mon Mar 04, 2019 10:25 am

Love the exhaust noise and flames Smoking

rsv1cox Mon Mar 04, 2019 10:41 am

Wow, 34 never to be forgotten seconds.

I heard the sounds, but sitting up front never saw the exhaust flames. Might have asked to get off. Smile

Thanks for that.

Bob

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