loading image
It's Wing Wednesday, and today's plane is the Boeing 307 Stratoliner! These days, it's not just normal but expected that commercial airplanes will cruise at altitudes around 35,000 feet. But back in 1940, when the first pressurized commercial airliner, the Boeing 307 Stratoliner, was introduced into service, it was a marvel to be able to fly above most weather disturbances at a height of 20,000 feet. In 1934, Boeing began design studies for a four-engine bomber in conjunction with a four-engine civil airliner. The bomber version became the B-17 and was produced in large numbers. The civil airliner version emerged as the Model 307. Named the “Stratoliner” for its ability to fly near the stratosphere, the airliner had a circular cross-section, tear-drop-shaped fuselage to handle the stresses of pressurization. Only ten were produced: one prototype, three for Pan American Airways, five for TWA (Transcontinental & Western Air), and one for Howard Hughes.
This image was posted on March 31, 2021.
This post mentions the following things involved with the SFO Museum collection:
Boeing (1916 to ..)
This company is from the United States