Boeing 377 Stratocruiser
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Boeing 377 Stratocruiser | |
|---|---|
 |
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| A Pan American World Airlines Stratocruiser undergoing maintenance. | |
| Type | Propeller airliners |
| Manufacturer | Boeing |
| Maiden flight | 1947-07-08 |
| Primary users | Pan Am BOAC |
| Number built | 56 |
| Developed from | C-97 Stratofreighter |
| Variants | Pregnant Guppy Super Guppy Mini Guppy |
The Boeing 377 Stratocruiser was the airliner version of the 367 Boeing Stratofreighter, which in turn was the transport version of B-50 Superfortress. It first flew on July 8, 1947.
Despite serious design flaws and a marginal service record[1], the Stratocruiser was one of the great post-war propeller airliners. Extremely complex and expensive, only 56 were built. It continued in mainline service until 1960, by then it had been made obsolete by the coming of the 707 and other first generation jetliners. The 377 was the flagship of the Pan Am and BOAC fleets from delivery in 1949 until the arrival of the 707 and de Havilland Comet respectively. Its spiral staircase, which led to a lower-deck lounge, inspired the one on the 747. It was one of the few airliners with a double-decker seating arrangement (another was the French Breguet Deux Ponts) until the 747, however some airlines had lower-level lounges on their L-1011 Tristar aircraft.
Contents |
[edit] Operators
- American Overseas Airlines - United States
- British Overseas Airways Corporation - United Kingdom
- Scandinavian Airlines System - order canceled, aircraft delivered to BOAC
- Israeli Air Force - Israel
- Línea Internacional Aérea - Ecuador
- Northwest Airlines - United States
- Pan American World Airways - United States
- Rutas Aéreas Nacionales SA - Venezuela
- Transocean Air Lines - United States
- United Airlines - United States
[edit] Safety record
This aircraft type suffered 13 hull-loss accidents between 1951 and 1970 with a total of 140 fatalities. The worst single accident occurred on April 29, 1952; separation of the number two engine and propeller from Pan Am Flight 202 caused it to crash in the jungle near Carolina, Brazil, killing all forty-one passengers and nine crew.
[edit] Aero Spacelines/Guppys
In the 1960s, Aero Spacelines modified several Stratocruisers to make oversized transports dubbed "Guppys". The first of these was the Pregnant Guppy, followed by the Super Guppy, and finally the Mini Guppy.
[edit] Specifications (377)
Data from {name of first source}[2]
General characteristics
- Capacity: Up to 100 passengers on main deck plus 14 in lower deck lounge; typical seating for 63 or 84 passengers or 28 berthed and five seated passengers.
- Length: 110 ft 4 in (33.63 m)
- Wingspan: 141 ft 3 in (43.05 m)
- Height: 38 ft 3 in (11.66 m)
- Wing area: 1769 ft² (164.3 m²)
- Empty weight: 83,500 lb (37,876 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 148,000 lb (67,133 kg)
- Powerplant: 4× Pratt & Whitney R-4360-B6 Wasp Major 28-cylinder radial engines four-bladed propellers, 3,500 hp (2,610 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 375 mph (603 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 301 mph (483 km/h)
- Range: 3650 nm (6760 km)
- Service ceiling: 32,000 ft (9,800 m)
[edit] References
- Wilson, Stewart (1999). Airliners of the World. Fyshwick, Australia: Aerospace Publications. ISBN 1-875671-44-7.
- Boeing 377 - Stratocruiser A very comprehensive enthusiast page on the type
- The Aviation History On-Line Museum - Boeing 377 Stratocruiser
- California Classic - The Boeing Model 377 Stratocruiser
- Air Disaster, Vol. 4: The Propeller Era, by MacArthur Job, Aerospace Publications Pty. Ltd. (Australia), 2001 ISBN 1-875671-48-X
[edit] Related content
Related development
Comparable aircraft
Designation sequence
|
345 (B-29) | - 367 - 377 - 400 - 464 - 701 |
| 345 (B-39) | ||
| 345 (B-44) | ||
| 345 (B-50) |
See also
Timeline of aviation
Aircraft · Aircraft manufacturers · Aircraft engines · Aircraft engine manufacturers · Airports · Airlines
Air forces · Aircraft weapons · Missiles · Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) · Experimental aircraft
Notable military accidents and incidents · Notable airline accidents and incidents · Famous aviation-related deaths
Flight airspeed record · Flight distance record · Flight altitude record · Flight endurance record · Most produced aircraft
