Boeing 377 Stratocruiser: The Original Jumbo Jet?
When it was introduced, the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser was the largest aircraft of its time. It was an engineering marvel that captured the hearts and minds of thousands, but never truly took off. Why was that?
The Boeing 377 was the first true long range airliner. It had the ability to cross both the Atlantic and the Pacific without needing to land, refuel or change aircraft. Arguably, it made the airline industry what it is today...
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Pre-Boeing 377
Before the Stratocruiser was introduced, most airliners were small and only had a single deck. The most common aircraft of the era were the Douglas DC-2, Boeing 247 and Lockheed Model 10 Electra.
At the time, it took over 19 hours to cross the Atlantic, usually with ...