Boeing_377_Stratocruiser

Design and development

Like the C-97, the 377 was developed towards the end of World War II by adapting an enlarged upper fuselage onto the lower fuselage and wings, which were essentially the same as those of the B-50 Superfortress, the high-performance evolution of the B-29 Superfortress bomber. The 377 was larger and longer-ranged than the Lockheed Constellation and Douglas DC-6, with nonstop transatlantic range eastbound, but the P&W R-4360 Wasp Major engines proved uneconomical, with production ending in 1950.[1]

The "inverted-figure-8" double-deck fuselage design provided 6,600 ft³ (187 m³) of interior space where the lower deck had a smaller diameter than the upper deck. It offered seating for over 100 passengers, or sleeping berths for up to 28 berthed and five seated passengers. It first flew on July 8, 1947. It had the speed and range to span ocean routes, enabling flying from New York to Hawaii in less than 24 hours.[2] Pressurization (previously introduced on the Boeing Stratoliner and also designed into the B-29) allowed sea-level cabin pressure at 15,500 ft (4,700 m) altitude. At 25,000 ft (7,600 m), passengers enjoyed a "cabin altitude" of only 5,500 ft (1,700 m).

It first flew on July 8, 1947. Despite serious design flaws and a marginal service record, the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser was one of the great post-war propeller airliners. Because it was very complex and expensive, only 56 aircraft were built. It was made obsolete in the 1960 by the coming of the Boeing 707 and other first generation jetliners. The Boeing 377 was the flagship of the Pan American World Airways and BOAC fleets from delivery in 1949 until the arrival of the Boeing 707. Its spiral staircase, which led to a lower-deck lounge, inspired the one on the Boeing

747. It was one of the few airliners with a double-decker seating arrangement until the Boeing 747, however some airlines had lower-level lounges on their Lockheed L-1011 Tristar aircraft.

Variants

XB-44: One B-29A was handed over to Pratt & Whitney to be used as a testbed for the installation of the new Wasp Major 28-cylinder engines in the B-29.[5]

B-29D: Wasp Major powered bomber, with stronger structure and taller tail. Redesignated B-50A in December 1945.[3]

B-50A: First production version of the B-50. Four R-4360-35 Wasp Major engines, 168,500 lb (76,550 kg) max take-off weight. 79 built.[25]

o TB-50A: Conversion of 11 B-50A as crew trainers for units operating the B-36.[26]

B-50B: Improved version, with increased maximum take-off weight (170,400 lb (77,290 kg)) and new, lightweight fuel tanks. 45 built.[27]

o EB-50B Single B-50B modified as test-bed for bicycle undercarriage, later used to test "caterpillar track" landing gear.[26][28]

o RB-50B Conversion of B-50B for strategic reconnaissance, with capsule in rear fuselage carrying nine cameras in four stations, weather instruments, and extra crew. Could be fitted with two 700 US gallon (2,840 L) drop tanks under outer wings. 44 converted from B-50B.[29]

[30]

YB-50C: Prototype for B-54 bomber, to have Variable Discharge Turbine (i.e. turbo-compound) version of the R-4360 engine, longer fuselage and bigger, stronger wings. One prototype started but canceled before completion.[11][31]

B-50D: Definitive bomber version of the B-50. Higher max takeoff weight (173,000 lb (78,600 kg)). Fitted with receptacle for Flying boom in-flight refueling and provision for underwing drop tanks. Modified nose glazing with 7-piece nose cone window was replaced by a single plastic cone and a flat bomb-aimer's window. 222 built.[32][33]

o DB-50D: Single B-50D converted as drone director conversion of a B-50D, for trials with the GAM-63 RASCAL missile.[33][34]

o KB-50D: Prototype conversion of two B-50Ds as three-point aerial refueling tanker, using drogue-type hoses. Used as the basis for later production KB-50J and KB-50K conversions.[35][36]

o TB-50D: Conversion of early B-50Ds lacking aerial-refueling receptacles as unarmed crew trainers. Eleven converted.[36][37]

o WB-50D: Conversion of surplus B-50Ds as weather reconnaissance aircraft to replace worn out WB-29s. Fitted with doppler radar, atmospheric sampler and other specialist equipment, and extra fuel in the bomb-bay. Some were used to carry out highly classified missions for atmospheric sampling between 1953 and 1955 to detect Soviet detonation of atomic weapons.[38][39][40]

RB-50E: 14 RB-50Bs converted at Wichita for specialist photographic reconnaissance.[41][42]

RB-50F: Conversion of 14 RB-50Bs as survey aircraft, fitted with SHORAN navigation radar.[43][44]

RB-50G: Conversion of the RB-50B for electronic reconnaissance. Fitted with Shoran for navigation, and six electronic stations, with 16-man crew. 15 converted.[39][44]

TB-50H: Unarmed crew trainer for B-47 squadrons. Twenty four completed, the last B-50s built. All later converted to KB-50K tankers.[45]

KB-50J --Conversions to air to air refueling tankers with improved performance, via two extra General Electric J47 turbojets under the outer wings, 112 converted.

KB-50K --Tanker conversions of the TB-50H trainer aircraft. 24 converted. B-54A--Proposed version of the YB-50C. RB-54A--Proposed reconnaissance version of the YB-50C

Operators

American Overseas Airways Stratocruiser.

BOAC Stratocruiser G-AKGJ "RMA Cambria" at Manchester operating a New York flight in 1954

 Ecuador Línea Internacional Aérea

 Israel Israeli Air Force

 United Kingdom British Overseas Airways Corporation

 United States American Overseas Airlines Northwest Orient Airlines Pan American World Airways Transocean Air Lines United Airlines

 Venezuela Rutas Aéreas Nacionales SA

 Denmark  Sweden  Norway Scandinavian Airlines System (aircraft not delivered - passed to BOAC

Performance Max speed: 375 mph (603 km/h) Max cruise: 340 mph (547 km/h) Normal cruise: 301 mph (483 km/h) Service ceiling: 9,800 m Max range: 6760 km Empty weight: 37,876 kg Max takeoff weight: 67,133 kg

General characteristics Capacity: 55 to 100 passengers and attendants Wing span: 141 feet 3 inches (43.05 m) Length: 110 feet 4 inches (33.63 m) Height: 11.66 m Wing area: 164.3 m� Powerplant: Four 3,500 HP P&W R-4360 Wasp Major engines