The Lockheed Constellation thread....

[Dan4th]

Rick:

Meeting? Who's going to cater it?

Here's one of my favo(u)rite Connie clips! The camera's
all over the place, the guy shuts down to climb off the
fence, but Who Cares?

KRIKEY!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoUNWBBDuxE

Dan4th

[Wedgy]

She's only 20 odd miles away from me, so will have to pay her a visit early next year

Sounds like a good place to hold a meeting.... anyone interested ?

Certainly

[Mackrick]

sorry Dan4th must use the spell checker more often... trouble is my fingers go faster than the brain sometimes.

Wedgy I assume SM is up for it ?

I'll find out when its open next year ...

[Dan4th]

Spill Chucker?

Didn't see any Mackrickisms there at all!

Wonder, though, what the museum'd charge
for a PARTY!

Dan4th

[Mackrick]

Open days are usually free ... refreshments available ... picnic area etc...

[Dan4th]

THIS looks like a job for..............................



Well, one of the fotos you posted-up looked like
it was all set and ready for a dinner or a luncheon
or something......."Under the Wing".

Dan4th

[Mayfly]

Word on the grapevine is the French Connie has had some good news...

Evidently the Nantes Airport authority has agreed to allow the aircraft to stay on site, so they are now looking at restoration and are appealing for paypal donations.

[Saracenman]

any links Mayfly?

[Mayfly]

I haven't any at this time, earlier in the year there was an email campaigne to save her & the news has come back via email. Will keep my eyes & ears open tho'

[Saracenman]

ta muchly

[Dan4th]

I'd Luv to see a link to that too, Pam....

I know the exterior was nicely redone
with the assistance of Air France, but
as far as I know the airframe is too far
gone to ever fly again...

French Airforce was really Stoopeed on
this one....

Danf.

[Dan4th]

Connie with a little Motown!



And an old Lufthansa Promo for Starliner:



And the first engine test for one of the Starliner
engines for the resto project here in Maine:



Lufthansa is having 8 or 9 engines redone, but
they have a few more in the wings if they're needed.......

Danf.

[Saracenman]

ooooooooo - that last clip is SUPERB!

seems the restoration is progressing very well

sm

[Dan4th]

Lufthansa Starliner Aircrew rented-out the
Breitling Constellation in order to start the
certification process late this past summer.

From what I hear, they're ahead of schedule...

I'm still hoping to get in over there. The resto
hangar is only about 100 miles from me!

Danf.

[Xplumberlives]

Lufthansa Starliner Aircrew rented-out the
Breitling Constellation in order to start the
certification process late this past summer.
From what I hear, they're ahead of schedule...
I'm still hoping to get in over there. The resto
hangar is only about 100 miles from me!
Danf.

Please take you CAMERA, stills would be prefferrable!
Thanks

[Dan4th]

Lufthansa Starliner Aircrew rented-out the
Breitling Constellation in order to start the
certification process late this past summer.
From what I hear, they're ahead of schedule...
I'm still hoping to get in over there. The resto
hangar is only about 100 miles from me!
Danf.

Please take you CAMERA, stills would be prefferrable!
Thanks

I'll do my best, Dave, but they don't have a lot of visitors
nor do they want any. I've got a phone# and a name and
one person who can tell them I'm okay. We'll see if that's
enough.....

Danf.

Addendum: Here are some photos of Nantes Connie being
moved the other day.........

http://www.conniesurvivors.com/1-connie_news.htm#OCT19

D.

[Mayfly]

thanks for the link D4th

[Connie-Restorer]

Here's a few photos I've taken while working on Project Superstar in Auburn, Maine...
We rolled her into her new hangar in November 2008. This shot was taken a few weeks later, after removing the landing gear. Her horizontal stab & verticals were removed the previous summer.


This was taken early in 2009. Even at this point we still didn't fully realize what a massive job this was going to turn out to be.


This is a cockpit shot I took in 2009. Currently the cockpit structure (stringers, skins, and frames) is nearing completion. Then begins the more interesting job of fitting hundreds of components such as pulleys, control cables, wire bundles, tubing, floors and instrumentation. If you think you're starting to see how big a job this is... multiply that thought by ten.


A shot taken in early 2009 while removing the left wing's leading edges and wingtip. Most of the aircraft was disassembled while working from "scissor lifts" which we still use daily.

Here's an early shot looking forward inside the fuselage. About 80% of the structure you're seeing required some sort of repair work. Everything from minor surface corrosion removal to major frame repairs designed by our team of engineers. I and my work buds have done most of this work already, so the fuselage structure is now starting to take on a freshly primed "new airplane" look.

Keep in mind, ...these photos are among the earliest ones I have. I chose to start at the begining rather than show you photos depicting the stage we're at now. But don't worry, I have tons more and I'll post them when I can.

Connie-Restorer

[Dan4th]

C-R:::::::::::::

I especially like that first one

Thanks for letting us get a peek,
and Keep 'Em Coming!

Danf.

[MOD]

Amazing. What an undertaking!!

PLEASE keep us informed of progress. I, for one, can't wait for the next instalment and I'm sure I'm not alone.. .


ibw

[Jigsaw]

Have to agree 100% with D4th. I will be following and can't wait to see more of the progress as you post it

Edit: Obviously I also agree with MOD (he is, after all, a top bloke too)

[Cluny]

Superb , keep em coming mate

[Kermit]

This is wonderful stuff ! Can t wait for the next post and photos, trying to guess what stage it s at now, oooohhhh... SO exciting
thanks for such interesting posts !

[RLN]

Thanks for taking the time to post, CR. Great stuff.

[Sooty655]

Great pics, CR. As you say, an enormous project, and we want to see every little detail.