Boeing 307

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A restored Boeing 307 on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

The Boeing Model 307 Stratoliner was the first commercial transport aircraft with a pressurized cabin. This feature allowed the plane to cruise at an altitude of 20,000 feet (6,000 m), well above weather disturbances. The Model 307 had capacity for a crew of five and 33 passengers. The cabin was nearly 12 feet across. It was the first plane to include a flight engineer as a crew member.

A total of 10 Stratoliners were built. The first flight was on December 31, 1938. By 1940 it was flying routes between Los Angeles and New York, as well as to locations in Latin America. Multi-millionaire Howard Hughes purchased a model for his personal use, and had it transformed into a luxurious "flying penthouse".

The only surviving Boeing Model 307 (NC19903) is on display at the Smithsonian Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. On March 29, 2002 this particular aircraft was subject to a dramatic crash in which it ditched into Elliott Bay in Seattle, WA on what was to be its last flight before heading to the Smithsonian [link].

Specifications (Boeing 307)

General characteristics

Crew: three, two pilots and flight engineer
Capacity: 33 passengers
Length: 74 ft 4 in (22.66 m)
Wingspan: 107 ft 0 in (32.61 m)
Height: 20 ft 10 in (6.34 m)
Wing area: 1,486 ft² (138.0 m²)
Empty: 30,000 lb (13,608 kg)
Loaded: 42,000 lb (19,050 kg)
Maximum takeoff: lb ( kg)
Powerplant: 4× Wright GR-1820 radials, 900 hp (671 kW) each

Performance

Maximum Speed: 246 mph (396 km/h)
Range: 2,390 miles (3,846 km)
Service ceiling: 26,200 ft (7,985 m)
Rate of climb: ft/min ( m/min)
Wing loading: 28 lb/ft² (138 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.09 hp/lb (140 W/kg)

Military Operators

Haiti, United States.

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External links

[Boeing history of the Model 307]

Boeing airliners
Piston Engined Airliners: Boeing 40A>40A \| 80 \| 221 \| 247 \| 307 \| 314 \| 377
Jet Engined Airliners: Boeing 367-80>367-80 \| 707 \| 720 \| 727 \| 737 \| 747 \| 757 \| 767 \| 777 \| 717 \| 787
Proposed Airliners: Boeing 2707>2707 \| 7J7 \| NLA \| Sonic Cruiser \| Y1 \| Y3