Are there any Boeing 377 Stratocruiser still flying?
Are there any Boeing 377 Stratocruiser still flying?
The Boeing 377 Stratocruiser was a large long-range airliner developed from the C-97 Stratofreighter military transport, itself a derivative of the B-29 Superfortress….
| Boeing 377 Stratocruiser | |
|---|---|
| First flight | July 8, 1947 |
| Introduction | April 1, 1949, with Pan American World Airways |
| Retired | 1963 |
| Status | Retired |
How many KC-97 were built?
811
Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter
| KC-97 Stratofreighter | |
|---|---|
| Retired | June 1978 |
| Primary users | United States Air Force Spanish Air Force |
| Produced | 1951–1956 |
| Number built | 811 |
How did the KC-97 primarily do its job?
The KC-97 did all the pioneering work. How did a piston engine tanker refuel a faster jet bomber? It “tobogganed”. The refueling connection would be made high up and then the bomber and tanker flew “downhill” together enabling the tanker to pick up more speed.
When was the KC-97 retired?
The USAF retired its last C/KC-97 in 1973, but others remained in use with the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard as tankers or search and rescue aircraft.
Did a stratocruiser ever crash?
On November 8, 1957, the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser 10-29 serving the flight, named Clipper Romance of the Skies, crashed in the Pacific Ocean enroute to Honolulu International Airport from San Francisco. The crash killed all 36 passengers and 8 crew members.
Do any stratocruisers still exist?
#6658461. The fact that only 56 Stratocruisers were built and a dozen or so were written off in accidents made it much less likely that any would survive. A few examples of the similar KC -97 refuelling tanker survive at US AF museums. The Israeli Air Force museum also has a relatively intact KC -97.
What replaced the Boeing 377?
Despite its grandeur, after a decade of enjoyment, it quickly became superseded by jetliners. Models such as its counterpart the 707, along with the de Havilland Comet and Douglas DC-8, soon became favored by airlines. After over a decade of making history with the plane, Pan Am retired its last 377 in 1961.
