R5O-3 Lodestar

The Lockheed R5O‑3 Lodestar was a twin‑engine transport aircraft developed in the late 1930s as a military adaptation of the civilian Model 14 Super Clerestory. First flown in 1939, the R5O‑3 was ordered by the United States Army Air Corps for personnel and cargo duties, and a small number served with the Royal Air Force under the designation Lodestar III. Powered by two 1,200‑hp Pratt & Whitney R‑1830 radial engines, the aircraft featured a fully retractable landing gear, all‑metal stressed‑skin construction, and a spacious cabin that could accommodate up to nine passengers or equivalent freight. Its high‑wing configuration provided good ground clearance and short‑field performance, while the robust structure allowed operation from rough airfields in Europe, the Pacific and the China‑Burma theater. Though quickly superseded by larger transports such as the C‑47, the R5O‑3 demonstrated the value of reliable, medium‑capacity airlift and helped shape Lockheed’s post‑war transport line, leading to the successful Constellation series. The Lodestar’s blend of speed, payload and range made it a vital bridge between early biplane transports and the modern, long‑range cargo aircraft that dominate today’s military and commercial fleets.

Lockheed Corporation

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