Boeing 377 Stratocruiser commercial aircraft. Pictures, specifications, reviews.

The Boeing 377 Stratocruiser was the commercial version of the C-97 Stratofreighter. The two- level 377 was pressurized and could accommodate 50 to 100 passengers. On long flights the aircraft could accommodate 28 upper and lower bunk units. This led to the aircraft being referred to as the “Flying Hotel”. The 377 was larger and could fly further than the Constellation or the DC- 6 but the engines and complexity of the aircraft proved to be too costly to operate bringing production to an end in 1950. In March 1946 Northwest Airlines was the 4th Boeing 377 Stratocruiser customer with an order for 10 model 377-10-30 aircraft. All planes had Hamilton Standard propellers and rectangular windows. N74606 was c/n 15952 and was delivered in 1949 with the name “Washington” and 706 fleet number. That same year NWA was the first airline to offer cocktail service on Continental U.S. flights. Later the airline offered in-flight fashion shows and in 1959 placed an electric organ on one aircraft to provide entertainment for the passengers. NWA lost two 377’s, one to a crash and the other to a ground fire. In 1959 the 377’s were being phased out to make room for 14 new DC-7C. The last NWA Boeing 377 flight was on September 15, 1960. The remaining 8 Boeing 377’s were traded to Lockheed in exchange for a fleet of new L-188 Electras. N74606 was converted to a 377F model and eventually was scrapped. --- Boeing Stratocruiser Designed as a long-range airliner for premier services across the Atlantic and the Pacific, the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser was first flown on July 8, 1947. This luxurious post-war double-decker propeller airliner had a spiral staircase leading to a lower-level lounge and state-of-the-art pressurization, but it was expensive to maintain and operate. Just 56 of the type were built as airliners—the remaining saw service as C-97 military transports or KC-97 tankers. Stratocruisers continued to fly commercially until the 1960s, when the introduction of the Boeing 707 and the de Havilland Comet made them obsolete. --- Specifications for the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser First flight – July 8, 1947 Number produced – 56 Production ended - 1950 Accommodations Main deck - Up to 100 passengers Lower deck lounge – 14 passengers Typical seating – 63 – 84 passengers Converted to berths for long distance – 28 + five seated Performance Engines – (4) Pratt and Whitney R-4360-B6 Wasp Major 28-cylinder radial engines producing 3,500 hp each and powering four-bladed propellers Maximum speed – 375 mph (603 km/h) Normal cruise speed – 301 mph (483 km/h) Maximum cruise – 340 mph (547 km/h) Range – 4,200 miles (6,760 km) (3,650 nmi) Service ceiling – 32,000 ft (9,800 m) Weight Empty – 83,500 lb (67,133 kg) Gross – 145,000 lb (65,770 kg) Dimensions Length – 110 ft 4 in (33.63 m) Wingspan – 141 ft 3 in (43.05 m) Height – 38 ft 3 in (11.66 m) List of aircraft operators:

Boeing 377 Stratocruiser- passenger aircraft. Photos, characteristics, reviews.

Boeing 377 Stratocruiser

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