Boeing 307 Stratoliner
Boeing · United States · first flew 1938 · airliner
The Boeing 307 Stratoliner was the world's first commercial transport aircraft to feature a pressurised cabin, allowing it to fly above most weather systems and offer passengers a smoother ride than any contemporary airliner. Only ten were built, but the type marked a watershed in commercial aviation.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Circular fuselage cross-section to handle pressurisation loads |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- World's first pressurised commercial airliner — could cruise above weather at 20,000 ft
- Four Wright Cyclone radials on low tapered wings shared with the B-17
- Circular fuselage cross-section to handle pressurisation loads
Distinctive circular fuselage cross-section with four radial engines on low wings clearly derived from the B-17; conventional low-wing four-engine layout with a rounded nose.
Specifications
- The Boeing 307 Stratoliner has a length of 22.66 m (74 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 32.69 m (107 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 399 km/h (248 mph).
- Typical crew: 5 + up to 33 passengers.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Boeing developed the 307 using the wings, engines, and tail of the B-17 Flying Fortress bomber mated to a new circular pressurised fuselage. First flying in December 1938, the Stratoliner entered service with TWA and Pan American in 1940. During WWII all examples were requisitioned by the USAAF as C-75 transports. After the war some were rebuilt with B-17G tail assemblies and returned to civil service. The last example survives at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
Variants
The Model 307 was the production airliner; the S-307 was Pan Am's version; the SA-307B was TWA's; the C-75 was the WWII military transport variant.
Where you'll see it
Operated by TWA and Pan American pre-war; served as USAAF C-75 transports during WWII; Howard Hughes owned a modified example for personal use.
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- de Havilland DH.91 Albatross
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