C-97 Stratofreighter
Encyclopedia
The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter was a long range heavy military cargo aircraft
based on the B-29 bomber. Design work began in 1942, with the prototype's first flight being on 9 November 1944, and the first production aircraft entered service in 1947. Between 1947 and 1958, 888 C-97s in several variants were built - 816 of them KC-97 tankers. C-97s served in the Berlin Airlift, the Korean War
, and the Vietnam War
. Some aircraft served as flying command posts for the Strategic Air Command
, while others were modified for use in Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadrons (ARRS).
by fitting an enlarged upper fuselage onto a lower fuselage and wings which were essentially the same as the B-50 Superfortress
with the tail, wing, and engine layout being nearly identical. It was built before the death of Boeing president, Philip G. Johnson
. It can be easily distinguished from the 377 Stratocruiser airliner by the radar "beak" radome beneath the nose, and by the flying boom and jets on later tanker models.
The prototype XC-97 was powered by the 2,200 hp
(1,640 kW
) Wright R-3350
engine, the same as the B-29. This aircraft and the other pre-production examples were fitted with a shorter fin and rudder than used subsequently. The C-97 had clamshell doors under the tail so a retractable ramp could be used to drive in equipment. It also was fitted with a built-in ramp and a hoist to help in the loading and unloading of supplies and personnel through the large clamshell-type doors in the belly. But unlike the later Lockheed C-130 Hercules, it was not designed as a combat transport which could deliver directly to primitive forward bases using relatively short takeoffs and landings. The rear ramp could not be used in flight for air drops.
On 9 January 1945, the first prototype, piloted by Major Curtin L. Reinhardt, flew from Seattle to Washington, DC in 6 hours 4 minutes, an average speed of 383 mph (616 km/h) with 20,000 pounds (lb) of cargo, which was for its time rather impressive for such a large aircraft. Production models featured the 3,500 hp (2,610 kW) Pratt & Whitney Wasp Major engine, the same engine as the B-50.
The C-97 had a useful payload of 35,000 lb (16 t
) and could carry two normal trucks, towed artillery or light tracked vehicles such as the M56 Scorpion
. The C-97 was also the first mass produced air transport to feature cabin pressurization, which made long range missions somewhat more comfortable for the crew and passengers.
C-97s evacuated casualties during the Korean War. C-97s also participated in the airlift of relief materials to Uli airstrip (Biafra
) during the Nigerian Civil War
. Flying under the cover of darkness and at treetop level to evade radar, at least two C-97s were lost. The USAF Strategic Air Command
operated C-97 Stratofreighters from 1949 through 1978. Early in its service life, it served as an airborne alternative SAC command post. While only 60 C-97 transports were built, 816 were built as KC-97 Stratotankers for inflight refueling. The civilian derivative of the C-97 was the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser, a very luxurious transoceanic air liner which featured a lower deck lounge and could be fitted with sleeper cabins.
Two C-97s are still airworthy at the present day, one (s/n 52-2718, named "Angel of Deliverance") operated as a privately-owned warbird
, the other operated as a fire bomber in the United States.
The Israelis turned to Stratocruisers and KC-97s when they could not buy the highly regarded C-130. The Israelis adapted 377 Stratocruiser airliners into transports, including many using C-97 tail sections including the loading ramp. Others were adapted with swiveling tails and refueling pods. One Israeli C-97 was downed by an Egyptian SA-2 Guideline missile in the early 1970s, while flying as an electronic counter-measures platform some 12 miles from the Suez Canal
.
YC-97: cargo transport, six built.
YC-97A: troop carrier, three built.
YC-97B: fitted with 80 airliner-style seats, one in 1954 redesignated VC-97D, retired to MASDC 15 December 1969.
C-97A: transport, 50 built.
KC-97A: Three C-97As were converted into aerial refueling tankers with rear loading door removed and a flight refueling boom added. After the design was proven, they were converted back into the standard C-97A.
C-97C: medical evacuation transports, 14 C-97As converted during the Korean War (also designated MC-97).
VC-97D: staff transport conversions, one YC-97A, two C-97As converted, plus the YC-97B. Later designated C-97D.
C-97E: KC-97Es converted to transports.
KC-97E
C-97F: KC-97Fs converted to transports.
KC-97F
C-97G: 135 KC-97Gs converted to transports.
EC-97G: ELINT conversion of three KC-97Gs. 53-106 was operated by the CIA
for covert ELINT operations in the West Berlin Air Corridor
.
KC-97G
GKC-97G
JKC-97G
HC-97G: KC-97Gs converted for search and rescue operations; 22 converted.
KC-97H
YC-97J: KC-97G conversion with four 5,700hp (4,250 kW) Pratt & Whitney YT34-P-5 turboprops; dropped in favour of the KC-135 Stratotanker; two converted
C-97K: KC-97Gs converted to troop transports.
KC-97L
- Westchester County Airport
, New York
(1962–1969)
Cargo aircraft
A cargo aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft designed or converted for the carriage of goods, rather than passengers. They are usually devoid of passenger amenities, and generally feature one or more large doors for the loading and unloading of cargo...
based on the B-29 bomber. Design work began in 1942, with the prototype's first flight being on 9 November 1944, and the first production aircraft entered service in 1947. Between 1947 and 1958, 888 C-97s in several variants were built - 816 of them KC-97 tankers. C-97s served in the Berlin Airlift, the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, and the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Some aircraft served as flying command posts for the Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
, while others were modified for use in Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadrons (ARRS).
Design and development
The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter was developed towards the end of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
by fitting an enlarged upper fuselage onto a lower fuselage and wings which were essentially the same as the B-50 Superfortress
Boeing B-50 Superfortress
The Boeing B-50 Superfortress strategic bomber was a post-World War II revision of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, fitted with more powerful Pratt & Whitney R-4360 radial engines, stronger structure, a taller fin, and other improvements. It was the last piston-engined bomber designed by Boeing for...
with the tail, wing, and engine layout being nearly identical. It was built before the death of Boeing president, Philip G. Johnson
Philip G. Johnson
Philip Gustav Johnson was a pioneer in the manufacturing of airplanes and in the organization of commercial airlines in the United States and Canada. Johnson served as president of Boeing, United Airlines and Kenworth....
. It can be easily distinguished from the 377 Stratocruiser airliner by the radar "beak" radome beneath the nose, and by the flying boom and jets on later tanker models.
The prototype XC-97 was powered by the 2,200 hp
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
(1,640 kW
Kw
kw or KW may refer to:* Kuwait, ISO 3166-1 country code** .kw, the country code top level domain for Kuwait* Kilowatt* Self-ionization of water Kw* Cornish language's ISO 639 code* Kitchener–Waterloo, Ontario, Canada...
) Wright R-3350
Wright R-3350
The Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone was one of the most powerful radial aircraft engines produced in the United States. It was a twin row, supercharged, air-cooled, radial engine with 18 cylinders. Power ranged from 2,200 to over 3,700 hp , depending on the model...
engine, the same as the B-29. This aircraft and the other pre-production examples were fitted with a shorter fin and rudder than used subsequently. The C-97 had clamshell doors under the tail so a retractable ramp could be used to drive in equipment. It also was fitted with a built-in ramp and a hoist to help in the loading and unloading of supplies and personnel through the large clamshell-type doors in the belly. But unlike the later Lockheed C-130 Hercules, it was not designed as a combat transport which could deliver directly to primitive forward bases using relatively short takeoffs and landings. The rear ramp could not be used in flight for air drops.
On 9 January 1945, the first prototype, piloted by Major Curtin L. Reinhardt, flew from Seattle to Washington, DC in 6 hours 4 minutes, an average speed of 383 mph (616 km/h) with 20,000 pounds (lb) of cargo, which was for its time rather impressive for such a large aircraft. Production models featured the 3,500 hp (2,610 kW) Pratt & Whitney Wasp Major engine, the same engine as the B-50.
The C-97 had a useful payload of 35,000 lb (16 t
Short ton
The short ton is a unit of mass equal to . In the United States it is often called simply ton without distinguishing it from the metric ton or the long ton ; rather, the other two are specifically noted. There are, however, some U.S...
) and could carry two normal trucks, towed artillery or light tracked vehicles such as the M56 Scorpion
M56 Scorpion
The M56 Scorpion was an unarmored American self-propelled anti-tank gun, which featured a 90mm M54 gun with a simple blast shield, and unprotected crew compartment...
. The C-97 was also the first mass produced air transport to feature cabin pressurization, which made long range missions somewhat more comfortable for the crew and passengers.
Operational history
One YC-97A (45-9595) was used in the Berlin Airlift during April 1949 operating for the 1st Strategic Support Squadron. It suffered a landing gear accident at Rhein Main Air Base and by the time it was repaired, the Soviet Blockade was lifted.C-97s evacuated casualties during the Korean War. C-97s also participated in the airlift of relief materials to Uli airstrip (Biafra
Biafra
Biafra, officially the Republic of Biafra, was a secessionist state in south-eastern Nigeria that existed from 30 May 1967 to 15 January 1970, taking its name from the Bight of Biafra . The inhabitants were mostly the Igbo people who led the secession due to economic, ethnic, cultural and religious...
) during the Nigerian Civil War
Nigerian Civil War
The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War, 6 July 1967–15 January 1970, was a political conflict caused by the attempted secession of the southeastern provinces of Nigeria as the self-proclaimed Republic of Biafra...
. Flying under the cover of darkness and at treetop level to evade radar, at least two C-97s were lost. The USAF Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
operated C-97 Stratofreighters from 1949 through 1978. Early in its service life, it served as an airborne alternative SAC command post. While only 60 C-97 transports were built, 816 were built as KC-97 Stratotankers for inflight refueling. The civilian derivative of the C-97 was the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser, a very luxurious transoceanic air liner which featured a lower deck lounge and could be fitted with sleeper cabins.
Two C-97s are still airworthy at the present day, one (s/n 52-2718, named "Angel of Deliverance") operated as a privately-owned warbird
Warbird
Warbird is a term used, predominantly in North America, to describe vintage military aircraft.- Naming :Although the term originally implied piston-driven aircraft from the World War II era, it is now often extended to include all military aircraft, including jet-powered aircraft, that are no...
, the other operated as a fire bomber in the United States.
The Israelis turned to Stratocruisers and KC-97s when they could not buy the highly regarded C-130. The Israelis adapted 377 Stratocruiser airliners into transports, including many using C-97 tail sections including the loading ramp. Others were adapted with swiveling tails and refueling pods. One Israeli C-97 was downed by an Egyptian SA-2 Guideline missile in the early 1970s, while flying as an electronic counter-measures platform some 12 miles from the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
.
Variants
XC-97: military designation of the prototype Boeing 367, three built.YC-97: cargo transport, six built.
YC-97A: troop carrier, three built.
YC-97B: fitted with 80 airliner-style seats, one in 1954 redesignated VC-97D, retired to MASDC 15 December 1969.
C-97A: transport, 50 built.
KC-97A: Three C-97As were converted into aerial refueling tankers with rear loading door removed and a flight refueling boom added. After the design was proven, they were converted back into the standard C-97A.
C-97C: medical evacuation transports, 14 C-97As converted during the Korean War (also designated MC-97).
VC-97D: staff transport conversions, one YC-97A, two C-97As converted, plus the YC-97B. Later designated C-97D.
C-97E: KC-97Es converted to transports.
KC-97E
- aerial refuelingAerial refuelingAerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling , air-to-air refueling or tanking, is the process of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight....
tankers with rear loading doors permanently closed; 60 built.
C-97F: KC-97Fs converted to transports.
KC-97F
- 3800hp R-4360-59B engines and minor changes; 159 built.
C-97G: 135 KC-97Gs converted to transports.
EC-97G: ELINT conversion of three KC-97Gs. 53-106 was operated by the CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
for covert ELINT operations in the West Berlin Air Corridor
West Berlin Air Corridor
During the Cold War era , the West Berlin Air Corridors comprised three regulated airways for civil and military air traffic of the Western Allies between West Berlin and West Germany passing over the former East Germany's territory. The corridors were under control of the all-Allied Berlin Air...
.
KC-97G
- dual-role aerial refuelingAerial refuelingAerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling , air-to-air refueling or tanking, is the process of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight....
tankers/cargo transportation aircraft. KC-97G models carried underwing fuel tanks; 592 built.
GKC-97G
- Five KC-97Gs were used as ground instruction airframes.
JKC-97G
- One aircraft was modified to test the underwing General Electric J47-GE-23General Electric J47|-Specifications :-Nuclear-powered version – The X39:In the 1950s, interest in the development of nuclear-powered aircraft led GE to experiment with two nuclear-powered gas turbine designs, one based on the J47, and another new and much larger engine called the X211.The design based on the J47...
jet engines, and was later designated KC-97L.
HC-97G: KC-97Gs converted for search and rescue operations; 22 converted.
KC-97H
- One KC-97F was experimentally converted into a probe-and-drogue refueling aircraft.
YC-97J: KC-97G conversion with four 5,700hp (4,250 kW) Pratt & Whitney YT34-P-5 turboprops; dropped in favour of the KC-135 Stratotanker; two converted
C-97K: KC-97Gs converted to troop transports.
KC-97L
- 81 KC-97Gs modified with two J47 turbojet engines on underwing pylons.
Military Operators
- Israeli Air ForceIsraeli Air ForceThe Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
- Spanish Air ForceSpanish Air Force-The early stages:Hot air balloons had been used with military purposes in Spain as far back as 1896. In 1905, with the help of Alfredo Kindelán, Leonardo Torres y Quevedo directed the construction of the first Spanish dirigible in the Army Military Aerostatics Service, created in 1896 and located...
- United States Air ForceUnited States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
USAF Units
The following USAF wing organizations flew the various C-97 models at some time during their existence:Air National Guard
105th Airlift Wing
The United States Air Force's 105th Airlift Wing is an Air National Guard airlift unit operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command and located at Stewart ANGB, New York.-History:...
- Westchester County Airport
Westchester County Airport
Westchester County Airport is a county-owned public-use airport in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located three nautical miles northeast of the central business district of White Plains, in the towns of Harrison, North Castle and Rye Brook.It serves the areas of...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(1962–1969)
-
- 137th Air Transport Squadron
- 106th Air Transport Group106th Rescue WingThe 106th Rescue Wing is an Air National Guard unit stationed at Francis S. Gabreski Airport, Westhampton Beach, New York. The mission of the wing is combat search and rescue. During peacetime, the unit also provides search and rescue services to the maritime community and NASA...
- Suffolk County Airport, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(-)- 102d Air Transport Squadron
- 109th Air Transport Group109th Airlift WingThe United States Air Force's 109th Airlift Wing is an Air Mobility Command gained tactical airlift unit of the New York Air National Guard. The unit is located at Stratton ANGB/Schenectady County Airport, New York and operates both conventional C-130 Hercules aircraft and specially modified...
- Schenectady AirportSchenectady County AirportSchenectady County Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located three miles north of the city of Schenectady in Schenectady County, New York, USA....
, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(-)- 139th Air Transport Squadron
- 111th Air Transport Group111th Fighter WingThe United States Air Force's 111th Fighter Wing is an Air National Guard fighter unit located at NAS Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.-Mission:To maintain highly trained, well-equipped, and motivated military forces in order to provide combat-ready OA-10/A-10 aircraft and support elements in response to...
- NAS Willow Grove, PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
(-)- 103d Air Transport Squadron
- 116th Air Transport Group116th Air Control WingThe United States Air Force's 116th Air Control Wing is a joint active duty/Air National Guard air control wing located at Robins AFB, Georgia.-Mission:...
- Dobbins ARB, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
(-)- 128th Air Transport Squadron (Heavy)
- 118th Air Transport Group118th Airlift WingThe United States Air Force's 118th Airlift Wing is a unit of the Tennessee Air National Guard located at Berry Field Air National Guard Base at Nashville International Airport, Tennessee. As an Air National Guard organization, the wing is operationally gained by the Air Education and Training...
- Nashville International AirportNashville International AirportNashville International Airport is a joint civil-military airport in southeastern Nashville, Tennessee. The IATA Airport Code BNA is derived from the early name of the facility—Berry Field, NAshville. Berry Field was the name of the airport until 1988, when the name was changed to reflect...
, TennesseeTennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
(-)- 105th Air Transport Squadron
- 126th Air Refueling Wing126th Air Refueling WingThe United States Air Force's 126th Air Refueling Wing is a Illinois Air National Guard air refueling wing located at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois....
- O'Hare Airport, IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,... - 133d Air Transport Wing133d Airlift WingThe 133d Airlift Wing is a unit of the Minnesota Air National Guard and Minnesota National Guard, part of the United States Air Force. It's located at Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport in St. Paul, Minnesota. Operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command , the 133 AW flies the C-130 H3...
- Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport, MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
(-)- 109th Air Transport Squadron (Heavy)
- 137th Air Transport Group137th Air Refueling WingThe United States Air Force's 137th Air Refueling Wing is an Oklahoma Air National Guard wing located at Will Rogers Air National Guard base, Oklahoma. The wing flies KC-135 Stratotankers....
- Will Rogers World AirportWill Rogers World AirportWill Rogers World Airport , also known as Will Rogers Airport or simply Will Rogers, is located in southwestern Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 6 miles from downtown and is the principal commercial airport of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area...
, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
(-)- 185th Air Transport Squadron
- 138th Air Transport Group138th Fighter WingThe United States Air Force's 138th Fighter Wing is a fighter unit located at Tulsa International Airport in Tulsa, Oklahoma. An Air National Guard unit operationally-gained by the Air Combat Command , the wing flies the F-16 Fighting Falcon multirole fighter.-Mission:The federal mission of the...
- Tulsa International AirportTulsa International AirportTulsa International Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located five miles northeast of downtown Tulsa, a city in Tulsa County, Oklahoma, United States. It was originally named Tulsa Municipal Airport, when the city acquired it in 1929...
, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
(-)- 125th Air Transport Squadron
- 139th Air Transport Group139th Airlift WingThe 139th Airlift Wing is located at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base at Rosecrans Memorial Airport, Saint Joseph, Missouri. It is the home of the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center. The 139th AW is one of the two flying wings currently in the Missouri Air National Guard...
- Rosecrans Air National Guard BaseRosecrans Air National Guard BaseRosecrans Air National Guard Base or Rosecrans ANGB, is located on a portion of the Rosecrans Memorial Airport , Saint Joseph, Missouri. It is the home of the 139th Airlift Wing, Missouri Air National Guard and the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center. It is named in honor of Guy Wallace...
, MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
(-)- 180th Air Transport Squadron (Heavy)180th Airlift SquadronThe 180th Airlift Squadron is located at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base at Rosecrans Memorial Airport, Saint Joseph, Missouri. It is part of the 139th Airlift Wing, Missouri Air National Guard, and operationally flies the Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft...
- 180th Air Transport Squadron (Heavy)
- 146th Air Transport Wing146th Airlift WingThe United States Air Force's 146th Airlift Wing is a unit located at Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California.-Mission:The 146th AW's primary mission is to provide global military airlift capability to a full spectrum of state and federal agencies...
- NAS Point Mugu, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
(-)- 115th Air Transport Squadron (Heavy)
- 195th Air Transport Squadron (Heavy)
- 151st Air Transport Wing151st Air Refueling WingThe United States Air Force's 151st Air Refueling Wing is a unit located at Salt Lake City International Airport, Utah.-Mission:The mission of the 151st Air Refueling Wing is to organize, train, and equip KC-135R aircraft and personnel to provide in-flight refueling support in the Global...
- Salt Lake City International AirportSalt Lake City International AirportSalt Lake City International Airport is a major public airport in Utah. A joint civil-military facility, it is located in western Salt Lake City, approximately four miles from the central business district...
, UtahUtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
(-)- 191st Air Transport Squadron (Heavy)
- 157th Air Transport Group157th Air Refueling WingThe United States Air Force's 157th Air Refueling Wing is an aerial refueling unit of the New Hampshire Air National Guard located at Pease ANGB, New Hampshire...
- Grenier Field, New HampshireNew HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
(-)- 133d Air Transport Squadron
- 161st Air Transport Group161st Air Refueling WingThe United States Air Force's 161st Air Refueling Wing is an Air National Guard aerial refueling unit located at Sky Harbor International Airport, Arizona.-History:...
- Sky Harbor International Airport, ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
(1966–1972)- 197th Air Transport Squadron
- 162d Air Transport Wing162d Fighter WingThe 162d Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit located at Tucson International Airport, near Tucson, Arizona.-Mission:The Air National Guard in Tucson is home to F-16 training for the U.S...
- , ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
(-) - 164th Air Transport Group164th Airlift WingThe United States Air Force's 164th Airlift Wing is an airlift unit of the Tennessee Air National Guard, operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command and located at the Memphis Air National Guard Base at Memphis International Airport, Tennessee...
- Memphis International AirportMemphis International AirportMemphis International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Memphis, a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States....
, TennesseeTennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
(-)- 155th Air Transport Squadron (Heavy)
- 165th Air Transport Group165th Airlift WingThe Georgia Air National Guard's 165th Airlift Wing is a unit located at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, Georgia. The Airlift Wing, which currently flies the C-130H cargo aircraft, came into existence after World War II in 1946. The unit was officially mobilized first for the Korean...
- Savannah International Airport, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
(-)- 158th Air Transport Squadron (Heavy)
- 166th Air Transport Group166th Airlift WingThe United States Air Force's 166th Airlift Wing is an airlift unit located at the New Castle County Airport, Delaware.-History:On 7 April 1962 the Delaware Air National Guard, with the 142nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, enlarged to "group status" as the 166th Air Transport Group and the was...
- Greater Wilmington AirportNew Castle AirportNew Castle Airport , also known as the New Castle County Airport, is a public airport located in unincorporated New Castle County, Delaware, United States and four miles south of the central business district of the city of Wilmington....
, DelawareDelawareDelaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
(-)- 142d Air Transport Squadron
Civil Operators
- BalairSwissairSwissair AG was the former national airline of Switzerland.It was formed from a merger between Balair and Ad Astra Aero , in 1931...
- Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation
- Hawkins & Powers Aviation
- Zantop Air TransportZantop Air TransportZantop Air Transport was formed from Zantop Flying Service in 1962. The Civil Aeronautics Board approved transfer of the operating certificate of Coastal Airlines to Zantop Air Transport, which had incorporated and become a supplemental air carrier. The former company had been a hauler for the...
Accidents and incidents
- 15 October 1951 - After taking off from Lages Air Force Base, Azores, a Boeing C-97A of the Military Air Transport ServiceMilitary Air Transport ServiceThe Military Air Transport Service is an inactive Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy Naval Air Transport Service and the United States Air Force Air Transport Command into a single, joint, unified command...
went missing on a flight back to Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts. The aircraft was piloted by Captain John Francis Dailey, Jr. and had a crew of 11. A total of 50 aircraft and ships searched the intended route but no trace of the aircraft or crew was ever found.
- 22 March 1957 - A USAF C-97C en route to TokyoTokyo, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
went missing over the Pacific OceanPacific OceanThe Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, with 67 people on board.
- 30 July 1987 - After taking off, a C-97 operated by Belize Air International (a cargo airlineCargo airlineCargo airlines are airlines dedicated to the transport of cargo. Some cargo airlines are divisions or subsidiaries of larger passenger airlines.-Logistics:...
) crashed onto the Mexico CityMexico CityMexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
-TolucaTolucaToluca, formally known as Toluca de Lerdo, is the state capital of Mexico State as well as the seat of the Municipality of Toluca. It is the center of a rapidly growing urban area, now the fifth largest in Mexico. It is located west-southwest of Mexico City and only about 40 minutes by car to the...
highway, killing 5 of the 12 people on board and 44 people on the ground.
Survivors
- C-97G 52-898 is on display at the Chanute Aerospace Museum (former Chanute AFB) in Rantoul, IllinoisRantoul, IllinoisRantoul is a village in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 13,674 at the 2010 census. The present mayor is Neal Williams, who was re-elected in 2009...
. - C-97G 52-2626 is on display at the Pima Air & Space MuseumPima Air & Space MuseumThe Pima Air & Space Museum features a display of nearly 300 aircraft spread out over 80 acres on a campus occupying 127 acres . Located in Tucson, Arizona, it is one of the world's largest, non-government funded aerospace museums...
, Tucson, ArizonaTucson, ArizonaTucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
. - C-97G 52-2718 "Angel of Deliverance" is under restoration to flight status by Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation at Hangar B of Floyd Bennett FieldFloyd Bennett FieldFloyd Bennett Field is New York City's first municipal airport. While no longer used as an operational commercial, military or general aviation airfield, the New York Police Department still flies its helicopters from its heliport base there...
. - C-97G N227AR (the former USAF serial number 52-2764) is on display at the Don Q Inn, next to the (now closed) Dodgeville Municipal Airport outside Dodgeville, WisconsinDodgeville, WisconsinDodgeville is the most populous city and county seat of Iowa County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 4,698 at the 2010 census, making it the 9th largest city within the Madison metropolitan area. The Greater Dodgeville Area however had a population of 6,529...
. - C-97G 53-0272 is on display at the Milestones of Flight Museum, Fox Field, Lancaster, CaliforniaLancaster, CaliforniaLancaster is a charter city in northern Los Angeles County, in the high desert, near the Kern County line. Lancaster currently ranks as the 30th largest city in California, and the 148th largest city in the United States. Lancaster is the principal city within the Antelope Valley...
. - KC-97G ex USAF 52-2799, c/n 035/4X-FPO is on display at the Israeli Air Force MuseumIsraeli Air Force MuseumThe Israeli Air Force Museum is located at Hatzerim Airbase in the Negev desert.The museum was established in 1977 and is open to the public since 1991. The museum display a variety of Israeli Air Force and foreign aircraft, as well as anti aircraft arms....
, Hatzerim Airbase, BeershebaBeershebaBeersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
, IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
Specifications (C-97)
See also
External links
- /How to Fly the C97
- Airliners.net - The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter
- Angel of deliverance: Boeing C-97G sn 52-2718
- Goleta Air & Space Museum - Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter/Stratotanker
- PhotoValet - Air Force Military Aircraft: Boeing C-97 and KC-97 Stratotanker/Stratofreighter images
- Newsreel introducing the C97 showing rear ramp