The Lockheed Model 75 Saturn was a small, short-route commercial aircraft produced by the Lockheed Corporation in the mid-1940s. Lockheed announced the project on November 19, 1944.[1] The design team, led by Don Palmer, created a high-wing, twin-engine monoplane with 14 seats and a top speed of 228 mph (367 km/h). Lockheed touted the Saturn's capability to take on passengers and cargo without ramps or stairs, making it suitable for small-town airports with limited facilities.[2]
Model 75 Saturn | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Role | Airliner |
National origin | United States of America |
Manufacturer | Lockheed Corporation |
First flight | June 17, 1946 |
Status | Prototype only |
Number built | 2 |
Tony LeVier piloted the first flight on June 17, 1946. Lockheed had received 500 conditional orders for this aircraft, priced at $85,000 each. But, by the time the design was completed, the selling price had risen to $100,000 and these orders had been cancelled, with war surplus C-47s filling the same market at a quarter the price. Lockheed lost $6 million from the development of the two prototypes, which were scrapped in 1948.
Data from Francillon, p. 281
General characteristics
Performance
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lockheed Model 75 Saturn. |