Legendary Lockheed Super Star returns in iconic original design

The former flagship of Lufthansa, the Lockheed L-1649A Super Star, is once again shining in its former glory. This aviation icon of the past now sports the classic look of the 1950s. In recent weeks, the aircraft received a complete new paint job at Münster/Osnabrück Airport. The work was carried out by Altitude Paint Services (APS), with Hamburg-based manufacturer Mankiewicz generously providing around 500 liters of special paint free of charge.

One of the major challenges was painting the legendary parabolas – a central element of Lufthansa’s historical design. The repainting was based on historical documents from the company archive and the detailed paint plan developed by the Graphics Solutions department at Lufthansa Technik in Hamburg.

As early as next week, the Super Star will be transported by heavy-duty vehicle to Frankfurt Airport. Just in time for the 100th anniversary of the original Lufthansa’s founding, it will become, starting in spring 2026, the main attraction of the Lufthansa Group’s new conference and visitor center—together with the legendary Junkers Ju 52 D-AQUI.

About the Super Star:
In 1957, the Lockheed Super Star joined the Lufthansa fleet and was the first aircraft to feature the exclusive "Senator Class" of travel. Its main route was the nonstop transatlantic connection to New York. Technologically, the aircraft was also a masterpiece. With its four piston engines, it marked the end of the era of classic propeller aircraft. These flights, lasting up to 17 hours, departed from Hamburg, where the maintenance base was also located. The Super Star is 35.42 meters long, has a wingspan of 45.18 meters, and stands 7.12 meters tall.

A selection of photos can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/lpcsuperstar