Lufthansa is celebrating a milestone with the roll-out of the legendary Lockheed Super Star following an extensive restoration and assembly carried out by Lufthansa Technik. The Lockheed L-1649A was the flagship of the Lufthansa fleet at the end of the 1950s.
On Monday (January 20, 2025), Lufthansa announced the rollout of a fully-restored Lockheed L-1649A Starliner, which was pulled out of the Lufthansa Technik hangar in Hamburg on its own landing gear on Friday, January 17, 2025. This aircraft type served as the flagship of the Lufthansa fleet at the end of the 1950s under the name ‘Super Star.’ Lufthansa took delivery of their first Lockheed Starliner in 1957, which offered the exclusive and luxurious Senator Class for the first time. This service was focused on Lufthansa’s Connection to Idlewild Airport in New York (now JFK), which could be flown nonstop across the Atlantic. The Lockheed L-1649A Starliner was the final derivative in the legendary ‘Constellation’ Family of aircraft.
A technical marvel, the L-1649A was powered by four piston engines, marking the end of the era of classic propeller-driven aircraft on the North Atlantic routes. These long-haul flights departed Hamburg, where Lufthansa’s maintenance base was also located, and lasted up to 17 hours. This unique restoration project has also been made possible with the support of the Deutsche Lufthansa Berlin-Stiftung, a charitable foundation.
During the restoration, Lufthansa Technik’s Hamburg team faced a number of challenges, including the precise assembly of several large components. In October 2023, Lufthansa Technik took delivery of the fuselage, wings, and iconic triple tail, as well as 292 wooden crates filled with smaller parts. One special feature of the non-airworthy assembly is that the cockpit is as true as possible to the original 1950s configuration. The lighting and controls are functional, while cable pulls make the flaps and rudders moveable.
Lufthansa Rolls Out Restored Lockheed L-1649A in Hamburg on Friday January 17, 2025 - Courtesy Lufthansa
Following the rollout, the aircraft will once again be dismantled before being transported to Münster/Osnabrück Airport in July, where it will be repainted in vintage Lufthansa livery, and fitted with a 1950s-era cabin. Although the cabin will be based on the style of the 1950s, it will also feature some modern technologies. For example, the seats will come from an earlier Lufthansa Airbus A340, which have been elaborately redesigned and upholstered in wine-red leather. The carpet and curtains will also be based on vintage patterns.
Once painted and fitted out, the Lockheed Super Star is scheduled to arrive in Frankfurt in October 2025. Together with the legendary Junkers Ju 52 D-AQUI, the Lockheed L-1649A Super Star will become the main attraction at Lufthansa Group’s new conference and visitor center. This facility is scheduled to open in spring 2026, just in time for the 100th anniversary of Lufthansa’s founding. Since the building will feature a glass façade, the aircraft will also be visible from outside.