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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.

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History

Specifications (Boeing 307)

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History

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". This same plane was later sold to oil tycoon Glenn McCarthy in 1949.[1]
Haiti and the United States have used the 307 in military operations.
The only surviving Boeing Model 307 (NC19903), operated by Pan Am, is preserved in flying condition 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, Wash., on what was to be its last flight before heading to the Smithsonian.[2] Despite the incident, it has again been restored and is now on display.
The fuselage of Howard Hughes' personal 307 survives, although it has been converted into a boat.[3]

Specifications (Boeing 307)

References

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