FS2004 SAA Lockheed L-1049 Constellation (Old)

This fictional repaint depicts a possible early South African Airways (SAA) scheme on a Lockheed L-1049 Constellation, providing a glimpse into what might have been had SAA chosen this propliner over the DC-7C for its long-haul services. Although SAA ultimately opted for the DC-7C in real-world operations, this concept offers a detailed look at a “what if” scenario for enthusiasts of classic airliners in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004. The repaint, created by Rory Thomson, requires the base model developed by Kazunori Ito, which can be sourced from the Fly Away Simulation library.

Historic Propliner Background

The Lockheed L-1049 Constellation—often referred to as the “Super Connie”—evolved from the earlier L-749 and introduced a pressurized fuselage along with lengthened structures for greater capacity and range. Fitted with four powerful radial engines, this airliner represented a step forward in post-war commercial aviation. Despite demonstrating commendable performance on transoceanic routes, many carriers opted for comparable Douglas models such as the DC-7C, and in SAA’s case, the Lockheed design never officially entered service. However, this repaint imagines how early SAA markings might have appeared on the Constellation.

Visual Highlights

Repaint Package Essentials

• Textures Only: This repaint includes only the crafted texture set. It does not contain the essential L-1049 model files.
• Required Base Model: Obtain the freeware Kazunori Ito L-1049 Connie (L1049TWA.ZIP). Make sure you have that installed first.
• Developer Credits: Paintwork is by Rory Thomson, while the core L-1049 Connie was created by Kazunori Ito.

Installation Steps

Follow these concise instructions to integrate this repaint into your simulator environment:

1. Prepare Textures: Extract the provided texture folder into a temporary location on your system.
2. Create SAA Folder: Duplicate the original aircraft’s texture directory and rename this copy as texture.SAA. Then copy the new repaint files into texture.SAA, allowing the updated textures to overwrite any corresponding files. Leave all other unmodified files intact.
3. Place Textures in Correct Directory: Move the new texture.SAA directory into your L-1049 Connie aircraft folder (originally referred to in the developer’s notes as the DeHavilland Comet folder, but ensure this is the actual L-1049 installation path if referencing Kazunori Ito’s files).
4. Edit Aircraft Configuration: Open the aircraft.cfg file and find the appropriate aircraft entries. Insert the following snippet, replacing “XX” with the next available fltsim number:

[fltsim.XX]
title=L-1049 Connie SAA
sim=L-1049 Connie
model=tank
panel=
sound=
texture=SAA
checklists=
kb_checklists=
kb_reference=
//ui_manufacturer=
ui_manufacturer=Lockheed
//ui_type=Lockheed L-1049G Super Constellation
ui_type=L-1049G Super Constellation
ui_variation=SAA
description=Super Constellation extended the body of the former Constellation and adopted a pressurized cabin. With 3400 hp radial engines, the L-1049G carried additional fuel in tip tanks, significantly improving range. 

Additional Remarks

This freeware repaint adds an alternate look for fans of historic air travel interested in an SAA-themed L-1049. The real-world airline used other long-range aircraft but never placed the Constellation into service. By installing this modification, users can experience a propliner’s classic charm with a South African twist and visualize what commercial flights under the SAA banner might have been like in the 1950s era of elegant air travel.