The historic aircraft Lockheed L-1649A Super Star is Lufthansa was recently repainted in its classic 1950s design. The work took place at Münster/Osnabrück Airport. The paint job, based on historical documents, was carried out by the company Altitude Paint Services (APS) The Hamburg manufacturer mankiewicz provided around 500 liters of special paint for the work.
A particular challenge in the redesign was the precise reproduction of the parabolic shapes that were characteristic of Lufthansa at the time. The paintwork was carried out using historical documents from the company archives and with the support of Lufthansa Technik 's Graphics Solutions department . The completion of this elaborate work brings the Super Star closer to its final exhibition location.
Next week, the aircraft will be transported to Frankfurt Airport by heavy haulage . There, starting in spring 2026, the Super Star, along with the Junkers Ju 52 D-AQUI, will form the main attraction of a new conference and visitor center for the Lufthansa Group . The unveiling coincides with the 100th anniversary of the founding of the first Lufthansa, which will be celebrated in 2026.
The Lockheed Super Star joined the Lufthansa fleet in 1957 and was intended for the most exclusive travel option, the Senator class. The four-engine piston aircraft was primarily used on the non-stop North Atlantic route to New York. With a length of 35,42 meters and a wingspan of 45,18 meters, it marked the end of the era of classic propeller aircraft before the dawn of the jet era.