Hi all, Just finished reading all the comments on this aircraft. Fascinating reading from all you experienced operators. My memory of this plane dates back to around June 1970 flying from Melbourne Australia to my home state of Tasmania as a 15 year old. The clearest memory was of the fantastic acceleration. Truly amazing.
Marian Godwin, e-mail, 18.05.2022 16:56
Hi there,
I wanted to introduce myself in a way that shows I’m interesting, witty and clever. Alas, I wrote this email instead.
I come bearing just what you’ve always wanted, another request! I’ll get this over as quickly as possible.
Are you accepting link insertions in old blog posts on your website?
If yes, how much would you charge for this?
If not, will you be interested in a 3-way link exchange that can help boost your website traffic?
Consider my fingers, toes and all appendages crossed!
Cheers, Marian Godwin Wrwint
Marian Godwin, e-mail, 03.05.2022 07:38
Hi there,
I wanted to introduce myself in a way that shows I’m interesting, witty and clever. Alas, I wrote this email instead.
I come bearing just what you’ve always wanted, another request! I’ll get this over as quickly as possible.
Are you accepting link insertions in old blog posts on your website?
If yes, how much would you charge for this?
If not, will you be interested in a 3-way link exchange that can help boost your website traffic?
Consider my fingers, toes and all appendages crossed!
Cheers, Marian Godwin Wrwint
Marian Godwin, e-mail, 02.05.2022 13:10
Hi there,
I wanted to introduce myself in a way that shows I’m interesting, witty and clever. Alas, I wrote this email instead.
I come bearing just what you’ve always wanted, another request! I’ll get this over as quickly as possible.
Are you accepting link insertions in old blog posts on your website?
If yes, how much would you charge for this?
If not, will you be interested in a 3-way link exchange that can help boost your website traffic?
Consider my fingers, toes and all appendages crossed!
Cheers, Marian Godwin Wrwint
steven barnett, e-mail, 29.05.2021 04:38
"obvious to the crew well before the wings break off". This is not true. Late March 1960, I was 23 months old and was onboard an Allegheny L-188 from (I think) PHI to Pittsburgh. I can tell you what "whirl mode" looks like from the inside of the airplane. And no, the pilots were not aware until the stewardess that I alerted by asking "how come the engines bounce up and down" started pounding on the cockpit wall. I can also tell you just how quickly the airplane slows down with the props in flat pitch. I told an accident investigator my story sometime late 1980's or early 1990's. He indicated that this was a whirl mode that they were not familiar with.
Rowan H, e-mail, 16.01.2016 05:57
The three-point engine mounts were actually Allison's fault, but Lockheed accepted responsibility. They rebuilt all machines under the LEAP program, so they had a four stud mounts angled upwards.
Many years later it was found the two supposed whirl-mode crashes had been caused by bad maintenance, rather than destructive oscillations. Oscillations of that severity become obvious to the crew well before the wings break off.
Brian Wwoodhouse, e-mail, 13.11.2014 07:19
Need to contact Gus Auzins as listed above re L188 manuals
Graham Coombes, e-mail, 08.02.2014 04:25
I remember taking my first flight on an Ansett Electra in 1970 with a school group from Sydney to Canberra. I am sure it was configured for passengers to be paid seating in the back (side on) lounge, or that is my memory. Tell me if I am wrong. Climbing from FL to FL was an interesting feeling.
ken, e-mail, 10.11.2013 02:11
I have a model of the Lockheed 188 with a logo with an orange star could you please tell us what airline this belong to .
roy wiebusch, e-mail, 28.07.2013 02:14
I worked for zantop and unversal from 1965 to 1970. In 1968 I went amsterdam,netherlands to school at KLM on L-188 and also to allison engine school in indianaplois.
Rollie Peck, e-mail, 07.05.2013 04:07
Rode 188's several times in the '60's and loved it. The very rapid accelleration that occurred when the pilot wound up the engines and unfeathered the props at the start of take-off was a real kick.
john pangburn, e-mail, 10.07.2012 23:00
Does anyone know how far the wingtips flexed in normal flight, as compared to a B-52
gus auzins, e-mail, 01.06.2012 04:44
I was a L.A.M.E. endorsed on the Electra and as such have in my possession set of Electra Maintenance manuuals volumes 1&2.Please contact if anyone interested.
Cesar Chavarro, e-mail, 24.12.2011 20:23
I love this aircraft. I want to build a scale model in balsa wood. Do you know where can I to find detailed drawings or a kit ? Thanks in advance
Don Parker, e-mail, 02.08.2011 20:21
I made Captain on the L-188 in early 1967. It is still the most pilot friendly airplane I ever flew. I loved it !
jan fencl, e-mail, 02.04.2011 19:29
was the jack h.olsen who crash with plane some place lake tahoe in california
stu Mechlin, e-mail, 29.01.2011 23:51
I flew in the Electra 188 as part of $5 flight around NYC ( Out of laguardia airport)prommotion by either Eastern(?) or American(?) in 1958/59. My First commercial airline flight. I need exact info on which airline, date of promotion, copy of adverizement in paper, any info, etc. Also, anyone who flew the Electra in 50's or even flew one of these promo flights, a response woudld be appreciated.
J. S. JOHNSON, e-mail, 25.01.2011 21:03
MY HUSBAND FLEW THE P3 ORION FOR THE U.S.NAVY. HE ACCUMULATED OVER 16,000 HOURS FOR 4 DIFFERENT SQUADRONS DURING HIS 28 YEAR CAREER. FROM ADAK, SIGONELLA, JACKSONVILLE, BRUNSWICK ME. CRETE, KEFLAVIK, HAWAII, PHILLIPINES, BROWNSVILLE TX, HIS WORST MOMENTS WERE OVER THE PACIFIC IN A FLAT SPIN IN 1975, EVERYONE ABOARD SPENT A COUPLE OF HOURS AT THE O'CLUB ON ARRIVAL BACK IN THE PHILLIPINES. HE LOVED ALMOST EVERY MINUTE OF HIS L-188 EXPERIENCE. MY 7 YEARS WITH WESTERN AIRLINES IN THE 60'S, MADE ME A BELIEVER TOO. HOWEVER I WAS FOND OF THE DC-6 JUST FOR THE HISTORY OF IT. JUDY
Bob Corbett, e-mail, 02.01.2011 23:01
Flew the Electra from Jan 83 for about four years with Fleming International. With a short stint with Interstate Airlines Electra's which were the last ones built for civilian service. They where Transamerica Electra’s. They were equipped with Hamilton Standard props instead of Air Products. I then went back to Fleming which later merged with Interstate Airlines to form Cam Air. Mostly flew Air Force contracts for Logair. “Logistic Airlift Command” I was a training Captain and Check Pilot on the Electra. Had a great time in spite of the grueling hours and bad weather. Back then it was just transportation from one party to another. Flew Captain on the 727 in early 87 and left for Piedmont that fall. What a great airplane. Had many engines shut downs due to starter garlock seal leaks and propeller pitch locks etc? We had PFE’s and the Navy P-3 engineers were great. My favorite turbo prop airplane. The 727 is my favorite Jet.
Fred Berling, e-mail, 22.12.2010 00:58
Braniff Airlines had a fleet of L188 aircraft, one of which came apart in mid air in Buffalo,Texas because of harmonic vibrations. Lockheed corrected the problem by modifying the angle of attachment between the engine nacelles and the wing. The wing structure consisted of high strength aluminum planks with chemically milled risers which frequently cracked requiring repair doublers. Working as a A & P mechanic for Braniff at the time, I know first hand what it was like to crawl into the wing dry bays to install those repair doublers. Notwithstanding the wing structure issues, the aircraft systems and engine and prop combination were new to the industry and very interesting to learn about and maintain.
John Muir, e-mail, 13.12.2010 14:16
I have an interesting paperback about this A/C. " The Electra Story". Covers the history and accidents about this great machine.Author Robert J. Sterling. I started my F/E career with it in 1960 flying the A & C models, great memories.
Ben McDaniel, e-mail, 07.12.2010 02:29
Flew as a load-master in the Electra. Flying with Great Northern Airlines from 1976-1978. The a/c flew well on the North Slope of Alaska during oil exploration days.
James Lindley, e-mail, 07.11.2010 00:48
I flew the L188 for more than 2 years for Northwwest. Donald Nyrop former president of NWA saved this airplane from the dust heap of history. NWA lost one in Tell City, Indiana and Braniff lost one in Texas I believe. Nyrop had the opportunity to ground the fleet, but instead had the autopilots taken out and put a peg speed of 250k and kept them flying until the whirlmode fix was found and fixed. I loved the airplane and consider it one of my favorites from the pilot point of view. From the pilot point of view the L188, 757 and 747-400 are the best for me. I went from the L188 to the B727 and B707 and that was a massive step back in both pilot comfort and technology.
Craig Hagstrom, e-mail, 02.11.2010 18:52
"With the exception of the two aircraft that came apart due to gyroscopic whirlmode, all other accidents in this plane were caused by pilot error."
No, N137US crashed at ORD in 1961 when an improperly secured control cable came loose at takeoff. At about 200' altitude, there was no room to recover. My dad was the pilot.
john Sh, e-mail, 12.10.2010 23:18
I flew on the Eastern Airlines Electra between Louisville KY (SDF) to Chicago IL (ORD), during the Vietnam Era, many times. It seemed to be a roomy aircraft and a comfortable ride.
Tom Smithers, e-mail, 07.09.2010 21:08
I flew the L-188 for about a year and a half for National Airlines. Jan. 1967 to July 1968. Great airplane to fly. You could hit the outer marker at 1500 feet or 3000 and still have a good approach and landing. However, systems wise it was a typical Lockheed. Way over engineered. After that I flew the Boeing 727, Airbus A-310 Boeing 767, 757, Lockheed L-1011(way over engineered), MD-11 (best airplane I've eve flown next to a 727) Must be something about those three engine airplanes. Like a lot of guys, I flew for three different airlines-National(by far my favorite), Pan Am and Delta.
Schmitt Josef, e-mail, 06.08.2010 17:06
pls can anybody help ? I need exact technical drawings of the original L-188 Electra II for an autentic flyable model of the Electra (copies of blueprints etx ...) - thank you in advance !
John W BLAND, e-mail, 19.07.2010 20:19
I did my initial command with Ansett Airlines on their L188AF's. These a/c. were extremely well maintained and a delight to fly/operate. They were complicated but perfectly logical. After engine start, the captain could almost fly it single pilot. I also flew, F-27,DC-9,B737/200/300's. L188 a gorgeous aircraft. Think about it everyday.
Jim Popa, e-mail, 05.04.2010 03:25
Flew the L-188 for PSA into Lake Tahoe, CA for 3 years in the mid 70's. For a high elevation airport, near 6400', and icy in the winter, it was the perfect bird. Pull the 13.5' dia. props in beta (revers) and watch airspeed unwind. It didn't have anti-skid, so brakes were useless on an icy runway. Turn off the runway, go to the gate, and stop, all with the props. It was a maintenance nightmare due to many complex systems. Was my only chance to fly a large prop bird, so I took it and had no regrets.
Tony Vasko, e-mail, 15.02.2009 22:53
The rigid plank construction of the wings plus the engine vibration resulted in more structural cracking than any any aircraft I have seen. Repairs were stacked up like wedding cakes. Saw a Zantop at EWR with crack completely severing one wing plank. it was found when they were fueling it. Internally too the milled risers in the wing planks seperated and Lockheed reported some riser cracks lengths measuring in feet. Gear attach trusses inside dry bay also had interesting cracks requiring some filler blocks that had to be specially machined. Most complicated air conditioning system ever with air cycle AND freon cooling and electric heaters. Control system for it was loaded with sensors inputting into mag amps. Real bear to troubleshoot. However Pilots loved it for its performance and handling.
Mickson Daelani, e-mail, 11.02.2009 18:05
p'se email me when need Crew Part time
Best Regards
Mickson Daelani, e-mail, 11.02.2009 17:57
I was flown 9 years with this L !88 C , This Acft Very2Good Performance If one Engine Fail speed Is Like Four .
Tq . Mickson Daelani( Flight Enginee )
Tom Brennison, e-mail, 02.07.2008 00:52
With the exception of the two aircraft that came apart due to gyroscopic whirlmode, all other accidents in this plane were caused by pilot error. I flew the L-188C freighter for Saturn Airways back in the 70's. I truly loved the way this aircraft flew and had complete confidence in them. I have flown many commercial airliners, being a retired pilot for Delta Air Lines ( DC-8/ DC-9/ B-727/ 757/ 767 & L1011's )and I can honestly say this was one of my favorites.
Pete Mesmer, e-mail, 09.06.2008 04:36
I flew this a/c for 3 years as a co-pilot for Eastern Airlines during the late 60's. The airplane got a bad reputation after a few came apart in the air. The problem was in the way the engines were mounted. They created more than one frequency which was transfered to the airframe. When two or more frequencies collide, you create a harmonic. If you don't satisfy the harmonic, the a/c comes apart. Eastern beefed up the wings and made them more ridged. This made the airplane ride like a buckboard in turbulance. I got my brains beat out on more than one occasion in bad weather. Eastern also limited the speed to 300 knots. This solved the problem and we had no more accidents. The torque and P-factor on takeoff required a lot of right rudder or it would put you in the boondocks. The airplane was capable of incredible performance. I witnessed a single engine approach on an outboard engine and watched it climb out of a deep stall. I once landed in a 60 knot cross wind at JAX with no problems. The unexpected wind was caused by a micro-burst from an approaching thunderstorm to the west of the field which hit us just prior to touchdown. The airplane seemed to be cabable of anything. It had great short field capability and we hardly ever had to use the brakes. The air conditioning kept the a/c comfortable even on the hottest days. It was one of my favorite airplanes. I would fly one to Hell and back if necessary. The Navy still flys these birds. They solved the harmonic problem by mounting the engines inverted. To my knowledge, they never had to beef up the wings or limit the speed. I have never talked to a Navy pilot with time in this equipment that did not have a love affair with it.
Jack H. Olsen, e-mail, 21.05.2008 02:25
I have a couple of thousand hours in the Electra both as a co-pilot and Capt. It was not the greatest A/C from a passenger vewpoint, but one of the finest for a pilot; particularly in the frozen North of our country. Many a time I was asked by the tower after landing for a braking report and replied "didn't use the brakes". It was my favotite A/C until the DC10.
Jim Hart, e-mail, 04.05.2008 08:23
Flew F/O on these at Zantop in the 70's-80's. I'm still alive after almost 5000 hrs in them. Lost several comrads from Zantop. I was never comfortable in this airplane. Killed too many people. Took the Navy version P-3 to de-rate the rudder with flaps to help keep the tail on when it happens to go upside down. Too many Boiler Plate patches on the wing bottoms to suit me. Glad I lived thru it!
Billy Webber, e-mail, 01.05.2008 21:08
Since Eastern Air Lines was the largest operator of the L188 as a passenger airplane and later Zantop International Airlines in the all cargo configuration, how about some pictures of them? (Billy Webber, former Eastern and Zantop Flight Engineer and flight crew ground instructor.)
