HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Lockheed JetStar (company designations L-329 and L-1329; designated C-140 in US military service) is a
business jet A business jet, private jet, or bizjet is a jet aircraft designed for transporting small groups of people. Business jets may be adapted for other roles, such as the evacuation of casualties or express parcel deliveries, and some are used by pu ...
produced from the early 1960s to the 1970s. The JetStar was the first dedicated business jet to enter service, as well as the only such airplane built by Lockheed. It was also one of the largest aircraft in the class for many years, seating ten plus two crew. It is distinguishable from other small jets by its four engines, mounted on the rear of the fuselage, and the "slipper"-style fuel tanks fixed to the wings.


Development

The JetStar originated as a private project within Lockheed, with an eye to winning a
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Si ...
(USAF) requirement that was later dropped due to budget cuts. Lockheed decided to continue the project on its own for the business market. The first two prototypes were equipped with two
Bristol Siddeley Orpheus The Bristol Siddeley Orpheus was a single-spool turbojet developed by Bristol Siddeley for various light fighter/trainer applications such as the Folland Gnat and the Fiat G.91. Later, the Orpheus formed the core of the first Bristol Pegasus ...
engines, the first of these flying on 4 September 1957. The second of these was also equipped with the wing-mounted "slipper tanks", which was originally to be an option. Lockheed attempted to arrange a contract to produce the Orpheus in the US, but when these negotiations failed it re-engined the second prototype with four Pratt & Whitney JT12s in 1959. The outer engines were mounted beside the inner ones, an arrangement that was later used on the Vickers VC10 and
Ilyushin Il-62 The Ilyushin Il-62 (russian: Илью́шин Ил-62; NATO reporting name: Classic) is a Soviet long-range narrow-body jetliner conceived in 1960 by Ilyushin. As successor to the popular turboprop Il-18 and with capacity for almost 200 pas ...
airliners. The slipper tanks were removed and placed on the first prototype. The JT12 fit proved successful and was selected for the production versions, the first of which flew in mid 1960. These versions entered commercial service in 1961. Noise regulations in the United States and high fuel consumption led to the development of the 731 JetStar, a modification program which added new Garrett TFE731
turbofan The turbofan or fanjet is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used in aircraft engine, aircraft propulsion. The word "turbofan" is a portmanteau of "turbine" and "fan": the ''turbo'' portion refers to a gas turbine engine which ac ...
engines with a number of detail changes. It has redesigned larger external fuel tanks that sit with their upper surfaces flush with the wing, rather than being centered on it. The cockpit area has a somewhat more "modern" looking nose and window arrangement. The 731 JetStar modification program was so successful that Lockheed produced 40 new JetStars, designated the JetStar II, from 1976 to 1979. The JetStar IIs were factory-new aircraft with the turbofan engines and revised external fuel tanks. Both 731 JetStars and JetStar IIs have greatly increased range, reduced noise, and better runway performance compared to the original JetStars. JetStar production totaled 204 aircraft by final delivery in 1978. Most original JetStars have been retired, but many 731 JetStars and JetStar IIs are still flying in various roles, mainly as corporate and private jets.


Design

The JetStar has a fairly typical business jet design layout, with a
swept wing A swept wing is a wing that angles either backward or occasionally forward from its root rather than in a straight sideways direction. Swept wings have been flown since the pioneer days of aviation. Wing sweep at high speeds was first investiga ...
and a cruciform tail. The wing has a 30° sweepback and features large fuel tanks at about half-span, extending some distance in front and behind the wing. The wings hold 10,000 pounds of fuel, and each slipper tank holds 4,000 pounds of fuel for a total fuel load of 18,000 pounds. The wing also includes leading edge flaps (not slats) along the front of the wing outboard of the tanks (these leading edge flaps reduce the stalling speed by an additional three knots), while double-slotted trailing edge flaps span the entire rear surface inboard of the ailerons. The wing incorporates inflatable rubber deicing boots for the removal of ice accumulated in flight. The
horizontal stabilizer A tailplane, also known as a horizontal stabiliser, is a small lifting surface located on the tail (empennage) behind the main lifting surfaces of a fixed-wing aircraft as well as other non-fixed-wing aircraft such as helicopters and gyroplan ...
is mounted nearly halfway up the fin to keep it clear of the engines' jet blast. One feature is that the horizontal stabilizer is trimmable by pivoting the entire tail fin and stabilizer assembly, which has a distinctive unpainted area at the base of the fin that is noticeable in most pictures. The JetStar does not have any tail deicing capability, nor was it required for certification. A speed brake is located on the underside of the fuselage to aid deceleration for landing. The original prototypes used a tricycle landing gear with one wheel per leg, but after an accident in 1962 the nose gear was modified with two tires. The JetStar is a relatively heavy aircraft for its class, at 44,500 lb (19,278 kg). Maximum cruising speed is Mach 0.8, or 567 mph (912 km/h) at 21,000 ft (6,401 m). Range is typically quoted as 2,500 mi (4,023 km) with a 3,500 lb (1,588 kg) payload. Typically, interiors feature seating for eight with a full-sized lavatory, or a slightly denser arrangement for ten. The JetStar is one of the few aircraft of its class which allow a person to walk upright in the cabin, although to do this the aisle is sunk slightly so that the seats are raised on either side. The windows are relatively large.


Operational history

The first prototype served as the personal transport of Lockheed's Vice President of Advanced Development Projects Kelly Johnson for some time.
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the " King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. His ener ...
owned two JetStars at different times; the second was named ''Hound Dog II'' and is on display at Graceland. Frank Sinatra also owned one. Additionally, one JetStar belonged to U.S. President
Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
, then to the Shah of Iran and finally, to Puerto Rican boy band Menudo. Sixteen JetStars were produced for the USAF; five ''C-140As'' were flight inspection aircraft for the Air Force Communications Service and were used to perform airborne testing of airport navigational aids (navaids) from 1962 onwards. They began service during the Vietnam War and remained in service until the early 1990s. The "Flight Check" C-140As were combat-coded aircraft that could be distinguished from the VIP transport version by their distinctive paint scheme. The C-140As were deployed to southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, where, in addition to their more usual navaid testing, they would loiter off the coast and act as communications relays between the Pentagon and the battlefield. The last C-140A to be retired was placed on static display at Scott AFB, Illinois. An additional eleven airframes were designated ''C-140B'', although the first of these predated the C-140As when it was delivered in 1961. The C-140Bs were used to transport personnel by the Military Airlift Command. Six of the aircraft (tail numbers 61-2488, 61-2489, 61-2490, 61-2491, 61-2492 and 61-2493) were operated as VIP transports by the 89th Military Airlift Wing at Andrews Air Force Base. These VIP aircraft were designated as ''VC-140Bs''. During the presidency of Jimmy Carter, he used a dedicated VC-140B extensively for short trips and it was known within the Special Air Missions Wing as "Peanut One." Upon retirement, one airframe (#89001) was placed on a static pedestal in front of the Joint Base Andrews air terminal. Members of the VIP transport fleet occasionally served as
Air Force One Air Force One is the official air traffic control designated call sign for a United States Air Force aircraft carrying the president of the United States. In common parlance, the term is used to denote U.S. Air Force aircraft modified and us ...
during the 1970s and 1980s. Several other countries, such as
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...
and
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...
, have used military JetStars as transports for their heads of state,
heads of government The head of government is the highest or the second-highest official in the executive branch of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, autonomous region, or other government who often presides over a cabinet, a ...
, and other VIPs. The last operational JetStar (N313JS) was retired in December 2019 and preserved in Marietta. However, in November 2020, a Jetstar II (N700RM) was flown from Texas to Oregon. That particular aircraft will be disassembled in Klamath Falls. In December 2020, another Jetstar II (N710RM) was also ferried from Conroe, Texas to Klamath Falls, Oregon.


Variants

;JetStar I :Business, executive transport aircraft, with accommodation for a crew of two and ten passengers, powered by four 3,300 lbf (14.7 kN) thrust Pratt & Whitney JT12A-8 turbojet engines. ;JetStar II :New production version, powered by four 3,700 lbf (16.5 kN) thrust Garrett TFE731-3 turbofan engines, and fitted with revised external fuel tanks, 40 built. ;JetStar 731 :Modified version, fitted with four Garrett TFE731-1 turbofan engines, and equipped with redesigned external fuel tanks. ;C-140A :Flight inspection aircraft for the US Air Force, similar to the JetStar I, five built. ;C-140B :Passenger, cargo transport aircraft for the US Air Force, similar to the C-140A, five built. ;VC-140B :VIP transport aircraft for the US Air Force, similar to the C-140B, six built. ;C-140C :Two JetStar 6s were ordered by the United States Navy, originally designated UV-1, but not delivered. ;T-40 :US military designation for a proposed trainer version of the C-140 for evaluation, not built. ;AAI FanStar :Conversion by American Aviation Industries with two
General Electric CF34 The General Electric CF34 is a civilian high-bypass turbofan developed by GE Aircraft Engines from its TF34 military engine. The CF34 is used on a number of business and regional jets, including the Bombardier CRJ series, the Embraer E ...
engines in place of the four JT12 turbojets or TFE731 turbofans which first flew on 5 September 1986. Only one aircraft was converted. The work on the interior of the demonstrator was the subject of litigation in federal court in the late 1980s and early 1990s.


Operators


Civil operators

;Algeria * Air Algérie ;Iraq * Iraqi Airways ;Mexico * TAESA ;Puerto Rico * Menudo ;United States * Eastern Airlines * Great Northern Railway registration N968GN, re-registered as N968BN and N7954S. *
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the " King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. His ener ...
(this JetStar is currently on static display in Graceland in Memphis, TN) *
Southern Air Transport Southern Air Transport (SAT) (1947–1998), based in Miami, Florida, was a cargo airline best known as a front company for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (1960–1973) and for its crucial role in the Iran-Contra scandal in the m ...
* Trans World Airlines (TWA)


Military and government operators

;Canada *
Transport Canada Transport Canada (french: Transports Canada) is the department within the Government of Canada responsible for developing regulations, policies and services of road, rail, marine and air transportation in Canada. It is part of the Transporta ...
former operator ;West Germany *
German Air Force The German Air Force (german: Luftwaffe, lit=air weapon or air arm, ) is the aerial warfare branch of the , the armed forces of Germany. The German Air Force (as part of the ''Bundeswehr'') was founded in 1956 during the era of the Cold War as ...
former operator ;Indonesia * Indonesian Air Force former operator ;Iran *
Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force , patron = , motto = , "Skyhigh is my place" , colours = Ultramarine blue , colours_label = , march = , mascot ...
;Iraq * Iraqi Government ;Kuwait * Kuwait Government ;Libya * Libyan Arab Air Force * Libyan Government ;Mexico * Mexican Air Force ;Saudi Arabia * Royal Saudi Air ForceFrancillon 1982, pp 518–521 ;United States *
Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic ...
(FAA) *
National Aeronautics and Space Administration The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding ...
(NASA) *
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Si ...
(USAF)


Accidents and incidents

*On January 5, 1995 an
Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force , patron = , motto = , "Skyhigh is my place" , colours = Ultramarine blue , colours_label = , march = , mascot ...
(IRIAF) JetStar crashed during an emergency landing, killing all 12 on board including General
Mansour Sattari Mansour Sattari ( fa, منصور ستاری; also Romanized as Mansoor Sattari) (19 May 1948 – 5 January 1995) was an Iranian Air Force Brigadier general. After serving his compulsory military service in the Army Artillery branch, he joine ...
, commander of the IRIAF.


Aircraft on display

;Canada *C-FDTX (c/n 5018) L-1329 Jetstar 6 – The
Canada Aviation and Space Museum The Canada Aviation and Space Museum (french: link=no, Musée de l'Aviation et de l'Espace du Canada) (formerly the Canada Aviation Museum and National Aeronautical Collection) is Canada's national aviation history museum. The museum is locate ...
in Ottawa, has an L-1329 Jetstar 6 that the Department of Transport used to carry government officials and foreign dignitaries. *C-FDTF (c/n 5088) L-1329 Jetstar 6 – The
Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum The Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum is an aerospace museum located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada near the Halifax Stanfield International Airport. History The museum was established in 1977 by a group of volunteers. It opened to the public i ...
has a Jetstar that was used by the Canadian Prime Minister and other government officials. ;Indonesia *A-9446 (c/n 5046) L-1329 Jetstar 6 – Used as VIP aircraft of Indonesian government, nicknamed "Sapta Marga". On display at
Garuda Indonesia Garuda Indonesia is the flag carrier of Indonesia, headquartered at Soekarno–Hatta International Airport. A successor of KLM Interinsulair Bedrijf, it is a member of SkyTeam and the second-largest airline of Indonesia after Lion Air, op ...
Training Centre (GITC) in Duri Kosambi, Cengkareng *A-1645 (c/n 5059) L-1329 Jetstar 6 – Used as VIP aircraft of Indonesian government, nicknamed "Pancasila". On display at
Dirgantara Mandala Museum Dirgantara Mandala Museum, officially known as the Central Museum of Indonesian Air Force "Dirgantara Mandala" is a central museum of the Indonesian Air Force. The museum displays historical exhibits related to the history of the Indonesian Air Fo ...
in
Yogyakarta Yogyakarta (; jv, ꦔꦪꦺꦴꦒꦾꦏꦂꦠ ; pey, Jogjakarta) is the capital city of Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by a monarchy, ...
;Mexico *3908 (c/n 5144) L-1329 Jetstar 8 - On display at the Museo Militar de Aviación at Santa Lucía Air Force Base. ;United Kingdom *N25AG (c/n 5202) L-1329-25 JetStar II - fuselage preserved for guest accommodations at Apple Camping in Redberth,
Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( ; cy, Sir Benfro ) is a county in the south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and the rest by sea. The county is home to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. The Park oc ...
,
Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
. ;United States *N329J (c/n 1001) L-1329 JetStar – The prototype JetStar is undergoing restoration at the Museum of Flight's Restoration Center in
Everett, Washington Everett is the county seat and largest city of Snohomish County, Washington, United States. It is north of Seattle and is one of the main cities in the metropolitan area and the Puget Sound region. Everett is the seventh-largest city in the ...
. This aircraft is one of only two JetStars with only two engines. *N711Z (c/n 1002) L-1329 JetStar - On pylon display in false USAF marking as ''89-001'' near Base Operations and the AMC Air Terminal at Andrews AFB, Maryland. *N814NA (c/n 5003) L-1329 JetStar 6 - Former NASA JetStar is on display at the Joe Davies Heritage Park, Palmdale, California. *N777EP (c/n 5004) L-1329 JetStar 6 - Owned by
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the " King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. His ener ...
in his later years and named ''Hound Dog II'', on display at Graceland, Memphis Tennessee. This is one of two Jetstars owned by Elvis Presley and/or his family. *59-5958 (c/n 5010) C-140A - Displayed at the Travis Air Force Base Heritage Center in Fairfield, California. *61-2488 (c/n 5017) VC-140B – The Museum of Aviation next to Robins Air Force Base has a VC-140B on display. *61-2489 (c/n 5022) VC-140B – Pima Air and Space Museum, adjacent to Davis-Monthan AFB in
Tucson, Arizona , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...
. *61-2490 (c/n 5024) VC-140B - President Lyndon Johnson's JetStar is on display at the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park. *59-5959 (c/n 5026) C-140A - In the Scott Field Heritage Air Park at Scott AFB, Illinois. *61-2492 (c/n 5031) VC-140B - In the Presidential Aircraft collection of the National Museum of the United States Air Force, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. *59-5962 (c/n 5032) C-140A - Preserved at
Edwards Air Force Base Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force installation in California. Most of the base sits in Kern County, but its eastern end is in San Bernardino County and a southern arm is in Los Angeles County. The hub of the base is ...
in Edwards, California. *62-4197 (c/n 5041) C-140B - Pima Air and Space Museum, adjacent to Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Arizona. Aircraft has been given an artistic paintjob, named "Spy Tiger" by artist Andrew Schoultz. *62-4200 (c/n 5044) C-140B - Pima Air and Space Museum, adjacent to Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Arizona. Aircraft has been given an artistic paintjob, named "Back to Supersonica" by artist Kenny Scharf. *62-4201 (c/n 5045) C-140B - Hill Aerospace Museum,
Hill Air Force Base Hill Air Force Base is a major U.S. Air Force (USAF) base located in northern Utah, just south of the city of Ogden, and bordering the Cities of Layton, Clearfield, Riverdale, Roy, and Sunset with its largest border immediately adjacent t ...
,
Ogden, Utah Ogden is a city in and the county seat of Weber County, Utah, United States, approximately east of the Great Salt Lake and north of Salt Lake City. The population was 87,321 in 2020, according to the US Census Bureau, making it Utah's eighth ...
, this was confirmed by former members of the 89th SAM from
Andrews Air Force Base Andrews Air Force Base (Andrews AFB, AAFB) is the airfield portion of Joint Base Andrews, which is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force. In 2009, Andrews Air Force Base merged with Naval Air Facility Washington to form Joint Ba ...
to have carried President Johnson and his wife. *N428DA (c/n 5058) L-1329 JetStar 8 - On display at the Aviation History and Technology Center adjacent to Dobbins Air Reserve Base in
Marietta, Georgia Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Cobb County, Georgia, United States. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 60,972. The 2019 estimate was 60,867, making it one of Atlanta's largest suburbs. Marietta is the fourth largest ...
. *N313JS (c/n 5086) L-1329 JetStar 731 - Preserved for display at the Aviation History and Technology Center adjacent to Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia. *N33SJ (c/n 5087) L-1329 JetStar 731 - Forward fuselage preserved at the
Planes of Fame Museum Planes of Fame Air Museum is an aviation museum in Chino, California,World Wa ...
in Chino, California. Painted in false US Air Force colors. *N511TD (c/n 5145) L-1329 JetStar 8 - On display at the
Greater Saint Louis Air & Space Museum The Greater Saint Louis Air & Space Museum is a museum with the mission to preserve and display historic air and space craft and artifacts, and provide educational programs. Architecture The museum is housed in the Curtiss Wright Hangar number ...
,
Cahokia, Illinois Cahokia was a village in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. It was located east of the Mississippi River in the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, 15,241 people lived in the village, a decline from 16,391 in 20 ...
. *XB-DUH (c/n 5157) L-1329 JetStar 8 - At the entrance to Dodson International Parts in Rantoul, Kansas with false registration N001DI. *N175MD (c/n 5215) L-1329-25 JetStar II – The
Miami Auto Museum The Miami Auto Museum at the Dezer Collection was a privately owned museum in North Miami, Florida, that exhibited automobiles and related memorabilia collected by Michael Dezer. It has closed and is being moved to Orlando, Florida, to be opened ...
in
North Miami North Miami is a suburban city located in northeast Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, about north of Miami. The city lies on Biscayne Bay and hosts the Biscayne Bay Campus of Florida International University, and the North Miami campu ...
,
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...
has a complete JetStar on display inside the museum. *N377SA (c/n 5229) L-1329-25 JetStar II - On display at the Pacific Coast Air Museum in
Santa Rosa, California Santa Rosa ( Spanish for " Saint Rose") is a city and the county seat of Sonoma County, in the North Bay region of the Bay Area in California. Its estimated 2019 population was 178,127. It is the largest city in California's Wine Country and ...
. *N77C (c/n 5232) L-1329-25 JetStar II - On display at the TWA Museum at Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport,
Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the List of United States cities by populat ...
.


Specifications (JetStar II)


Notable appearances in media


See also


References


Notes


Bibliography

* Francillon, René J. ''Lockheed Aircraft since 1913''. London:Putnam, 1982. . * * * Taylor, John W.R. (ed) ''Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1989–90''. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1989. {{DEFAULTSORT:Lockheed Jetstar JetStar 1950s United States business aircraft Quadjets Low-wing aircraft Cruciform tail aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1957