Lufthansa has completed the restoration of its Lockheed L-1649A Starliner, marketed under the name ‘Super Star’ when it was part of its fleet in the 1950s, ahead of the carrier’s centennial celebrations in 2026. Fully restored aircraft Lufthansa said that its maintenance arm, Lufthansa Technik , completed a monumental task: restoring and assembling an L-1649A Starliner, known as the ‘Super Star’ when it was part of the German carrier’s fleet in the 1950s. The fully assembled aircraft left the hangar in Hamburg, Germany, on its own landing gear – not power – for the first time on January 17.
Lufthansa detailed that the initial challenge was the precise assembly of several large components. In October 2023, technicians at Lufthansa Technik received the fuselage, wings, the iconic triple-tail unit, and 292 wooden crates with smaller parts. “A particular highlight of the non-airworthy assembly is the fact that the cockpit is as true to the original as possible from the 1950s.
The lighting and controls are functional, while cable pulls make the rudders and flaps movable - a fascinating detail that pays tribute to the engineering skills of this era.” Lufthansa is honoring two classic aircraft ahead of its 100th anniversary. New paint However, the aircraft rolled out of the hangar in primer.
As such, Lufthansa said that the L-1649A will be dismantled – again – into larger segments and transported to Münster/Osnabrück Airport (FMO) in July, where it will b.