Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter
The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter combined the wings, engines, and tail of the B-29 bomber with a huge double-bubble transport fuselage. Its cross-section placed a passenger or cargo deck above a lower cargo hold, giving it an unusual figure-eight shape when viewed head-on. The type carried cargo during the Berlin Airlift and later formed the basis for the KC-97 tanker. Its propellers, long nose, and tall fuselage make it an unmistakable bridge between wartime bombers and modern strategic airlifters.
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Did you know?
The Boeing C-97 paired B-29 bomber wings and engines with a bulging double-deck fuselage, giving it a figure-eight cross-section.
Specifications
| Length | 33.7 m (111 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 43.1 m (141 ft) |
| Height | 11.7 m (38 ft) |
| Maximum passengers | 134 |
| Crew | 5 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 79.4 t |
| Range | 3,600 NM (6,667 km) |
| Maximum speed | 375 kt (695 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 35,000 ft (10,668 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 33,000 ft (10,058 m) |
| Rate of climb | 2,500 ft/min (12.7 m/s) |
| Engines | 4x Pratt & Whitney R-4360-59B |
| Units built | 77 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
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