Roden 324 Lockheed VC-140B JetStar

The Lockheed JetStar was a two- or four-engine business-class commercial and passenger jet aircraft in the American low-wing configuration. The propulsion was provided - in the JetStar 6 version - by four Pratt and Whitney JT-12-A-6 / 6A turbojets. The flight of the prototype took place in 1957, and serial production lasted from 1957 to 1978. Approximately 200 examples of this plane were created in its course.

The Lockheed JetStar was originally developed as part of a competition announced by the USAAF for a new jet liaison and transport aircraft. The new machine was to be able to carry 10-12 passengers up to 4,630 kilometers. The competition was won by Lockheed's design, and JetStar planes (under the designation C-140) entered airline service. However, it quickly turned out that the new machine aroused a lot of interest on the civilian market, which prompted the manufacturer to redesign the plane and adapt it to the requirements of this market. The first civilian version was the JetStar 6, then the JetStar 8 was offered, which was powered by completely new engines. A significant change was introduced in the JetStar 731, which was powered by new engines, consumed less fuel, the cabin was much better soundproofed and was simpler and cheaper to operate. It is worth noting that one C-140 aircraft was converted into the VC-140B aircraft and served as the Air Force One - the aircraft intended for the transport of the US President. It was flown by, among others, Lyndon Johosn and Ronald Reagan.