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 (max fuel).

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 (KLM,
New-York - Amsterdam, 15 August 1953 (D)).
- with the 1049C, TWA entered regular service between New York and Los Angeles
(max payload, 19 October 1953 (E)).
- with the 1049G, slightly longer, with optional fuel tanks at wing tip, TWA entered transatlantic service.
Only the DC-7 and 1649 (Starliner) could fly non-stop the Atlantic by all weather.


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

1049-54-80 (I) having the same fuel quantity than the 1049C (thanks to optional center tank 5),
should have the same at the edge range (KJFK - EHAM), though never used in practice;
the 1890 NM range at max payload (J) would be without tank 5 (not enough for KJFK - KLAX).


Model
=====
The following proportions are respected (1 Blender unit = 1 m) :
- 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.

The door animation controls the 3D cockpit fitting.

Inspired by N6937C (H) :
- navigator station.


Transparency
------------
Propeller discs must be the last of the file :
- all other objects belong to a fuselage or cockpit group at the export.
- for windows transparency, cockpit is the parent of fuselage.
- for selection during design, cockpit and fuselage are in separate layers
  (one cannot use a group to isolate the cockpit).


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 flag on the right side is reversed (A).

Cockpit objects have a Blender material, to improve the solid view :
swap back to the default white, when a clear texture is lost.

Colours inspired by N6937C (H) :
- blade tips (red and white).
- cockpit (green, black, beige and metallic).
- seat (metallic, grey and beige).
- yoke (black and blue).
- levers (metallic, red and yellow).

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

Wings :
- map the right wing.
- reverse scale to the left wing (inversed normals), and map "TWA" above it.
- map "TWA" below the right wing.

The cockpit texture without alpha makes the 2D instruments visible on a panel;
the other texture with alpha is for clipping.


TO DO
=====
- external lights.
- gear compression.
- smoke at engine start.
- door to the crew compartment.
- radio and navigator seats.


Known problems
==============
- front gear inner struts crosses the fuselage.
- the livery is difficult to repaint (not a skin).
- doors too thick ?


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.berlin-spotter.de/airlines/klm.htm :

(E) http://www.strijdbewijs.nl/birds/constellation/connie.htm :

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

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

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

(I) http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgMakeModel.nsf/MainFrame?OpenFrameSet :
    (FAA certificate, 6a5 - 14 may 1952).

(J) http://www.airliners.net/discussions/general_aviation/read.main/1738757/4/ :

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


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


Made with Blender 2.43.


16 March 2007.
