Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter
Boeing · United States · first flew 1944 · transport aircraft
The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter was a large strategic transport built on the wings, engines, and lower fuselage of the B-29 Superfortress, with a distinctive double-bubble upper fuselage providing a commodious cargo hold. It formed the basis for the KC-97 aerial tanker.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Double-bubble fuselage cross-section from B-29 lower hull and larger upper lobe |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Double-bubble fuselage cross-section from B-29 lower hull and larger upper lobe
- Four radial engines on B-29-type wings
- Basis for KC-97 tanker and Boeing 377 Stratocruiser airliner
Identified by the characteristic swollen double-bubble upper fuselage mated to B-29-style wings and four large radial engines; the silhouette is unique among Western transports of its era.
Specifications
- The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter has a length of 33.63 m (110 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 43.05 m (141 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 603 km/h (375 mph).
- Typical crew: 5.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The XC-97 prototype first flew in November 1944; deliveries began in 1947. The KC-97 tanker variant became the backbone of Strategic Air Command's tanker force in the early 1950s before the KC-135 arrived. The commercial Boeing 377 Stratocruiser was a direct derivative.
Variants
C-97A through C-97G were cargo variants; KC-97E through KC-97L were tankers; the KC-97L added jet-assist pods to keep pace with faster jet bombers during refuelling.
Where you'll see it
Served USAF Air Mobility Command and Strategic Air Command from 1947 into the 1970s; the KC-97G and L were operated by the Air National Guard until 1978. Israel operated converted KC-97s as tankers into the 1990s.
Related aircraft
- Boeing XB-39 Superfortress
- Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress
- Boeing C-108 Flying Fortress
- B-29 Superfortress
- Blohm und Voss BV 238
- Consolidated PBY-6A Catalina
- Cornelius XFG-1
- Douglas XCG-17
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