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| The Boeing Model 377 Stratocruiser was a commercial transport development of the Model 367 (military C-97), and based on the improved-structure YC-97A with Pratt & Whitney R-4360 engines. The first flight of the prototype Model 377-10-19 was made on 8 July 1947, and it was delivered subsequently to Pan American World Airways, which was the biggest user of the Stratocruiser. There were a variety of interior configurations in the Models 377-10-26, -28, -29, -30, -32 accommodating from 55 to 112 passengers or, if equipped as a 'sleeper', with 28 upper- and lower-berth units, plus five seats. The main cabin was in the upper lobe of the 'double-bubble' fuselage, with a luxury lounge or cocktail bar seating 14 on the lower deck, reached via a spiral staircase.
Of the total of 55 that were built, Pan Am was operating 27 at one period. Of these, 10 were given additional fuel capacity to make them suitable for transatlantic operations, and were known as Super Stratocruisers. At a later date the entire fleet was equipped with General Electric CH-10 turbochargers, enabling each engine to develop an additional 37.3kW. British Overseas Airways Corporation also acquired a fleet of 17: only six of these were original purchases from Boeing, the remainder acquired from other airlines. After just over nine years' service with BOAC, 10 were sold to Transocean Airlines in the USA during 1958. Of these, four were converted to 117-passenger high-density seating, the remainder each having an additional 12 seats added to their standard 63- and 84-seat layouts. Before Stratocruisers disappeared from service during 1963, a few had been modified to a cargo configuration, but by far the strangest conversion resulted from those airframes acquired by Aero Spacelines Inc. Under the designation 377-PG, this company built an oversize cargo aircraft which it named 'Pregnant Guppy' and subsequently built other examples, using both Model 367 and 377 airframes, under variations of the Guppy name.
| MODEL | Boeing 377 |
| CREW | 5 |
| PASSENGERS | 55-100 |
| ENGINE | 4 x Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major radial piston engines, 2610kW |
| WEIGHTS |
| Take-off weight | 66134 kg | 145801 lb |
| Empty weight | 37875 kg | 83501 lb |
| DIMENSIONS |
| Wingspan | 43.05 m | 141 ft 3 in |
| Length | 33.63 m | 110 ft 4 in |
| Height | 11.66 m | 38 ft 3 in |
| Wing area | 164.34 m2 | 1768.94 sq ft |
| PERFORMANCE |
| Max. speed | 604 km/h | 375 mph |
| Cruise speed | 547 km/h | 340 mph |
| Ceiling | 9755 m | 32000 ft |
| Range | 6759 km | 4200 miles |
| Buz Allen, e-mail, 10.10.2010 03:00 I ate lunch inside a KC-97 yesterday that has been converted into a fine restaurant at the Colorado Springs airport KCOS. The Airplane Restaurant, way cool if love old Boeings!! I flew a KC-135 for four and a half yrs.in the USAF all over S.E.Asia mainly re-fueling F-4 Phantoms. reply | | Ron Johnson, e-mail, 09.10.2010 19:56 I remmember the first time I saw this plane was as we were leaving Japan. It was in 1952 at Toyko Airport. This was my second time that I lived in Japan. First time was 1947 to 1948. The second time was 1950 to 1952. Both times we lived at Grant Heights, next door to Camp Drake. We flew out in the fall of 1950. We made two stops on the way to San Franciso, Ca. The total time of the flight I was told was 19 hours and but it felt longer than that. reply | | Jim Hommel, e-mail, 30.09.2010 10:06 My second airline flight was on NWA flight 10 MSP to SEA on a B377. Had just made my first airline ride on a North Central CV34 MKC - MSP headed for Seattle from AC "A" school at NAS Olathe. Smooth plush ride. Reminded me of a 1948 Chrysler New Yorker. reply | | John A, e-mail, 04.07.2010 08:18 Does anyone know where I can see pictures of what the aircraft looked like inside? Thank You
Peace and Joy! reply | |
| | Chris P, e-mail, 06.08.2010 00:44 In 1956, at age 8, flew with my family from Los Angeles to Manila, Philippines aboard Pan American "Soveriegn of the Skies". Great airplane, great airline, great staff. Two trips later, this same aircraft had to ditch in the Pacific Ocean. Aircraft floated with all passengers on top of the wings until they were picked up by a passing freighter. No injuries at all. This ditching was featured on the cover of "Life" magazine. reply | | John Hancocks, e-mail, 07.03.2010 09:28 I've clocked up countless passenger miles from age 5, this must be the most comfortable aircraft I've even flown in, and certainly the most luxurious, fond memories of that flight in 1961, BOAC Heathrow /Accra and return. reply | | Jim Slaughter, e-mail, 26.02.2010 19:28 I was an RO, Radio Operator on a KC-97, Ariel Tanker in the 305th ARS. (Air Refueling Squadron), 305th (Bomb Group). BG Paul Tibbits Comanding. McDill AFB Tampa, FL in the late 50's. It was "good duty" after the KB-29s. {{Look at 'em together.)) B -29 and C-97. The C-97 is a "double decked B-29. reply | | Recordo, e-mail, 21.02.2010 16:39 Heard that same thunder-organ living under the approach /departure to 04 /31 at Idlewild, now JFK. Fully loaded for transatlantic flight, these birds as well as the Super-Gs climbed out at around 300 fpm heading for the ocean. At night the turbochargers' blue flame made TV unnecessary. reply | | Kirk Hoffman, e-mail, 13.12.2009 22:47 I grew up under the flight path out of O'hare, You haven't lived till you hear all 4 4360's at full throttle on climbout. What I would give to hear that music one more time. reply | | Wouter Hobe, e-mail, 25.09.2009 04:24 It was 1 April 1956 when it was announced in the newspapers that the first STRATOCRUISER would arrive at Schiphol Airport Amsterdam. The whole city came to the airport, standing room only-then a Dakota with a big banner reading Strato Cruiser came at the airport- April fools reply | | Enrique Dillon, e-mail, 12.06.2009 18:38 Can anybody give me an idea for waht reason the 377 had a function on one of the overhead panels to retract the landing gear with the plane on the ground? reply | | Becky, e-mail, 25.05.2009 08:43 I have a feeling I wasn't standing behind you waiting for a turn, so where was I? reply | | William Ott, e-mail, 26.03.2009 18:08 I used to work many years ago at AeroSpace Lines in Santa Barbara Ca. on the Super Guppy. Loved working there ! I was on the crew that did C-97 and 377 recovery and teardown. Our crew also did all the wing and engine nacell modifications for the Guppy conversion.I sure hated to tear down the doner aircraft as I knew there would soon be no more 377s left. reply | | Bob Kuberski, e-mail, 12.03.2009 05:59 I grew up next to Midway Airport in Chicago in the '50's. Believe it or not but my buddy and I would walk to the airport, beg the counter people for souveniers and tours of the aircraft. The 377 was my first and was blown away buy its size and the spacious cockpit. I was always impressed because it looked so much like a B-29. The smoke and chest rattling noise that ensued at engine startup never failed to move me. So did the oil leaks! reply | |
| | JOHN J PANOSKI, e-mail, 07.07.2008 05:25 I was a Flight Engineer on a C /KC-97 A, E, F &G's At the time it was a terrific aircraft, but was a heavy oil consumer. (R-4360 engines) We had to cruise control the oil system as we had 32 GL oil tanks for each engine and a central oil tank of 56 GL which we could transfer oil to each eangine as it was consumed. You never put more than 2-3 GL when transfering because if you had to shutdown and engine for a failure you would not have enough to complete the mission. You normally would let the quantity burn down to 7 GL's before you would replenish. Often we had to shut-down an engine during the flight to conserve oil and restart it for the descent and approach and landing, reply | | matt, e-mail, 19.11.2007 02:38 this was one beautiful bird reply | | Don, e-mail, 25.10.2007 03:00 When I was a kid, I had a metal model of the Stratocruiser. It had a friction motor and props that turned with the friction motor. It was probably 16" or so wingspan. Wish I had it now. reply | | Leo, e-mail, 23.07.2007 20:04 A friend of mine is 90 years old and was a pilot for american airlines. He flew the Boeing 377 between Los Angeles and Hawaii. reply | | mike, e-mail, 08.07.2007 17:26 how much fuel that plane can carry and were the fuel tanks are located? thanks a lot mike reply | | Casey Burns, e-mail, 17.02.2007 08:00 My first airplane ride was on one of these. I was four and a half years old. My father was the last Navy personel to leave Kwajaleen atol when it was turned over to the Army as a missle range back in 1959. We arrived by ship and left on a MATS flight. My father took my sisters and myself up to the cockpit and the Capt. let me sit in his seat when he left to get a cup of coffee. I remeber my sisters standing between the Capt.'s seat and the windows to the left of the seat. I put my hands on the control wheel and could feel the autopilot making corrections but thought to myself "I'm flying this thing and it's easy!" It was then and there that I decided to be a pilot. I still remember the First Officer laughing as I "flew" that airplane while my sisters kept telling me it was their turn. I got my pilot license at seventeen and am a Capt. for Alaska Airlines on the
B-737 going on 21 years now. All because of the Boeing 377. reply |
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