Altair 8D

The Altair 8D, introduced by Lockheed Corporation in 1946, was a pioneering post‑war transport aircraft that helped bridge the transition from military to civilian aviation. Developed from the wartime Lockheed P‑38 Lightning airframe, the Altair 8D retained the twin‑engine, twin‑boom configuration but incorporated a fully pressurized fuselage, tricycle landing gear, and a spacious cargo compartment. Powered by two Allison V‑1710 V‑12 engines delivering 1,600 horsepower each, the aircraft could cruise at 250 knots and carry up to 8,000 pounds of payload over 1,500 nautical miles. Its all‑metal construction and glazed nose aided navigation and reconnaissance missions, while the reversible propellers reduced landing distances on unimproved airfields. Produced in limited numbers—only 38 units were built—the Altair 8D found service with several European charter airlines and with the United States Air Force as a utility transport. The type’s innovative combination of speed, range, and pressurization set new standards for short‑haul cargo and passenger aircraft, influencing the design of later Lockheed models such as the Constellation series. Today, the surviving Altair 8D at the Smithsonian represents a crucial step in the evolution of modern commercial aviation.

Lockheed Corporation

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