Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter – Fotos e Vídeos

O Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter foi um avião de carga militar pesado de longo alcance desenvolvido a partir dos bombardeiros B-29 e B-50. O trabalho de projeto começou em 1942, o primeiro de 3 protótipos XC-97s voou em 9 de novembro de 1944 (nenhum viu combate), e o primeiro de 6 YC-97s de teste de serviço voou em 11 de março de 1947. Todos estes eram baseados na estrutura de liga 24ST e motores Wright R-3350 do B-29, mas com um lobo superior da fuselagem de maior diâmetro (fazendo um número de oito ou seção de "bolha dupla") e eles tinham a cauda vertical do B-29 com a posição dos artilheiros coberta. Entre 1944 e 1958, 888 C-97 em várias versões foram construídos, sendo 811 KC-97. Os C-97 serviram na Ponte Aérea de Berlim, na Guerra da Coreia e na Guerra do Vietnã.

Fonte: Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter na Wikipédia

O Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter was a long-range heavy military cargo aircraft developed from the B-29 and B-50 bombers. It was designed to transport troops, equipment, and supplies across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans during the Cold War era. The C-97 had a distinctive double-deck fuselage with a lower deck that could accommodate up to 134 passengers or 35,000 pounds of cargo. The upper deck contained the flight deck and crew quarters. The C-97 was powered by four Pratt & Whitney R-4360 radial engines, each producing 3,500 horsepower.
The C-97 had a maximum speed of 375 miles per hour and a range of 4,400 miles. The C-97 entered service with the United States Air Force in 1947 and was used extensively in the Berlin Airlift, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The C-97 also served as the basis for several variants, including the KC-97 tanker, the C-135 Stratolifter, and the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser airliner. The C-97 was retired from active duty in 1978 and is now preserved in several museums around the world.