L-188 American Scale Model Aircraft

Item#: KL88AAT

MSRP Price: $190.03

Factory Direct Price: $142.52

Wing Span: 17.50
Length: 16.50

Manufacturer: Lockheed

This Ready to Ship L-188 American Model Airplane was handcrafted with absolute precision using the finest Philippine Mahogany and was sealed to last for generations. Working from our library of blueprints, reference materials and their exact photographs, Factory Direct Models master artisans recreated this L-188 American into an amazingly detailed display model airplane replica that you can display at your home, office, museum, tradeshow or any place you desire.

This L-188 American Model Aircraft is a perfect gift for Aviation Enthusiasts, Pilot, Aviator or people who took part in developing this Airplane.

Please note that the stand shown in this photograph may vary or change with the model you receive.

Your model will be made exactly as shown in the photographs. If you would like to change this model in any other way, please visit Our Custom Model Gallery section of our website to commission a personalized model to be built.

L-188 American History:

The Lockheed L-188 Electra is an American turboprop airliner built by Lockheed. It was the first turboprop airliner produced in the United States. It first flew in 1957, and when first delivered had performance slightly inferior to that of a turbojet airliner at a lower operating cost.

Civil operations:

American Airlines was the launch customer, followed by Eastern Airlines and Braniff Airways. Many airlines in the US flew Electras, but the only European airline to order the type was KLM. In the South Pacific, TEAL and Air New Zealand flew the Electra. In Australia TAA and Ansett operated Electras on routes between Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, and to Port Moresby from 1959 until 1971. Qantas also operated four Electras, VH-ECA,B,C & D at about the same time across the Tasman. The Electras flew in commercial service until the mid-1970s. Some units were sold to Brazilian airline Varig, operated with a perfect safety record until 1992 on the Rio de Janeiro-São Paulo (that route is called Ponte Aérea) shuttle service before being sold to Zaire. Others were retired into air cargo use. A total of 144 L-188s were built, 57 of which have been destroyed in accidents, according to the Aviation Safety Network[1]. The most recent Electra accident was in July 2003.

Military use:

In 1983, after the retirement of their last SP-2H Neptunes the Argentine Navy modified several civilian Electras for maritime patrol, and widely used them until their replacement by P-3s in 1994. One Electra, known locally as L-188W Electron for electronic warfare, is preserved at the Argentine Naval Aviation Museum (MUAN) at Bahia Blanca.