Lockheed JetStar
| JetStar | |
|---|---|
 An Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force JetStar | |
| General information | |
| Type | Transport |
National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Corporation |
| Status | In limited service |
| Primary users | United States Air Force (historical) |
| Number built | 202 |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1961–1980 |
Introduction date | 1961 |
| First flight | 4 September 1957 |
| Retired | 1990s (United States Air Force) |
The Lockheed JetStar (company designations L-329 and L-1329; designated C-140 in US military service) is a business jet designed and produced by the American aerospace manufacturer Lockheed. It was amongst the first dedicated private jets to enter service, as well as the only such airplane to be developed by Lockheed.
Designed during the late 1950s as a private venture by Lockheed, the JetStar featured a swept wing and a cruciform tail. It could be visually distinguished from most other small jets by its use of four engines, mounted on the rear of the fuselage, as well as the large "slipper"-style fuel tanks fixed to the wings, which extend both in front and aft of the wing. On 4 September 1957, the first prototype made its maiden flight. Originally powered by a pair of Bristol Siddeley Orpheus turbojet engines, Lockheed opted to re-engine the second prototype with four Pratt & Whitney JT12 turbojets; it was in this configuration that the type entered commercial service in 1961. The JetStar was amongst the largest aircraft in its class for many years, seating up to ten passengers along with its two crew. During the 1970s, in response to noise regulations and the JT12's high fuel consumption, the 731 JetStar modernisation programme and the JetStar II were introduced, which adopted newer Garrett TFE731 turbofan engines along with a revised external fuel tank design and modernised cockpit.
Amongst the buyers of the JetStar were several celebrities and public figures, including Elvis Presley, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, and Richard Nixon. One of the largest customers was the United States Air Force (USAF), which procured the C-140As as flight inspection aircraft and communication relays for the Air Force Communications Service, and the C-140B for transporting personnel for the Military Airlift Command, several of which became VIP transports and thus redesignated as VC-140Bs and were occasionally used as Air Force One during the 1970s and 1980s. Several other countries, such as Germany and Canada, transported their heads of state and other VIPs using JetStars. The last operational JetStar was retired in December 2019.