Lockheed Lodestar

The Lockheed 18 Lodestar was a passenger transport aircraft of the Second World War era. The prototype, which first flew in 1939, was constructed from one of a batch of Lockheed L-14 Super Electras which had been returned to the manufacturer by Northwest Airlines after a series of crashes of L-14s. The fuselage was lengthened by 5 feet (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, and Lockheed found the Lodestar difficult to sell at home.

Overseas sales were a little better, with 29 bought by the government of the Netherlands East Indies. South African Airways (21), Trans-Canada Air Lines (12) and BOAC (9) were the biggest airline customers. Various Pratt & Whitney and Wright Cyclone powerplants were installed.

When the United States started to build up its military air strength in 1940-41, American operated and part-built Lodestars were impressed for Army or Navy services under various designations. Lend lease aircraft were used by the RNZAF as transports. Post war, many of the New Zealand aircraft were later used for aerial topdressing.

Lockheed Lodestar
Description
Role	Transport
Crew	3
First flight	September 21, 1939
Entered service	March 30, 1940
Manufacturer	Lockheed
Dimensions
Length	49 ft 10 in	15.2 m
Wingspan	65 ft 6 in	20 m
Height	11 ft 10 in	3.6 m
Wing area	551 ft²	51.2 m²
Weights
Empty	12,000 lb	5,440 kg
Loaded	17,500 lb	7,940 kg
Maximum takeoff	lb	kg
Capacity	14 passengers
Powerplant
Engine	2 × Pratt & Whitney Hornet S1C3-G
Power (each)	1,050 hp	780 kW
Performance
Maximum speed	265 mph @ 13,300 ft	426 km/h @ 4,050 m
Combat range	1,700 miles	2,740 km
Ferry range	km	miles
Service ceiling	25,400 ft	7,740 m
Rate of climb	1,600 ft/min	490 m/min

US Army Lodestars

• C-56 (1) with 760hp Wright R-1820.
• C-56A, C-56B, C-56C, C-56D, C-56E (25 in all) with Pratt & Whitney R-1690
• C-57A, C-57B (1+7) with Pratt & Whitney R-1830. The C-57Bs were converted as troop ships.
• C-57C (3) Repowered C-60A with Pratt & Whitney R-1830-51.
• C-57D (1) Repowered C-57A with Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92.
• C-59 (10) with Pratt & Whitney R-1690 Hornet. Transferred to RAF as Lodestar Mk.IA.
• C-60 (36) with Wright R-1820-87. Transferred to RAF as Lodestar Mk.II.
• C-60A (125) with Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp. Ordered by the Army as troop-carriers.
• XC-60B (1) C-60A with experimental de-icing equipment.
• C-60C (None) Proposed 21-seat troop transport aircraft, never built.
• C-66 (1) as C-60, transferred to Brazilian Air force.

US Navy Lodestars

• XR5O-1 (1) 1,200 hp (895 kW) Wright R-1820-40.
• R5O-1 (3) 1,200 (895 kW) Wright R-1820-97. One was for the US Coast Guard.
• R5O-2 (1) 850 hp (634 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1690-25
• R5O-3 (2) 1,200 hp (895 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1830-34A. Originally 4-seater VIP transports.
• R5O-4 (12) 1,200 hp (895 kW) Wright R-1820-40. Impressed. 7-seater staff transports.
• R5O-5 (14) 1,200 hp (895 kW) Wright R-1820-40. Similar to the R5O-4 but had 14-seats.
• R5O-6 (35) Transferred USAAF C-60A-5-LOs transferred to the USN (US Marine Corps). 18 paratroop seats.

Lodestars also served with the Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force, South African Air Force, plus the Brazilian Air Force, Netherland East Indies Air Force.

A total of 625 Lodestars of all variants were built. After the war they returned to civilian service, mostly as executive transports, or in aerial topdressing. Around 10-15 are still airworthy in the USA alone.