Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star

EC-121 Warning Star
EC-121T Warning Star
Role	Airborne early warning and control Type of aircraft
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Lockheed Corporation
First flight	9 June 1949
Introduction	1954
Retired	1978 (USAF) 1982 (USN)
Primary user	United States Navy, United States Air Force
Produced	1953–1958
Number built	232
Developed from	L-749 Constellation L-1049 Super Constellation C-121 Constellation

The Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star was an American airborne early warning and control radar surveillance aircraft operational in the 1950s in both the United States Navy (USN) and United States Air Force (USAF).

The military version of the Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation was used to serve as an airborne early warning system to supplement the Distant Early Warning Line, using two large radomes (a vertical dome above and a horizontal one below the fuselage). It replaced the TBM-3W used by the USN. Some EC-121s were also used for signal intelligence gathering. The EC-121 was introduced in 1954 and phased out in 1978, although a single specially modified EW aircraft remained in USN service until 1982.

The USN versions when initially procured were designated WV-1 (PO-1W), WV-2, and WV-3. The USAF Warning Stars served during the Vietnam War both as electronic sensor monitors and as a forerunner to the Boeing E-3 Sentry AWACS. USAF aircrews adopted its civil nickname, "Connie" (diminutive of Constellation) as reference, USN aircrews used the nickname "Willie Victor".