Jetrader - Winter 2015 - 44

Upon taking possession of the aircraft
in April 1930, the Lindberghs took off from
Glendale and set a new transcontinental
record time by arriving in New York in 14
hours 45 minutes. In this same aircraft, fitted with floats, the Lindberghs conducted
survey flights for Pan American Airways,
including their flight to China made famous
in Anne's book, North to the Orient. Their aircraft is now in the collection of the National
Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
There were 14 more Sirius aircraft, some
sold to aviators with colorful reputations,

and at least one was modified into a fighterbomber for use in the Spanish Civil War.

Lockheed Altair
The Altair was a further development of
the Sirius, with the same tandem cockpit
and low wing but using retractable landing gear. With that feature, more speed
records were broken. Five Sirius models
were converted to Altairs, and six others
were factory-built. The best-known Altair
is probably the one acquired by Charles
Kingsford Smith, named Lady Southern

Lindbergh's Lockheed Sirius with the tandem
cockpit enclosure and pontoons. Photo: SDASM.

Cross, and flown from Australia via Fiji and
Hawaii to California in 1934. A year later,
the newly dubbed Sir Charles used the same
Altair for an attempt to fly from England to
Australia, but sadly disappeared somewhere
near Singapore.

Lockheed Orion
The Orion was the last of the Vega
derivatives. Like the Explorer, Sirius and
Altair, the Orion featured a low-wing configuration, and retractable landing gear
was standard. The cockpit was behind
the engine like the original Vega, with
a six-passenger cabin below and behind
the pilot. Thirty-five were delivered,
available in seven different models, with
some models being offered in as many as
four variants.
Orions served with airlines, such as
Swissair, Pan American, Northwest
Airways, Continental Airlines and
Transcontinental & Western Air (the precursor of TWA), while several other Orions
saw action in the Spanish Civil War. One
Altair, converted to an Orion, was purchased by Shell Petroleum in 1932 for
publicity flying, with Jimmy Doolittle as
the company pilot. That aircraft was eventually restored and is now displayed in the
Swiss Museum of Transport in Swissair's
original livery colors.

Offering cost effective, end of life strategies
for airlines and lessors.
Asset Acquisition:
Resources and experience to maximize your cash ﬂow
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Engines & Aircraft:
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Oh, My! It Was Grand!
The Vega and its cousins, 198 in all,
were the last of the classic wooden airplanes. Lockheed went on to design and
build thousands of other aircraft. Some,
like the P-38, P-80, F-104 and SR-71,
were very fast, confirming the original
Vega motto: "It takes a Lockheed to beat
a Lockheed."

Contact Ken De Jaeger at ken@contrail.com or Joe Kuhn at
joe@contrail.com to discuss options for your CFM56/V2500
engines and/or 737 & A320 aircraft.

Building lasting relationships with asset owners
one aircraft, one engine at a time

Sources

Lockheed Aircraft since 1913, Rene J Francillon, Naval
Institute Press, 1982.
Revolution in the Sky, the Lockheeds of Aviation's Golden
Age, Richard Sanders Allen, Orion Books, 1988.

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Jetrader - Winter 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Jetrader - Winter 2015