AVIATION: Fast, Fat & Squat

The U.S. Air Force this week ordered its first cargo plane designed with turboprop engines. The builder: Lockheed Aircraft Corp., which thus gets its first big chance to get in the cargo field, now dominated by Douglas. Powered by four Allison T38 turboprop engines, the "L-2O6" will be about the size of Lockheed's Constellation (123-ft. wingspan, 95-ft. length), but will be squatter and fatter with a cargo deck just 45 inches off the ground. Big rear doors will permit quick loading of such bulky combat cargo as howitzers, trucks and ammunition. Lockheed, which has been working on the design for 18 months, expects to have the prototype in the air within a year.