Overview

Lockheed's name is etched in aviation history as a symbol of daring engineering, military power, and boundary-pushing innovation. Yet its ventures into the commercial airliner market tell a story of breathtaking ambition and equally formidable challenges. From the elegant curves of the Constellation, a piston-powered masterpiece that defined luxury air travel in the postwar years, to the advanced but ill-fated TriStar, Lockheed's journey through the skies was as much about corporate risk as technological achievement. This book traces the full arc of Lockheed's commercial aircraft story, beginning with its transition from war contracts to passenger service, through the glamorous era of the Super Constellation, the troubled Electra, and the triumphant yet costly L-1011 TriStar. It examines not only the planes themselves but also the competitive pressures, airline relationships, political negotiations, and market forces that shaped Lockheed's fortunes. Drawing on decades of aviation history, Lockheed's Commercial Gamble captures both the triumphs and missteps of a company that helped redefine global air travel, only to ultimately withdraw from the passenger market. It is a story of innovation, rivalry, risk, and legacy-an essential chronicle for aviation enthusiasts, historians, and anyone intrigued by the high-stakes drama of the aerospace industry.

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9781923570771

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