A major milestone has been reached at Lufthansa Group Hangar One, the new conference and visitor centre rising at Frankfurt Airport. The distinctive tail unit has now been mounted on the Lockheed L-1649A Super Star, marking a key step in reassembling the historic aircraft. The three-part rudder, characteristic of this rare series, spans more than 15 metres and weighs roughly 1.4 tonnes. Its installation required two forklifts operating in tandem to manoeuvre the structure safely into place.
With the tail now secured, all major components of the Super Star have been successfully assembled. Once a symbol of mid-century innovation and long-range elegance, the aircraft was repainted this summer at Münster/Osnabrück Airport in its classic 1950s livery. From there, the fuselage, wings, engines and tail travelled by heavy transport to Frankfurt, where teams have spent recent weeks integrating each element inside the new Hangar One building. Now measuring around 35 metres in length with a wingspan exceeding 45 metres, the Super Star once again reflects the grandeur of its original era.
Alongside the legendary Junkers Ju 52, the Lockheed Super Star will form the centrepiece of “Lufthansa Group Hangar One.” Thanks to the building’s glass façade, visitors will be able to admire both aviation icons even from outside the structure. The opening of the conference and visitor centre will coincide with the 100th anniversary of the founding of the first ‘Deutsche Luft Hansa’, underscoring the Lufthansa Group’s long commitment to preserving and celebrating aviation heritage.
