Boeing VC-137 / C-137 Stratoliner

Government VIP Transport

Aviation / Aerospace

1 / 1

Image courtesy of the United States Air Force Museum, Dayton, Ohio.

Despite their 1950s heritage, boeing VC-137 Stratoliners remain in acitve service with the United States Air Force into 2014.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 4/25/2016 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com

VC-137 "Stratoliner" is the designation used by the United States Air Force (USAF) to mark its Boeing 707s configured to the VIP passenger transport role. The Boeing 707 was developed in the latter part of the 1950s, first flying in December of 1957 and, since then, the model series has been produced in over 1,000 examples into 1979. The VC-137 remains in active service as of this writing (March 2014) and has seen several designations emerge since its formal adoption. Outwardly, the VC-137 retains the same general form and function as the original 707. The first VC-137 was delivered in 1959 and procurement proved limited.

VC-137A were the original early acquired marks and numbered three examples. These were internally configured to seat twenty-two in comfort with extra equipment to serve occupants as an Airborne Command Post (ACP). Power was served through 4 x Pratt & Whitney J57 turbojet engines. These aircraft were then redesignated as VC-137B. The VC-137B was refitted with 4 x Pratt & Whitney JT3D-3 turbofan engines and they, themselves, would later be known under the C-137B designation.

Beginning in 1961, the USAF procured an additional Boeing 707 aircraft (707-353B) and assigned it the VC-137C designation to serve the President of the United States and staff members. A second example followed in 1972 and, as with the earlier VC-137Bs, the VC-137C became known as C-137C.

The EC-137D designation was reserved for related Early Warning and Control System (EWAC) aircraft prototypes and numbered two. These then evolved under the E-3A "Sentry" designation to become their own notable Boeing 707 offshoot, serving with several world powers including NATO.

Specifications

Year:
1959

Crew
3

Production
7 Units

Boeing Aircraft Company - USA

United States

- VIP Transport

4 x Pratt & Whitney JT3D-3 Turbofan engines developing 18.000lb of thrust each.

Max Speed:
628 mph (1,010 kph; 545 kts)

Service Ceiling:
49,869 feet (15,200 m; 9.44 miles)

Max Range:
5,757 miles (9,265 km; 5,003 nm)

Rate-of-Climb:
4,000 ft/min (1,219 m/min)

(Showcased performance values pertain to the Boeing VC-137B Stratoliner production model; Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database)

None.

(Showcased armament details pertain to the Boeing VC-137B Stratoliner production model)

VC-137A - Original three examples modified for VIP service; seating for 22; Pratt & Whitney J57 turbojet engines; redesignated to VC-137B.

VC-137B - Redesignated VC-137A models with Pratt & Whitney JT3D-3 turbofan engines; redesignated as C-137B.

VC-137C - Two Boeing 707s for USAF converted for Presidential transport role; becoming C-137C.

C-137B - Original three VC-137A/B aircraft post-VIP service role.

C-137C - Pair of ex-VC-137C models for post-VIP/Presidential transport role.

EC-137D - Pair of prototype airframes to serve in EWCS role; evolving to become E-3 Sentry series.

Military lapel ribbon for Operation Allied Force

Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Britain

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Midway

Military lapel ribbon for the Berlin Airlift

Military lapel ribbon for the Cuban Missile Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War

Military lapel ribbon for the French-Indochina War

Military lapel ribbon for the Golden Age of Flight

Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War

Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars

Military lapel ribbon for the Iran-Iraq War

Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War

Military lapel ribbon for the 1982 Lebanon War

Military lapel ribbon for the Malayan Emergency

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the attack on Pearl Harbor

Military lapel ribbon for the Six Day War

Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War

Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for the Suez Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War

Military lapel ribbon for Warsaw Pact of the Cold War-era

Military lapel ribbon for the WASP (WW2)

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War

Military lapel ribbon for experimental x-plane aircraft

* Ribbons not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns/operations.

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2021 Military Pay Scale Army Ranks Navy Ranks Air Force Ranks Alphabet Code DoD Dictionary American War Deaths French Military Victories

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world and WDMMA.org, the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft.