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In the early 1930s, Boeing Aircraft and United Air Lines worked together to produce a remarkable aircraft that revolutionized air travel, the Boeing 247. This streamlined, twin-engine airliner featured all-metal construction, retractable landing gear, and seating for ten passengers. With a cruising speed of 188 mph, the 247 was faster than the U.S. Army’s most modern fighter at the time. When it was introduced, the Boeing 247 cut the travel time from New York to San Francisco by over a third to about twenty hours. For the first time, passengers could travel from coast-to-coast in less than a day. The passenger cabin was larger and quieter than the earlier trimotors and every flight was crewed by a stewardess in addition to the pilot and copilot. In 1933, one satisfied United customer wrote, “the new Boeing planes far surpass anything I have seen in the air for comfort and expedition.” Learn more about the history of United Airlines in "Flying the Main Line: A History of United Airlines" on display, post-security, in Terminal 3. http://bit.ly/TheMainLine Image: United Air Lines promotional postcard, c. 1935. SFO Museum Collection. 2015.166.1579.
This image was posted on August 02, 2017.