Lufthansa Technik Wraps Up Historic Constellation Aircraft Restoration

NBAA-BACE 2025

Lufthansa Technik Wraps Up Constellation Aircraft Restoration

The project was begun nearly two decades ago

Lufthansa's L1649 Superstar — After nearly two decades, Lufthansa Technik is in the final stages of the highly anticipated restoration of a Lockheed 1649A Super Star, which will be on display at the parent company’s Frankfurt headquarters. The final variant of the venerable Constellation, the Super Star represented the apex of piston-powered airliner technology and served as Lufthansa’s flagship at the dawn of the jet age. © Lufthansa Group

By Curt Epstein • Business Aviation Services Editor

October 13, 2025

After 18 years, Lufthansa Technik (LHT) is finally putting the finishing touches on one of the most ambitious aircraft maintenance projects in its history. In the mid-2000s, parent company Lufthansa Group’s Deutsche Lufthansa Berlin-Stiftung (DLBS) historic flight foundation decided to add a Lockheed 1649A Super Star to its fleet of flying museum pieces, which included the Junkers Ju-52/3M.

As the final iteration of the successful four-engine Constellation family, and marking the end of the piston-engined passenger airliner era, the L1649A joined the Lufthansa fleet in 1957 on the nonstop transatlantic route between New York and Hamburg. Four of the aircraft (out of the 44 built) served until they were superseded by the Boeing 707 in the mid-1960s. The Super Star saw the inauguration of the airline’s first-class “Senator” service with an onboard chef catering to the 32 passengers who endured the nearly 15-hour flight from the comfort of sleeper beds and nearly lie-flat seats.

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