[...] Meanwhile, ship No. 2 was completed as a luxury passenger version with cargo space on the lower deck only. It was completely outfitted during construction so that it would be ready for immediate service upon delivery. It was flown for the first time June 9. 1948, and on July 25 made a non-stop flight from Moffett Field, California to Patuxent River, Md., covering the 2600 mi. in 10 hr. 20 min., with a crew of 35-23 Navy and 12 Lockheed personnel.
The huge plane was formally christened by Mrs. John L. Sullivan, wife of the Navy Secretary, on July 29 at Washington National Airport. It will enter operational service as a luxury personnel transport with provisions for 92 passengers on the upper deck, 7375 cu. ft. (40,000 lb.) of cargo space on the lower deck, and a crew of 12 (six on duty, six off).
Compartmentation — The fuselage is divided into a nose wheel compartment, forward lower cargo deck, rear lower cargo deck, flight deck, and passenger and aft fuselage compartments. All areas, with exception of the nose wheel space and aft fuselage compartment, are pressurized.
The 12-man crew consists of a captain, pilot, copilot, flight engineer, assistant flight engineer, radio operator, navigator, two flight orderlies and three relief crewmen. Pilot and copilot seats are forward on the flight deck, with conventional flight controls and a control pedestal located between them. The cabin is simple and devoid of other than flight instruments and flight controls. A nose gear steering wheel is located to the left of pilot's knee. The flight engineer's station has engine controls and engine instruments located on a panel in front of him. An open space below the instrument panel allows him to observe the location and movements of the pilot's pedestal controls. To the right is the assistant flight engineers' seat. The radio operator is located behind pilot, the navigator behind the radio operator. Behind these compartments are the crew's quarters, and aft of these is the spacious galley with a 6-cu.ft. electric refrigerator, an electric range with 6 large food drawers, 2 hot plates and a griddle, and a sink with hot and cold running water. The galley permits serving of 300 hot meals per flight and includes cabinets for the storage of dishes, linens, utensils and canned food.
Passenger Accommodations — Main passenger deck is entered either through a forward or central spiral staircase and accommodates 92. Seats are arranged three on the right and two on the left of a wide aisle. It is decorated in a light gray with rugs, seat upholstery and trim in Navy blue. On the forward bulkhead, above the staircase, is a permanent glass case containing a scale model of the original U. S. S. Constitution. Lounges are spacious and well-appointed; the men's lounge is forward and measures 9x8 ft., the women's lounge is aft and measures 9 x 10 ft. The lower deck can be fitted to accommodate 76 passengers - 41 in the forward compartment and 35 aft. The separate compartments are created by the main wing spars passing through the fuselage but a low passageway connects the two. Passengers may be loaded either through the nose wheel well or through the main door aft of the wing trailing edge.
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Aviation Week | August 30, 1940
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