Lockheed C-60 Lodestar

Country of Origin: United States | Type: Transport

Introduction

A direct development of the Model 14 Super Electra/Hudson series, the Model 18 Lodestar was initially built as a civil transport offering greater passenger capacity that its predecessor. First flown on 21st September 1939, the Lodestar combined the powerplants of the Model 14 (Pratt & Whitney Hornets initially, Wright Cyclones and Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasps later) with a 1.71 metre (5 feet 7 inch) longer fuselage, a wing of similar span but revised planform and increased weights.

Exports

US airlines were not overly interested in the Lodestar as they were queueing up to buy the Douglas DC-3 (military designation C-47 Skytrain/Dakota), but export sales were reasonably strong with 96 ordered by 1941. The design was subsequently adapted for military use and widely used by the USAAF as a general transport, the US Navy as a staff and command transport and also by the RAF, which had four squadrons operating in the Middle East for general transport and air ambulance duties.

US Interest

US interest in the Lodestar began in May 1941 when an initial one C-56 with Cyclone engines and three C-57s with Twin Wasps were ordered. With the USA joining the Second World War in December 1941 many were impressed into service with different powerplants and interior fittings under the designations C-56A/E, C-57B, C-59, C-60, C-66 and C-111. The major new build military version was the C-60A with Cyclone engines and equipped to carry 18 paratroops; the 95 US Navy versions were designated R50-1 to -6, the latter equivalent to the C-60A.

RAF Aircraft

The RAF's aircraft were all impressed ex civil transport aircraft supplied mainly from the USA under Lend-Lease and designated Lodestar I, Ia (equivalent to the C-59), and II (C-60). Although largely unheralded, the Lodestar performed a myriad of invaluable transport duties in World War Two including general, paratroop, VIP, ambulance, cargo and as a glider tug.

Specification

Dimensions

Wingspan: 19.96 metres (65 feet 6 inches)
Length: 15.19 metres (49 feet 10 inches)
Height: 3.61 metres (11 feet 10 inches)

Powerplants

either two 850-875hp (634-652kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1690 Hornet radials with three bladed propellers, or
two 1,100-1,200hp (820-895kW) Wright R-1820 Cyclone nine cylinder radials with three bladed propellers, or
two 1,200hp (895kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp 14-cylinder radials with three bladed propellers