Manufacturer: Lockheed

Model: 598

Name: Super Stardust

Type: VTOL transport

Date:

Status: Operational

Country: United States

Service: Commercial (TWA)

Designation: none

The Lockheed Stardust (Model 098) and Super Stardust (Model 598) were revolutionary VTOL passenger transports used by TWA in the mid-1960s and using technology developed for the Bell-Lockheed D-2064 assault transport project. These caused quite a commotion when they appeared and passengers mostly shied away from such revolutionary technology. Consequently, TWA reverted back to more traditional aircraft very soon.

I started from a Lockheed Constellation's fuselage. I completely redrew the strange T-tail. The cockpit was also reworked. Can't remember exactly where the ducted fans were taken from...

• Boy, I wish this were real!!! Sweet design!!!  Retro, yet cool too!!!  Sorry I haven't said "Hello" for a while. My life's been pretty hectic with getting out of the Navy and becoming a civilian again. (dinobatfan)
• Cool, but it would need wings when flying horizontally. (ONI-Defense)
• Model 98 Stardust is one of favorites. (finsrin)
• The Stardust looks great, when my Super Connies arrive I might have a go and build my own version. (McColm)
• I love the idea of a VTOL-capable airliner. Besides the coolness factor, that would (*maybe*) cause a trend towards smaller airports, and in greater numbers. (Why build an airport with a really long runway when you can just bring your plane in right downtown?) ...Buuut, I can see why folks in your alternate history would be wary of this bird... I'm no aircraft engineer, but the lack of any kind of wings is just... off-putting on a plane like this. Maybe it's just the length of the fuselage... (SomeRandomMinion)
• Wow! This is so revolutionary I just don't understand how it works... What is providing lift during cruise level flight? Mind power of the crew?  (Tophe)

The ducted fans tilt to push the aircraft forward, it's the system tested successfully on the X-22 prototype... So I believe it would work in the same way here, wouldn't it?

Anyway, the Super Stardust seemed like a good idea when I did it... Taking the fuselage of the most elegant 1950s airliner and turning it into a VTOL aircraft with ducted fans was a promising concept, but the result looks way too much like some retro-scifi design to my liking... :(