The Real-Life Star Behind Connie’s Tale
Lockheed L‑1049H Super-G Constellation N6937C is more than just inspiration — she’s the heart and history behind the story.
From Cargo Workhorse to
Forgotten Giant
Built in 1957, N6937C began life with Slick Airways before taking on cargo and specialty roles across several decades. By the early 1980s, she was grounded in Mesa, Arizona, awaiting her fate.
In 1985, she appeared in a Globe Air auction. That’s where her next chapter — and the spark for Connie’s Tale — began.
A $4,000 Surprise
Aviation enthusiast Paul Pristo placed a modest $4,000 bid to help kick off a bidding war — but no one else joined in.
By the end of the day, Paul was in hot water, trying to explain to his wife that they were now the proud owners of a derelict vintage airliner!
Fortunately, fate intervened. Around the same time, a dedicated team from Save-A-Connie was actively searching for a vintage Lockheed Constellation to restore. Paul offered the aircraft to the group, and the restoration journey began.
Restored and Renamed: “Star of America”
In July 1986, N6937C was ferried to Downtown Kansas City Airport, where the nonprofit Save-A-Connie team restored her to her original glory. She was repainted in classic TWA livery and rededicated as the Star of America in 1988.
She went on to fly in airshows around the country, proudly representing the golden age of air travel.
🗽 A Journey to Remember: TWA’s 75th Anniversary at JFK
In 2000, Connie made aviation history once again. She flew to JFK International Airport to celebrate TWA’s 75th Anniversary, parking directly in front of the iconic Eero Saarinen-designed TWA terminal.
Thousands of visitors toured the aircraft. She received a fire engine water cannon salute, then was towed nose-to-nose with the British Airways Concorde — a powerful, symbolic meeting of two aviation legends.
Author Robert Neal Marshall was a member of the crew on this historic journey, as well as on multiple airshow flights — a personal connection that helped shape the heart of Connie’s Tale.
after the Airline History Museum closed. N6937C remained locked in a hangar for many years with other vintage airliners – that included a Douglas DC-3 and a Martin 404.-
A New Chapter: John Travolta
& the Future of Connie
According to several Kansas City and aviation related articles, Hollywood actor and aviation advocate John Travolta, through Constellation Productions Inc., acquired the aircraft In September 2024 from the closed Airline History Museum.
Connie’s engines have once again come to life. Her future looks bright as a symbol of restoration, resilience, and remembrance.
❤️ From Sky to Storybook
Connie’s Tale reimagines this incredible aircraft’s journey for a new generation — capturing not only the beauty of her design, but the soul of her legacy.
This is more than a story about an airplane. It’s a tribute to those who never gave up — and a love letter to the golden age of aviation.