The Electra is a large four engine turboprop airliner built by Lockheed. First flying in 1957, the Electra was the first large turboprop airliner built in the United States. Sales of the plane were good but after two fatal accidents and expenisve design changes, no more planes were ordered. As a reult, only 170 planes were produced when production ended in 1961.

The plane has a unique design. It has a high power to weight ratio with large propellers, small wings, large Fowler flaps, and four engine design. These design choices allowed the Electra to have great performance on unprepared airfields that far exceeded other aircraft.

Turboprop airliners became outdated pretty early in in their service life which can also be a reason for the planes low success. Though the Electra did not give up. Many of them were converted to freighters and are still in use 63 years later.