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- Electra history - Airline History
Updated 16.06.2004
70th ANNIVERSARY OF THE LOCKHEED ELECTRA L-10A The Prototype of the 10 Electra reg. X233Y was tested by Marshall Headle at Mines Field, Los Angeles on February 23, 1934. It first went into service with Northwest Airlines in June 1934, and within twelve months they operated a fleet of thirteen aircraft.
70 years Electra history get live again! |
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ELECTRA HISTORY In the summer of 1932 Robert Gross determined that the reborn Lockheed
should start fresh with the very latest type of aircraft. Initially, it
was to embody the usual low-drag and single engine design, but other development
dictated major changes.
It was decided that the model 10 was laid out as a twin engine, all metal, ten passenger plane, with a crew of two and a toilet compartment. Baggage could be loaded into the nose, and sometimes also into the rear fuselage. There were also small baggage areas in the tops of each wing. It had an all metal stressed skin fuselage, motor driven retractable landing gear, and retractable flaps, something that the Boeing did not have. It was also faster than the Boeing, and competitive with the DC-2.
The first Model 10 Electra was tested by Marshall Headle at Mines Field, Los Angeles on February 23, 1934. Northwest Airways and Pan American placed the first orders and it first went into service with Northwest in June 1934, and within twelve months they operated a fleet of thirteen aircraft. Eventually four main versions of the Electra were produced. L 10-A with Pratt and Whitney Wasp Junior R-985SB/SB-3 engines. The model B with Wright Whirlwind R-975-E3s, the Model C with Wasp SC-1s, and the Model E with Wasp R 1340 S3H-1 engines.
Cockpit and cabin inside looking
The Electra was an immediate success. At it's introduction it was one of the fastest airliners available and orders flowed in from all over the world, with eventual sales to 23 airlines in 13 countries. The total number of Model 10A was 107 the model B was 19, the model C was 8, and the Model E was 15. In all, 115 went to airlines, 7 to the US Government, 2 to the Argentine Government, and 25 to private customers.
First operators were in USA: Northwest Airlines, Pacific Alaska Airways, Northeast Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Eastern Air Lines, Mid-Continent Airlines, National Airways; in Canada: TCA, Canadian Airways; in Southamerica: Compania Mexicana de Aviacion, Compania Cubana de Aviacion, Linea Aeropostal Venezolana, Panair do Brasil, LAN Chile, VARIG, KLM Westindies; in Australia & Pacific: MacRobertson-Miller Aviation (MMA), Guinea Airways, Union Airways; in Europe: British Airways, LOT, LARES, Aeroput.
The last Airline to purchase the Electra was LAN Chile, in July 1941. During WW II. many Electras were confiscated and used by UAAC and RAF. Some of the 10 Polish LOT Electras got into German hand and were used in different transportation units of the German Luftwaffe.
Several Electras achieved fame. The first round-trip of the Atlantic by an airline was by an Eastern Airlines L-10 A in May 1937, carrying first film of the Hindenburg disaster, and returning to the US with films of the coronation of King George VI. ... and of course it was a Lockheed Electra L 10 E that Amelia chose for her ill fated around the world flight in 1937. [Contrary to other statements the British Prime Minister Chamberlain wasn't flown to Munich in September 1938 to meet with Adolf Hitler in a British Airways L-10-A but in a L-14 (G-AFGN)].
The Electra was finally replaced by the success of the Douglas DC-3 in airline service, but many Electras were used by companies as executive aircraft, and it was still in service as late as 1965 in regular service by Provincetown Boston Airline on the route between Boston and the island community on the tip of Cape Cod. As of August 1998 there are three model 10-A's still airworthy, and one Model E. It is owned by Ms. Linda Finch in San Antonio Texas, and she flew her Electra on a successful recreation of Amelia Earharts around the world flight.
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- Airline History
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