AIR LINER IN THE MAKING
What Is the recipe for a modern
air liner? The kind that de
velops a 6-mile-o-minute speed on
five-mila-high air lanes and has aa
ocean- spanning ronge? Here's how
top-flight chefs of the aircraft in
dustry concoct them:
Take 103,000 manufactured parts
plus 250,000 nu^s, bolts, screws and
rivets. Mix with 47 miles of wire
(300,000 pieces), add a pinch or two
of paint, glass, rubber, plastic and
cable. Wrap in 18 tons of aluminum'
Then add four giant engines. Spread
around a 100-acre factor/ and agitate.
Use lathes, winches, rivet guns, pres
ses, drills, hammers, pliers and punches.
Stir with 12,000 hands. Finish design
to customer's specifications: as a
luxury liner, tourist-fare transport, radar
early-warning plane, hospital ship or
cargo transport.
These are what go into the making
of a giant, streamlined Super Con
stellation of the Lockheed aircraft
corporation plant in Burbank, Calif.,
pictured here from tho skeleton stage
to completion. "
1. Skilled precision workers putfinishing touches on framework of a new Super Constellation
at Lockheed plant in Burbank. Form whien holds ribs and stringers in place is called o"jig."
7. Workers affix metallic snap-on fasteners to hold outer aluminum alloy skin position
for riveting positions. Fasteners are then replaced by finishing rivets.
3. Strangely shaped iadders fit over huge cylindrical fuseiage sections in order to protect transport
from scratch, scuff and scar. Heavy paper protects outer aluninum during assembly line worfu
4. Hug* tail section with its triple-fin arrangement dwarfs production workers at right as they cement
tough deicer boots directly to leading edges. Entire tail section is referred to as the empennage.
1 t I I IP I
5. Workers guide main I aiding gear into position Main (Mr units fit
into Inboard angina nacatlas, forward lag ratroefs into fusaloga.
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6. Skilled girl wailw installs In tricot# ?loctrical wiring tysten. Sh?
uim blu?print aid photograph (or rtfortne* to installation procedural.
7. Slanting tlityword undar lull powar, ? ntw Sup?r Conttol lotion dwnon
? tratos its climbing ability in tMt takaoH at LockhMd plant in Buifcaik.
Ikb Utah MCTUU MOW-AT Ww^ilinn.