Story and image from Lufthansa
Hamburg, Germany, January 20, 2025 – A milestone in aviation history is back in the public eye for the first time: Lufthansa Technik has completed the extensive assembly of a Lockheed L-1649A. This aircraft type was the flagship of the Lufthansa fleet at the end of the 1950s under the name Super Star. On Friday (January 17), the fully restored long-haul aircraft was pulled out of the hangar on its own landing gear for the first time and rolled out in Hamburg – a moment that not only thrilled aviation enthusiasts.
The return of an icon
In 1957, the Lockheed Super Star joined the Lufthansa fleet, offering the Senator class as the most exclusive mode of travel for the first time. The main focus of the service was the connection to New York, which could be flown non-stop across the Atlantic. The aircraft was therefore also a technical masterpiece. With its four piston engines, it closed the chapter of classic propeller-driven aircraft on the North Atlantic routes. These flights, which lasted up to 17 hours, took off from Hamburg, where the maintenance base was also located. The roll-out therefore took place at a location of equal importance to Lufthansa and Lufthansa Technik. As a cooperation partner, the Deutsche Lufthansa Berlin-Stiftung is supporting this unique project.
The challenge for the Hamburg technical team initially involved the precise assembly of several large components. In October 2023, the fuselage, wings and the characteristic triple tail unit as well as 292 wooden crates with smaller parts arrived. A particular highlight of the non-airworthy assembly is the fact that the cockpit is as true to the original as possible from the 1950s. The lighting and controls are functional, while cable pulls make the rudders and flaps movable – a fascinating detail that pays tribute to the engineering skills of this era.
Click the link to read the full story! -> Lufthansa celebrates Lockheed Super Star
Additional image by Ho7dog