C-97 Stratofreighter
The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter was a militarized Model 377 optimized for long range heavy cargo transport. The C-97 was based on the B-29 bomber.
Development
The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter was developed towards the end of World War II by fitting an enlarged upper fuselage onto a lower fuselage and wings which were essentially the same as the B-50 Superfortress with the tail, wing, and engine layout being nearly identical. It was built before the death of Boeing president, Philip G. JohnsonThe prototype XC-97 was powered by the 2,200 hp (1,640 kW) Wright R-3350 engine, and was fitted with a built-in ramp and a hoist to help in the loading and unloading of supplies and personnel through the large clamshell-type doors in the belly. On January 9, 1945 the first prototype, piloted by Major Curtin L. Reinhardt, flew from Seattle to Washington, DC in 6 hours 4 minutes, an average speed of 383 mph (616 km/h) with 20,000 pounds of cargo, which was for its time rather impressive for such a large aircraft. Production models featured the 3500 hp (2,610 kW) Pratt & Whitney Wasp Major engine, the same engine as the B-50.
The C-97 had a useful payload of 35,000 lb (16 t) and could carry two normal trucks or light tanks. The C-97 was also the first mass produced air transport to feature cabin pressurization, which made long range missions somewhat more comfortable for the crew and passengers.
C-97s evacuated casualties during the Korean War. The USAF Strategic Air Command operated C-97 Stratofreighters from 1949 through 1978. Early in its service life, it served as an airborne alternative SAC command post. While only 60 C-97 transports were built, 812 were built as the KC-97 Stratotanker variant for inflight refueling. The civilian derivative of the C-97 was the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser, a very luxurious transoceanic air liner which featured a lower deck lounge and could be fitted with sleeper cabins.
Two C-97s are still airworthy at the present day, one operated as a privately-owned warbird, the other operated as a fire bomber in the United States.
Operators
Military Operators
USAF Units
The following USAF wing organizations flew the various KC-97 models at some time during their existence:Air National Guard
- 105th Air Transport Group - Stewart AFB, New York (1962-1969)
- 137th Air Transport Squadron
- 106th Air Transport Group - Suffolk County Airport, New York (-)
- 102d Air Transport Squadron
- 109th Air Transport Group - Schenectady Airport, New York (-)
- 139th Air Transport Squadron
- 111th Air Transport Group - NAS Willow Grove, Pennsylvania (-)
- 103d Air Transport Squadron
- 116th Air Transport Group - Dobbins ARB, Georgia (-)
- 128th Air Transport Squadron (Heavy)
- 118th Air Transport Group - Nashville International Airport, Tennessee (-)
- 105th Air Transport Squadron
- 133d Air Transport Wing - Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport, Minnesota (-)
- 109th Air Transport Squadron (Heavy)
- 137th Air Transport Group - Will Rogers World Airport, Oklahoma (-)
- 185th Air Transport Squadron
- 138th Air Transport Group - Tulsa International Airport, Oklahoma (-)
- 125th Air Transport Squadron
- 139th Air Transport Group - , (-)
- 180th Air Transport Squadron (Heavy)
- 146th Air Transport Wing - NAS Point Mugu, California (-)
- 115th Air Transport Squadron
- 151st Air Transport Wing - Salt Lake City International Airport, Utah (-)
- 191st Air Transport Squadron (Heavy)
- 157th Air Transport Group - Grenier Field, New Hampshire (-)
- 133d Air Transport Squadron
- 161st Air Transport Group - Sky Harbor International Airport, Arizona (1966-1972)
- 197th Air Transport Squadron
- 162d Air Transport Wing - , Arizona (-)
- 195th Air Transport Squadron
- 164th Air Transport Group - Memphis International Airport, Tennessee (-)
- 155th Air Transport Squadron (Heavy)
- 165th Air Transport Group - Savannah International Airport, Georgia (-)
- 158th Air Transport Squadron (Heavy)
- 166th Air Transport Group - Greater Wilmington Airport, Delaware (-)
- 142d Air Transport Squadron
Civil Operators
Survivors
- C-97G serial 53-0272 is on display at the Milestones of Flight Museum, Fox Field, Lancaster, California
- C-97G serial 52-2718 "Angel of Deliverance" is under restoration to flight status by Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation.
- C-97G serial 52-898 is on display at the Chanute Aerospace Museum in Rantoul, Illinois.
Specifications (C-97)
See also
References
External links
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Last updated on Thursday October 09, 2008 at 08:40:57 PDT (GMT -0700)
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