The real aircraft
=================
N6905C "Star of the Rhone" (A) was a Lockheed 1049, the first Super Constellation, underpowered at 2700 HP (like the
1049A military).  Sold to Eastern and TWA (B,C), it could fly non-stop Los Angeles to New York.

The turbo-compound engine (3250 HP with boost stage) appears with the 1049B (military C121), and 1049C (civilian).
With favourable westerly winds, the 1049C could cross the Atlantic from the west.
Only the DC-7 and 1649 (Starliner) could fly non-stop the Atlantic by all weather.

The 1049G is slightly longer, with optional fuel tanks at wing tip.

N6905C, as serial number 4019 (B), is a model 1049-54-80 (D) (domestic or international configuration), recognizable
by the holes of passenger windows. 
The 1049 also has a distinctive round nose (A)(E), like its predecessor 749, while a conic nose appears among its
successors (which ?) (F), announcing the 1649.


Model
=====
The following proportions are respected :
- overall length and width.
- in length : wing 3/6, rudder 5/6.
- in height : fuselage maximum / gear clearance 11.6/7.
- relative length : cockpit window / cockpit 7/25, cockpit / till propeller cone 25/80.
- in fuselage height : passenger window 13/27 (bottom) to 17/27 (top),
                       cockpit window 15/27 (bottom) to 20/27 (top).     
- in propeller diameter : engine 1/3.

For the transparency, propeller discs must be the last of the file (all other objects belong to a
fuselage group at the export).

VRP
...
The model is aligned vertically along the nose axis, but is still centered horizontally on the center of gravity :
- that is more handy with the Blender grid. 
- the alignment of VRP to the nose tip is finished by XML (horizontal offset).

Texturing
---------
The double red line, the grey ellipse below the fuselage (except the rounded ends), are delimited by the mesh.

Wings :
- map the right wing.
- mirror to the left wing, and map "TWA" above it.
- map "TWA" below the right wing.

Colours inspired by N6937C (F) :
- blade tips. (red and white)
- interior (beige).


TO DO
=====


Known problems
==============

Known problems TWA livery
-------------------------
- since the livery is not a skin, it would be difficult to repaint it.


References
==========
(A) http://www.airliners.net/open.file/099490/L/ :
    L1049, Star of the Rhone, Los Angeles, 1957.

(B) http://www.geocities.com/~aeromoe/fleets/tw.html/ :
    TWA.

(C) http://www.geocities.com/~aeromoe/fleets/calhaw.html/ :
    sold to California Hawaiian.

(D) http://www.aerotransport.org/php/go.php?q=regn+N6905C :
    model L1049-54-80.

(E) http://www.airliners.net/open.file/099489/L/ :
    L1049, Star of Sicily, Los Angeles, 1957.

(F) http://www.conniesurvivors.com/N6937C.htm/ :
    L1049H.

    http://www.eflightmanuals.com/ :
    Lockheed Flight manual.


Credits
-------
http://www.usflag.org/ : the 49 stars flag (1957 livery).


GPL licence
===========
Contact devel-list for the .blend file (Blender 2.36).


10 August 2005.
