Today in Aviation History: First Flight of the Lockheed JetStar

On this day in aviation history, 68 years ago—September 4, 1957—Lockheed’s JetStar took to the skies for the first time. The JetStar was a business jet built during the 1960s and 1970s, and it holds the distinction of being the first purpose-built private jet to enter service. Lockheed designated the aircraft as the L-329 and L-1329, while the U.S. Air Force assigned it the designation C-140. The JetStar remains Lockheed’s first and only private jet.   The first prototype, c/n 1001 (N329J), lifted off from Edwards Air Force Base at 8:58 a.m., just two minutes shy of a deadline set 241 days earlier. Lockheed test pilots Ray J. Goudey and Bob Schumacher were at the controls for the 39-minute inaugural flight before returning safely to Edwards. Originally, the JetStar was designed to meet a U.S. Air Force requirement for a small jet transport, but the contract was ultimately canceled due to budget cuts. Undeterred, Lockheed continued the project, turning its focus to the emerging business aviation market—a decision that would prove highly successful.

The Lockheed JetStar II featured a crew of two pilots, with the occasional flight attendant, and could comfortably accommodate up to 10 passengers. The L-1329 was powered by four Garrett TFE731-3 turbofan engines, each producing 3,700 pounds of thrust. The JetStar II cruised at 504 mph and could reach a maximum speed of 547 mph, with a range of 2,604 nautical miles and a service ceiling of 43,000 feet. This combination of speed, range, and comfort established the JetStar as one of the premier business jets from 1961 to 1980, during which Lockheed built a total of 202 aircraft.

The JetStar is perhaps best known as Elvis Presley’s preferred mode of air travel. L-1329 JetStar 6, c/n 5004 (N777EP), was one of Elvis’ private jets and was named Hound Dog II. The aircraft still survives today and can be seen on display at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. Elvis Presley owned two Lockheed JetStars during his lifetime, purchasing them at different times as part of his personal aircraft fleet. One of these JetStars is named “Hound Dog II” and is now on display at his Graceland mansion, while the second was sold by Presley in 1977 and later ended up abandoned in the New Mexico desert. The abandoned Lockheed Jetstar was purchased at a 2023 auction by an individual who recognized its potential as a touring attraction. The new owner, Jimmy Webb, converted the plane into an RV by placing it on a motor home chassis so it could be driven around the country.  JetStar (Serial #5048), is also on display at the Aviation History & Technology Center in Atlanta, GA, and was the 48th JetStar off the Lockheed assembly line in Marietta, GA.