The Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar was a passenger transport aircraft of the World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 era.

Design and development

The prototype of the Lockheed

Lockheed Corporation

The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace company. Lockheed was founded in 1912 and later merged with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin in 1995.-Origins:...

 Model 18, which first flew in 1939, was constructed from one of a batch of Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra

Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra

|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Francillon, René J. Lockheed Aircraft since 1913. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-835-6.-External links:*...

s which had been returned to the manufacturer by Northwest Airlines

Northwest Airlines

Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...

 after a series of crashes of Model 14s. The fuselage was lengthened by 5 ft (1.5 m), enabling the fitting of two more rows of seats and hopefully making the aircraft more economical to operate. However, most US airlines were by then committed to purchasing the Douglas DC-3

Douglas DC-3

The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...

, and Lockheed found the Lodestar difficult to sell at home.

A total of 625 Lodestars of all variants were built.

Operational history

Overseas sales were a little better, with 29 bought by the government of the Netherlands East Indies. South African Airways

South African Airways

South African Airways is the national flag carrier and largest airline of South Africa, with headquarters in Airways Park on the grounds of OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng. The airline flies to 36 destinations worldwide from its hub at OR Tambo International...

 (21), Trans-Canada Air Lines

Trans-Canada Air Lines

Trans-Canada Air Lines was a Canadian airline and operated as the country's flag carrier. Its corporate headquarters were in Montreal, Quebec...

 (12) and BOAC

British Overseas Airways Corporation

The British Overseas Airways Corporation was the British state airline from 1939 until 1946 and the long-haul British state airline from 1946 to 1974. The company started life with a merger between Imperial Airways Ltd. and British Airways Ltd...

 (9) were the biggest airline customers. Various Pratt & Whitney

Pratt & Whitney

Pratt & Whitney is a U.S.-based aerospace manufacturer with global service operations. It is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation . Pratt & Whitney's aircraft engines are widely used in both civil aviation and military aviation. Its headquarters are in East Hartford, Connecticut, USA...

 and Wright Cyclone

Wright Cyclone

Wright Cyclone was the name given to a family of air-cooled radial piston engines designed by Curtiss-Wright and used in numerous American aircraft in the 1930s and 1940s.-Background:...

 powerplants were installed.

When the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 started to build up its military air strength in 1940–41, American operated, plus many new-build Lodestars were flown by the Army Air Force and U.S. Navy under various designations. Lend-lease aircraft were used by the RNZAF as transports.

After the war Lodestars returned to civilian service, mostly as executive transports such as Dallas Aero Service's DAS Dalaero conversion, Bill Lear

Bill Lear

William Powell Lear was an American inventor and businessman. He is best known for founding the Lear Jet Corporation, a manufacturer of business jets...

's Learstar (produced by PacAero), and Howard Aero's Howard 250. A few of the latter were even converted to tricycle undercarriage.

Many of the New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 aircraft were later used for aerial topdressing.

A single Lodestar served with the Israeli Air Force

Israeli Air Force

The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...

 during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War

1948 Arab-Israeli War

The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...

.

A number of skydiving operations in the United States used Lodestars during the 1970s and 1980s.

Survivors

Around 10-15 are still airworthy in the USA alone. An example of a Lodestar converted for commercial use exists at the 1940 Air Terminal Museum

1940 Air Terminal Museum

The 1940 Air Terminal Museum is a museum located in Houston, Texas, United States at William P. Hobby Airport. Collections are housed in the original art deco building which served as the first terminal for passenger flight in Houston...

 in Houston, Texas.

Variants

18-07

Powered by two 875hp Pratt & Whitney Hornet S1E2-G engines; 25 built plus two prototypes.

18-08

Powered by two 1200hp Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp S1C3-G engines; 33 built.

18-10

Powered by two 1200hp Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp S1C3-G engines; 39 built.

18-14

Powered by two 1200hp Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp S4C4-G engines; four built.

18-40

Powered by two 1200hp Wright Cyclone G-1820-G104A engines; 26 built.

18-50

Powered by two 1200hp Wright Cyclone G-1820-G202A engines; 13 built.

US Army Lodestars

C-56

Powered by 1200hp Wright 1820-89

Wright R-1820

|-See also:-References:* Bridgman, L, Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. Crescent. ISBN 0-517-67964-7* Eden, Paul & Soph Moeng, The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Amber Books Ltd. Bradley's Close, 74-77 White Lion Street, London, NI 9PF, 2002, ISBN 0-7607-3432-1), 1152...

 engines, one Model 18-50 for evaluation.

C-56A

One impressed Model 18-07 with two Pratt & Whitney R-1690-54

Pratt & Whitney R-1690

|-See also:-External links:*...

 engines.

C-56B

Thirteen impressed Model 18-40s with two Wright 1820-97

Wright R-1820

|-See also:-References:* Bridgman, L, Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. Crescent. ISBN 0-517-67964-7* Eden, Paul & Soph Moeng, The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Amber Books Ltd. Bradley's Close, 74-77 White Lion Street, London, NI 9PF, 2002, ISBN 0-7607-3432-1), 1152...

 engines.

C-56C

Twelve impressed Model 18-07.

C-56D

Seven impressed Model 18-08.

C-56E

Two Model 18-40s impressed in 1943.

C-57

As Model 18-14 powered by two 1,200hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830-53 engines.

C-57A

Allocated for impressed aircraft, not used.

C-57B

Based on Model 18-08 fitted for trooping; seven aircraft built.

C-57C

Repowered C-60A with Pratt & Whitney R-1830-51 engines; three aircraft converted.

C-57D

Repowered C-57C with Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 engines; one aircraft converted.

C-59

Based on Model 18-07 powered by Pratt & Whitney R-1690-25

Pratt & Whitney R-1690

|-See also:-External links:*...

 Hornet engines; 10 aircraft built, transferred to Royal Air Force as Lodestar IA.

C-60

Model 18-56 powered by Wright R-1820-87 engines; 36 aircraft built, some transferred to RAF as Lodestar II.

C-60A

As the C-60 but fitted out as a paratroop transport powered by Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp engines; 325 aircraft built.

XC-60B

One C-60A fitted with experimental de-icing equipment.

C-60C

Proposed 21-seat troop transport aircraft, never built.

C-66

Powered by Wright R-1820-87 engines; one aircraft built, 11-passenger interior for transfer to the Brazilian Air Force

Brazilian Air Force

The Brazilian Air Force is the air branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces and one of the three national uniformed services. The FAB was formed when the Army and Navy air branch were merged into a single military force initially called "National Air Forces"...

.

C-104

Original designation for C-60C

US Navy Lodestars

XR5O-1

One Model 18-07 acquired for evaluation powered by 1,200 hp (895 kW) Wright R-1820-40 engines.

R5O-1

Staff transport powered by 1,200 hp (895 kW) Wright R-1820-97 engines; three aircraft built, two for the USN and one for the United States Coast Guard

United States Coast Guard

The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...

.

R5O-2

Navy version of the C-59 powered by 850 hp (634 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1690-25 engines; one aircraft built.

R5O-3

Powered by 1,200 hp (895 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1830-34A engines. Originally 4-seater VIP transports; three aircraft built.

R5O-4

Powered by 1,200 hp (895 kW) Wright R-1820-40 engines. Impressed. 7-seater staff transports; 12 aircraft built.

R5O-5

Navy version of the C-60 powered by 1,200 hp (895 kW) Wright R-1820-40 engines. Similar to the R5O-4 but had 14-seats; 38 aircraft built and three former NEIAF aircraft.

R5O-6

Navy version of the C-60A for the US Marine Corps, equipped with 18 paratroop seats; 35 built.

Operators

Civil operators

• Trans-Australia Airlines
  Trans Australia Airlines
  Trans Australia Airlines or TAA, was one of the two major Australian domestic airlines between its inception in 1946 and its sale to Qantas in May 1996. During that period TAA played a major part in the development of the Australian air transport industry...
  
   (TAA) (two, operated 1952–1953)

• SABENA
  Sabena
  SABENA was the national airline of Belgium from 1923 to 2001, with its base at Brussels National Airport. After its bankruptcy in 2001, the newly formed SN Brussels Airlines took over part of SABENA's assets in February 2002, which then became Brussels Airlines...
  
   (mainly in Africa)

• Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano
  Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano
  Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano S.A. was an airline serving as flag carrier of Bolivia. It operated domestic and international flights, aiming at passenger as well as cargo transport. LAB was active for more than 80 years, having been based in Cochabamba most of the time, with Cochabamba Airport being an...
  
   (LAB)

• Linhas Aéreas Wright
  Linhas Aéreas Wright
  Linhas Aéreas Wright Ltda was a Brazilian airline formed in 1947. In 1948 it was sold to Real Transportes Aéreos.-History:Linhas Aéreas Wright was formed on April 1, 1947 by Francisco Ribeiro Wright and his brother and business partner. It had a fleet of two Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar aircraft...
  
  
• NAB – Navegação Aérea Brasileira
  NAB – Navegação Aérea Brasileira
  NAB – Navegação Aérea Brasileira was a Brazilian airline founded in 1940. In 1961 it was sold to Lóide Aéreo Nacional.-History:NAB was founded on January 28, 1940. The three original associates Orsini de Araújo Coriolano, Paulo da Rocha Viana, and Euvaldo Lodi initially invested heavily in...
  
  
• Panair do Brasil
  Panair do Brasil
  Panair do Brasil is a defunct airline of Brazil. Between 1945 and 1965 it was considered to be the largest carrier not only in Brazil but in all of Latin America.-NYRBA do Brasil :...
  
   (6 Model 18-10s delivered new)
• SAVAG (Sociedade Anônima Viação Aérea Gaúcha) (2 Model 18-10s bought from Panair do Brasil)
• Transportes Aéreos Universal
• Viação Aérea Bahiana
  Viação Aérea Bahiana
  Viação Aérea Bahiana was a Brazilian airline founded in 1945. It ceased operations on November 4, 1948.-History:Viação Aérea Bahiana was founded on December 12, 1945 and flights started in February 1946...
  
  

 Canada

• Trans-Canada Air Lines
  Trans-Canada Air Lines
  Trans-Canada Air Lines was a Canadian airline and operated as the country's flag carrier. Its corporate headquarters were in Montreal, Quebec...
  
   (12 Model 18-10s delivered new)
• Yukon Southern Air Transport (Two Model 18-10s delivered new)
• Canadian Pacific Air Lines (purchased Yukon Southern Air Transport in 1941)

• Línea Aérea Nacional
  LAN Airlines
  LAN Airlines S.A. is an airline based in Santiago, Chile. LAN is currently positioned amongst the largest airlines in Latin America, serving Latin America, United States, the Caribbean, Oceania, and Europe. It is a member of the Oneworld airline alliance...
  
   (LAN) (1943–1953)
• CINTA Chilean Airlines (1953–1959)

• Karhumäki Airways

• Air Afrique
  Air Afrique
  Air Afrique was a Pan-African airline, that was mainly owned by many West African countries for most of its history. It was established as the official transnational carrier for francophone West and Central Africa, because many of these countries did not have the capability to create and maintain a...
  
   (the prewar airline, unrelated to the postwar airline of the same name) (Five Model 18-07s delivered new)
• Air France
  Air France
  Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
  
   (Three Model 18-07s delivered new)
• Aero Africaine (part of Société Africaine des Transports Tropicaux (SATT), based in Algeria
  Algeria
  Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
  
  )

• TACA Airways System

 Kenya,  Tanganyika, and  Uganda

• East African Airways
  East African Airways
  East African Airways Corp. was an airline jointly run by three countries in East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania; and Uganda, which were then part of an East African Community. The airline was headquartered in the Sadler House in Nairobi, Kenya...
  
  

• Union Airways of New Zealand (1945–1947)
• National Airways Corporation
  National Airways Corporation
  National Airways Corporation was the national domestic airline of New Zealand from 1947 until 1978 when it amalgamated with New Zealand's international airline, Air New Zealand. The airline was headquartered in Wellington...
  
   (post 1947)

• Aero Portuguesa
  Aero Portuguesa
  The Aero Portuguesa was the first airline of Portugal with regular international services....
  
  
• DETA Mozambique Airways
  LAM Mozambique Airlines
  Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique, Ltd., operating as LAMMozambique Airlines , is the flag carrier of Mozambique. Based in Maputo, it operates scheduled services in southern Africa and Europe under the IATA airline code TM and the ICAO airline code LAM, its callsign being MOZAMBIQUE.The carrier is a...
  
   (serving Portugal's colony of Mozambique)

 South Africa

• South African Airways
  South African Airways
  South African Airways is the national flag carrier and largest airline of South Africa, with headquarters in Airways Park on the grounds of OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng. The airline flies to 36 destinations worldwide from its hub at OR Tambo International...
  
   (21 Model 18-08s delivered new)
• Commercial Air Services
  Comair (South Africa)
  Comair is an airline based in South Africa. It operates scheduled services on domestic trunk routes as a British Airways franchisee and an affiliate member of the Oneworld airline alliance. Its main base is OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, with hubs at Cape Town International Airport...
  
   operated two aircraft.

 Trinidad and Tobago

• British West Indian Airways

• BOAC
  British Overseas Airways Corporation
  The British Overseas Airways Corporation was the British state airline from 1939 until 1946 and the long-haul British state airline from 1946 to 1974. The company started life with a merger between Imperial Airways Ltd. and British Airways Ltd...
  
   (British Overseas Airways Corporation) (Nine Model 18-07s delivered new)

• Continental Air Lines (Five Model 18-08s delivered new)
• Mid-Continent Airlines
  Mid-Continent Airlines
  Mid-Continent Airlines operated in the central United States through the 1930s until merging with Braniff Airlines in 1952.The company was founded in 1928 in Sioux City, Iowa as Hanford's Tri-State Airlines by Arthur Hanford, Jr., who offered charter service and scheduled flights from Sioux City to...
  
   (Four Model 18-07s delivered new)
• National Airlines
  National Airlines (NA)
  National Airlines was an airline founded in 1934 and was headquartered on the grounds of Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States near Miami.- History :...
  
   (Three Model 18-50s delivered new)
• Pan American Airways
  Pan American World Airways
  Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States from 1927 until its collapse on December 4, 1991...
  
   (Alaska Division only) (Six Model 18-10s delivered new)
• United Air Lines (Four Model 18-10s delivered new)
• Inland Air Lines (One Model 18-08 delivered new)
• Western Air Lines (purchased Inland Air Lines in 1944 and operated it as a separate division)
• Alaska Star Airlines (renamed to Alaska Airlines
  Alaska Airlines
  Alaska Airlines is an airline based in the Seattle suburb of SeaTac, Washington in the United States. The airline originated in 1932 as McGee Airways. After many mergers with and acquisitions of other airlines, including Star Air Service, it became known as Alaska Airlines in 1944...
  
   in 1944) (one Model 18-56)
• Caribbean-Atlantic Airlines
  Caribair (Puerto Rico)
  Caribair was a major airline that flew out of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It was the first Puerto Rican airline to use jet aircraft for their services.-History:...
  
   (in Puerto Rico
  Puerto Rico
  Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
  
   and the U.S. Virgin Islands)

• Línea Aeropostal Venezolana (LAV) (One Model 18-10 delivered new)

Military operators

• Royal Australian Air Force
  Royal Australian Air Force
  The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
  
  

• Brazilian Air Force
  Brazilian Air Force
  The Brazilian Air Force is the air branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces and one of the three national uniformed services. The FAB was formed when the Army and Navy air branch were merged into a single military force initially called "National Air Forces"...
  
   (Seven × C-60A and one C-66)

 Canada

• Royal Canadian Air Force
  Royal Canadian Air Force
  The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
  
   (18 × C-60A)
  • No. 164 Squadron RCAF
    No. 164 Squadron RCAF
    No. 164 Squadron was a transportation squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force that formed at Moncton, New Brunswick in January 1943. It was the primary source of crews and aircraft for airlift within Canada....
    
    
  • No. 165 Squadron RCAF

• Colombian Air Force
  Colombian Air Force
  The Colombian Air Force or FAC is the Air Force of the Republic of Colombia.The Colombian Air Force is one of the three institutions of the Armed Forces of Colombia, charge according to the 1991 Constitution of the work to exercise and maintain control of Colombia's airspace to defend the...
  
   (C-60 as VIP transport)

 Haiti

• Armed Forces of Haiti
  Armed Forces of Haiti
  The Armed Forces of Haiti, , consisted of the Haitian Army, Haitian Navy , Haitian Coast Guard, the Haitian Air Force, and some police forces . The Army was always the dominant service with the others serving primarily in a support role...
  
  

• Israeli Air Force
  Israeli Air Force
  The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
  
  

• Royal Netherlands East Indies Air Force (20 Model 18-40s and nine Model 18-50s delivered)

• Royal New Zealand Air Force
  Royal New Zealand Air Force
  The Royal New Zealand Air Force is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
  
  
  • No. 40 Squadron RNZAF
    No. 40 Squadron RNZAF
    No. 40 Squadron RNZAF is a transport squadron in the Royal New Zealand Air Force. It remains on active duty.- Origins :...
    
    
  • No. 41 Squadron RNZAF

• Norwegian Air Force (Three delivered to the Norwegian government in exile)

 South Africa

• South African Air Force
  South African Air Force
  The South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...
  
  

• Royal Air Force
  Royal Air Force
  The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
  
  

 United States

• United States Army Air Corps
  United States Army Air Corps
  The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
  
  
• United States Navy
  United States Navy
  The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
  
  
• United States Marine Corps
  United States Marine Corps
  The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
  
  
• United States Coast Guard
  United States Coast Guard
  The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
  
  

Specifications (C-60A-5)

See also