Boeing Stratoliner pics...

[Boss_BlueAngels]

The only Stratoliner in flying condition in the world.  I have a unique connection with this aircraft.  A few years ago during my first solo I had the rare opportunity to do 4 circuts in the pattern, follwing this beautiful aircraft on her first test flight at Paine Field (KPAE) and got to watch her takeoff and land in front of me 4 times.  Beautiful then, and beautiful now.

The follwing pics were taken the same day as my post with the 777/737 pics two summers ago, before she was shipped off to, what was it, the Smithsonian?  

Anyway, the Stratoliner...

Now that is some seriously polished alluminum!  


Takeoff roll for her first takeoff.  (Did about 3 full stop landings before she went back to the hangar)


turning around on the taxiway


Comin' right at ya.


Tailwheel off the ground, she's ready to go!


The beautiful buildings of Seattle in the background


Again, hope you guys enjoyed these pics.  Noticed it was kinda slow around here with the aviation pics and thought you guys would enjoy these non-military aviation pics. lol  

[Hagar]

Very nice Boss. Nothing I like more than photos of rare aircraft & this certainly fits that category. It looks to have been lovingly restored.

On the subject of the Stratoliner I was reading only the other day about one being converted into a boat some years ago. Apparently it will be featured in a film about Howard Hughes. Check this out. http://www.planeboats.com/Other%20Pages/Events/archive%20pages/events%20archive-2003.html

[Omag 2.0]

That's simply a gorgeous plane! Look at it! Almost brand new. Look's like you had a great day when taking these shots!

But one thing... I sure wouldn't like to be in charge of cleaning that one...  ;D

[Ben_M_K]

Awsome shots of an awsome aircraft!!!

[C]

Shame that it's another now destined to stay earthbound forever....

Charlie

[Hagar]

Shame that it's another now destined to stay earthbound forever....

Charlie

Is this the one that ditched some time ago or am I getting confused again?

[C]

Is this the one that ditched some time ago or am I getting confused again?

Yes, it ditched in Seattle harbour, which I think was down to fuel starvation (which would almost be a prosecutable offense over here).

On March 28, 2002 Clipper Flying Cloud was ditched in Elliot Bay near Seattle. The ditching was largely the result of inattention to the fuel gauges and poor assumptions about how long the Stratoliner could remain airborne with the amont of fuel on board. It appears that "dipping", the method used to determine the amount of fuel aboard, was not sufficiently precise.  The pilot began the flight under the impression that they had two hours of fuel aboard. The unique antique airliner ran out of gas after about 45 minutes. They had already made a full-stop landing at Paine.  They could have refueled at that time, but they expected to refuel after performing some touch-and-go landings.  The number three engine suffered an overspeed on the first take-off from Paine, so the crew elected to return to Boeing field rather than land immediately at Paine Field. The landing at Boeing was delayed by problems extending the main landing gear. The fuel gauges were indicating correctly, but the attention of the crew members was diverted while the landing gear was being hand-cranked down. The Stratoliner's engines died of fuel starvation, so its pilot was forced to ditch the airplane in Elliot Bay, near Salty's Restaurant. The four-man crew suffered only minor injuries.

Here are some pics of the recovery...

http://bobqat.com/AeroBob/307/Recovery.html

It was refurbished to its post resoration state and flown to the NASM's new Steven Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles airport.


Charlie

[Mr. Bones]

very nice shots! it's a very shiny plane. i read about it when it ended up in the water. it was after it's first flight isn't it?  ;)

[C]

I think it was several months after its first flight...

[Boss_BlueAngels]

Thanks guys, I'm very glad you enjoyed them!  I certainly had a fun time taking them.

Yeah, I wouldn't wanna be the one who cleans that plane too!  I had to hand polish only one alluminum prop over the summer... that was enough for me! lol

Someplace in my pile of CD's I have some pics from the restoration center of some lovely WWII birds that are being re-assembled that you might enjoy.  One looks like either a Bearcat or a Hellcat.  

Also, several years ago, got to go in that same restoration center and walk around and take pics of one of two airworthy Me-262's.  Beautiful jet and quite a bit larger than I had pictured in my mind.

Anyway, will try to scrounge up some other pics for ya'all.

Oh and yes, the ditching was quite a bit after her first flight... It seemed like a year or something, as I had been soloing quite some time before it happened.

[beaky]

Yo boss, nice pics and great story about flying with the Clipper- on your 1st  solo, no less! I was lucky enough to see this big beauty at Oshkosh in '03... it's amazing how well she cleaned up after being ditched., and it's very sad she'll be relegated to static display- if a vintage aircraft is the only airworthy example of type, I think it should keep flying.