Lockheed JetStar

History

Jetstar became the first business jet to hit the market in the early 1960s. Originally designed to meet the requirements of the United States Air Force (USAF), this relatively compact luxury aircraft entered production in 1957, and the model has attracted considerable public attention thanks to well-known passengers such as Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra. interest.

It was also used by the main villain in the James Bond film Goldfinger.

Jetstar Background

JetStar was created by Lockheed as a private enterprise to meet the US Air Force's ongoing need for a versatile, all-weather, high-speed platform - capable of handling VIP transport, cargo transport, target towing, high-speed-speed reconnaissance and navigators- Bombardier training. To meet these requirements, two prototypes were built, initially equipped with 2 Bristol Siddeley "Orpheus" turbojets from the United Kingdom.

The first prototype made its maiden flight on September 4, 1957 and demonstrated the rationale for the design, while the second prototype introduced optional streamlined "slipper" fuel tanks on the wings to improve the handling package Wire.

Problems with licensing the UK engine led Lockheed to choose the Pratt & Whitney JT12 turbojet. A total of four PW engines are required to power an aircraft with the expected performance figures compared to two Orpheus engines. An improved aircraft appeared in 1959 with two engines (paired nacelles) on each side of the fuselage.

Over time, budget constraints led the Air Force to forego larger demands, allowing Lockheed to push its nascent jet platform into a potentially lucrative civilian market.

Jetstar Journeys

By design, the aircraft features a short nose cone assembly for good visibility from side-by-side cockpits. The fuselage is usually tubular, lined with rectangular windows. The wing main aircraft is mounted low along the sides of the fuselage and is swept aft for aerodynamic efficiency.

The tail is fitted with the only vertical tail and a low-mounted horizontal plane. The engine is also housed in the section's outboard pod. The landing gear is a traditional tricycle arrangement and is fully retractable. Dimensions include an overall length of 60.4 feet, a wingspan of 54.4 feet and a height of 20.4 feet.

The kerb weight is 25,000 pounds and the MTOW is 44,500 pounds. Internally, two crew members are promoted alongside a flight attendant for optimal operations. The cabin can be comfortably designed for eight to ten people.

The original production model, designated "JetStar I", was powered by the aforementioned Pratt & Whitney JT12A-8 turbojets, each rated at 3,300 pounds of thrust. The expected USAF designation begins with "C-140A" for official flight calibration, which is largely based on the production JetStar I model - five of which were built for service.

Then there was the "C-140B," a passenger and cargo transport method based on the earlier A-type. Five are built to standard. The "VC-140B" is intended as a special VIP passenger model for senior US Air Force personnel and is based on the B model series. Six were built.

The "C-140C" was a pair of Jetstars (known as "UV-1s") partially ordered under the US Navy budget, but never delivered. The "T-40" is a general purpose training platform based on the C-140 design - although not built.

Due to noise limitations in civil airspace, Lockheed developed a "731 JetStar" model as a counter, which involved replacing 2 x PW engines with 4 x Garret TFE731 turbofans - larger external fuel tanks were also introduced for process time and the more subtle changes it brings. With the 4 x Garret engine configuration, the aircraft reaches speeds of 550 mph, flies over 500 mph, has a range of 3,000 miles, and has a service ceiling of 43,000 feet.

The climb rate is 4,150 feet per minute.

"JetStar II" is another Lockheed market product, this variant appeared in 1976 with a newly built airframe and was powered by a Garret TFE731-3 turbofan engine with improved external fuel tanks. The production of the brand is 40 units.

The multifunctional conversion prototype AAI FanStar was developed by AVIC and is designed to supply 2 GE CF34 engines or 4 PW JT12 turbojets or Garrett TFE731 turbofans as required. This proposal does not go beyond a single example.

Total production of the JetStar ended in 1979, with 204 prototypes built by then. Global civilian entrants are Canada, Iraq, Mexico and the United States. In the military field, operators include West Germany, Indonesia, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and the United States.

Specification

Basic

Production

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Dimensions

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Performance

Performance

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Changes