Boeing 377 - Operational History

Operational History

Despite a service record remembered for one or two early disasters arising from a propeller design fitted to the Stratocruiser in its earlier years, Boeing's remarkable airliner was one of the most capable of post-war propeller-driven transports, and certainly among the most luxurious. Only 55 were built as airliners, joined eventually by the reconditioned prototype to make a total of 56. Another 60 of this general design, with significant engineering differences, were built as C-97 military transports, but the majority were built as KC-97 tankers.

The Stratocruiser flew premier services to Hawaii, across both oceans, and elsewhere in the world. It was one of the few airliners with a double-decker seating arrangement (another was the French Breguet Deux-Ponts) until the 747, though some airlines did have lower-level lounges on their L-1011 Tristar aircraft. The upper deck was for 55–100 passenger seats or 28 sleeper berths, while the lower deck had a lounge and bar. Passengers could walk down and get a drink on the long flights, once the plane levelled off at cruising altitude.

In 1953 "United's Ray Ireland... described the Stratocruiser as unbeatable in luxury attraction but is uneconomical. Ireland said PAA's Stratocruiser competition to Hawaii induced United to buy the plane originally."

In the early 1960s these planes were starting to become superseded by jets such as the de Havilland Comet, Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8. A few survived to be sold to smaller airlines, used as freighters or converted into a specialised freighter called a Guppy. As the airlines began to upgrade so did the militaries that were using them. The Boeing 377 was primarily used in only two militaries, the US and Israeli, both of which began buying jet engine aircraft and replacing their 377s.