Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter Transport (1944)
The C-97 Stratofreighter was a critical product for both Boeing and the US military throughout the 1950s and 1960s.
Externally, the C-97 was designed as a mammoth aircraft with a lengthy wingspan mounting four engines, a deep-volume ("double-lobed") fuselage and a traditional empennage. The flight deck was situated in an elevated position at the extreme front of the aircraft. The deep fuselage allowed for various internal arrangements to be had. Each wing managed two engine nacelles along their leading edge. Power was served through 4 x Pratt & Whitney R-4360B Wasp Major radial piston engines delivering 3,500 horsepower each while powering four-bladed propellers. The aircraft could reach a top speed of 375 miles per hour and cruise at 300 miles per hour up to a ceiling of 35,000 feet and range out to 4,300 miles. Internally, the pressurized cargo hold could house 96 infantry or 69 medical patients with staff. In the air tanker role, the C-97 was instead outfitted with large fuel stores which fed awaiting aircraft via a single directional boom at the base of the tail. The cargo hold was accessed through clamshell doors along the belly of the fuselage. The undercarriage was fully retractable and consisted of a double-wheeled nose leg and twin-wheeled main legs. A radar was housed in a chin radome which immediately differentiated the design from the similar 377 Stratocruiser series. The standard operating crew (in basic C-97 transport configuration) was two pilots, a navigator and a flight engineer.
The C-97 was undoubtedly a large aircraft. Its wingspan measured over 141 feet and the fuselage was over 110 feet long. Height was listed at over 38 feet. When empty, the C-97 displaced at 82,500lbs and this ballooned to 175,000lbs when under full load.
Cargo evaluation versions existed under the YC-97 designation and six were produced. The YV-97A was an evaluation troop transport of which three were manufactured and the YV-97B was an evaluation type featuring passenger seating for 80 though only one example was converted as such. The initial production model was the C-97A of which 50 were delivered. Three were converted to the air tanker role as the KC-97A and then returned to C-97A standard after testing. The C-97C was a MEDEVAC variant built from 14 C-97A models during the Korean War. The C-97E was a transport as was the C-97F. Both of these were born from the KC-97E and KC-97F air tankers (60 and 159 built respectively). The KC-97G was another air tanker in 592 examples then converted into 135 KC-97G transport. 81 KC-97Gs were converted as troop transports under the C-97K designation. The C-97 existed in many other specialized forms including training, search and rescue (SAR), turbojet testbed and ELINT.
Operators of the C-97 (beyond the United States) went on to include Israel and Spain. Ex-USAF airframes found their way to the Air National Guard as transports while others found their way into private hands. Some has survived as restored/protected museum pieces. Text ©2003-2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • No Reproduction Permitted
MilitaryFactory.com does NOT sell equipment/weaponry. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance or general operation. Please consult manufacturers for such information. Our disclaimer. Email corrections / Comments to MilitaryFactory at Gmail dot com.
Specifications for the
Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter
Transport
Country of Origin: United States
Manufacturer: Boeing Corporation - USA
Initial Year of Service: 1944
Production: 60
Focus Model: Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter
Crew: 4
Length: 110.56ft (33.7m)
Width: 141.40ft (43.10m)
Height: 38.39ft (11.70m)
Weight (Empty): 82,453lbs (37,400kg)
Weight (MTOW): 176,370lbs (80,000kg)
Powerplant: 4 x Pratt & Whitney R-4360B Wasp Major radial piston engines developing 3,500 horsepower.
Maximum Speed: 375mph (603kmh; 326kts)
Maximum Range: 4,350miles (7,000km)
Service Ceiling: 35,007ft (10,670m; 6.6miles)
Rate-of-Climb: 0 feet per minute (0m/min)
Hardpoints: 0
Armament Suite:
None.
Variants:
Model 367 - Boeing Product Designation
XC-97 - Prototype Model based on Model 367; three examples completed.
YC-97 - Evaluation cargo transports; six examples.
YC-97A - Evaluation troop transport; three examples.
YC-97B - Evaluation passenger transport; seating for 80.
C-97A - Initial Transport Model; 50 examples
KC-97A - Aerial Tanker; three converted from C-97A stocks for testing, then returned to C-97A standard.
C-97C - MEDEVAC variant; 14 x C-97A conversions
VC-97D - VIP transport; 4 conversions - 1 x YC-97A, 2 x C-97A and 1 x YC-97B.
C-97E - Transports converted from KC-97E
KC-97E - Aerial tanker; 60 examples
C-97F - Transports converted from KC-97F
KC-97F - Aerial tanker; fitted with P&W R-4360-59B engines of 3,800 horsepower.
C-97G - Transports converted from KC-97G; 135 examples.
EC-97G - ElINT model; converted from three KC-97G
KC-97G - Hybrid aerial tanker/transport model; 592 examples.
GKC-97G - Training model; five examples from KC-97G.
JKC-97G - Turbojet engine testbed; single example; later becoming KC-97L.
HC-97G - Search and Rescue platform; 22 examples.
KC-97H - Experimental aerial tanker; converted from KC-97F; single example.
YC-97J - Proposed aerial tanker; two examples converted from KC-97G.
C-97K - Troop transport; from KC-97G
KC-97L - KC-97G models with 2 x J47 turbojet engines underwing; 81 examples.
Operators: Israel; Spain; United States
BY DECADE:
• 1900 to 1909
• 1910 to 1919
• 1920 to 1929
• 1930 to 1939
• 1940 to 1949
• 1950 to 1959
• 1960 to 1969
• 1970 to 1979
• 1980 to 1989
• 1990 to 1999
• 2000 to 2009
• 2010 to 2019
• 2020 to 2029
• VIEW ALL
• Compare Aircraft
BY TYPE:
• Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)
• Attack Helicopters
• Bomber Aircraft
• Medium Bombers
• Heavy Bombers
• Close-Air Support (CAS)
• Commercial Aircraft
• Dive Bombers
• Electronic Warfare Aircraft (EWA)
• Experimental / X-Planes
• Fighter Aircraft
• Floatplane Aircraft
• Flying Boat Aircraft
• Aerial Refueling Tankers
• Helicopters (ALL)
• Interceptor Aircraft
• Multi-Role Aircraft
• Navy Carrier Aircraft
• Night Fighters
• Reconnaissance / Scout
• Search & Rescue (SAR)
• Scout Helicopters
• Special Purpose
• Torpedo Bombers
• Trainer Aircraft
• Transport Aircraft
• Transport Helicopters
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
• Unmanned Combat Air Vehicles (UCAVs)
COLLECTIONS:
• 4th Generation Fighter Aircraft
• 5th Generation Fighter Aircraft
• US X-Planes
• Classic US Warbirds
• French Military Helicopters
• Grumman "Cats"
• Howard Hughes Aircraft
• Indian Air Force
• Israeli Air Force
• Libyan Aircraft
• Modern Chinese Aircraft
• Modern Chinese Fighters
• Modern Military Aircraft
• Modern North Korean Aircraft
• Modern Trainer Aircraft
• Modern US Aircraft
• Mikoyan Aircraft
• Sukhoi Aircraft
• Syrian Aircraft
• Top 10 Fighter Aircraft of All Time
AIRCRAFT BY CONFLICT:
• Arab-Israeli War (1948)
• Cuban Missile Crisis (1959-1962)
• Falklands War (1982)
• Indo-Pak War (1965, 1971)
• Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988)
• Lebanon War (1982)
• Operation Allied Force (1999)
• Operation Desert Storm (1991)
• Six Day War (1967)
• Spanish Civil War (1936)
• Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989)
• Yom Kippur War (1973)
MISCELLANEOUS:
• Aircraft Cockpits
• Aircraft Manufacturers List
• Aircraft Timeline
WORLD WAR 2:
• 1939 Aircraft
• 1940 Aircraft
• 1941 Aircraft
• 1942 Aircraft
• 1943 Aircraft
• 1944 Aircraft
• 1945 Aircraft
• 1946 Aircraft
• Australian Aircraft
• Battle of Britain Aircraft
• Bombers
• Four-Engine Bombers
• British Aircraft
• British Bombers
• British Transports
• Dive Bombers
• Canadian Aircraft
• Fighters
• Chinese Aircraft
• French Aircraft
• German Aircraft
• German Fighters
• German Flying Boats
• German Jets
• Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe
• Italian Aircraft
• Imperial Japanese Aircraft
• Imperial Japanese Fighters
• Mitsubishi Bombers
• Navy Aircraft
• Pearl Harbor
• Polish Aircraft
• Romanian Aircraft
• US Aircraft
• US Bombers
• US Navy Aircraft
• Soviet Aircraft
• Torpedo Bombers
• Transport Aircraft
• Tuskegee Airmen Aircraft
• W.A.S.P. Aircraft
• WW2 Aircraft Ranked by Speed
• VIEW ALL
WORLD WAR 1:
• 1914 Aircraft
• 1915 Aircraft
• 1916 Aircraft
• 1917 Aircraft
• 1918 Aircraft
• Aircraft Timeline
• Austro-Hungarian Aircraft
• Bomber Aircraft
• British Aircraft
• Fighters
• Flying Boats
• French Aircraft
• Imperial German Aircraft
• Italian Aircraft
• Scout Aircraft
• Russian Empire Aircraft
• US Aircraft
• WW1 Aircraft Ranked by Speed
• VIEW ALL
KOREAN WAR:
• Australian Aircraft
• Korean War Aces
• Korean War Jets
• North Korean Aircraft
• US Military Aircraft
• VIEW ALL
VIETNAM WAR:
• Helicopters
• North Vietnam Air Force
• US Airpower
• VIEW ALL
COLD WAR:
• 1950s French Aircraft
• British V-Bombers
• Cold War Bombers
• Soviet Aircraft
• Soviet Bombers
• Soviet Interceptors
• Soviet Helicopters
• Strategic Air Command
• US Aircraft
• US Bombers
• US Interceptors
• VIEW ALL
©2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • Content ©2003-2013 MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Site Contact Email: militaryfactory at gmail dot com. The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® trademarks and protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws.
Top MF Stuff: 2013 Military Pay Scale | Military Ranks | WW2 Weapons | Sniper Rifles | Kts to Mph | WW1 Aircraft | Automatic Rifles | Aircraft Cockpits | Vietnam War Weapons | Main Battle Tanks | Submachine Guns | Shotguns | French Military Victories
Most photographic images appearing on this site are courtesy of the United States Department of Defense and are approved for public use. Other images acquired through the public domain. Digital art work courtesy of Dan Alex. Business Consulting by Kyle Williams. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance or general operation. Please consult manufacturers for such information.
