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Fighter / Attack:
   Bell P-39 Airacobra
   Bell P-63 Kingcobra
   Brewster Buffalo
   Chance-Vought F-4U Corsair
   Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
   Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
   Douglas A-1 Skyraider
   Douglas A-26 Invader
   Douglas SBD Dauntless
   Fairey Firefly
   Focke-Wulf Fw 190
   Grumman F4F Wildcat
   Grumman F6F Hellcat
   Grumman F7F Tigercat
   Grumman F8F Bearcat
   Grumman TBF Avenger
   Hawker Hurricane
   Hawker Sea Fury
   Lockheed P-38 Lightning
   Messerschmitt Bf-109
   Mitsubishi A6M Zero-Sen
   North American P-51 Mustang

   Polikarpov I-16
   Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
   Supermarine Spitfire
   Yakovlev Yak-3
   Yakovlev Yak-9


Trainers:
  
Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan (C-45)
   Beechcraft T-34 Mentor
   Boeing / Stearman PT-17

   Commonwealth CA-25 Winjeel
   Commonwealth CA-1 Wirraway
   DeHavilland DHC-1 Chipmunk
   DeHavilland DH-82 Tiger Moth
   Fairchild PT-19 Cornell
   Hunting / Percival Provost
   Meyers OTW
   Nanchang CJ-6
   Naval Aircraft Factory N3N
   N. Am. BT-9 / BT-14 / Yale
   N. Am. T-6 Texan / SNJ / Harvard
   N. American T-28 Trojan

   Piaggio P149
   Ryan PT-22 Recruit

   Scottish Aviation T1 Bulldog
   Vultee BT-13 Valiant
   Yakovlev Yak-11
   Yakovlev Yak-18
   Yakovlev Yak-52


Bombers:
   Avro Lancaster
   Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
   Boeing B-29 Superfortress
   Bristol Blenheim / Bolingbroke
   Consolidated B-24 Liberator
   Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer

   Douglas A-3 Skywarrior
   DeHavilland Mosquito
   Fairey Swordfish
   Heinkel He-111 / Casa 2.111

   Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon / Ventura
   Martin B-26 Marauder
   North American B-25 Mitchell


Transports:
   Beechcraft C-45 (AT-11)

   Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter (KC-97)
   Curtiss C-46 Commando
   Douglas C-47 Skytrain / Dakota
   Douglas C-54 Skymaster

   Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
   Fairchild C-123 Provider
   Grumman C-1 Trader (S-2)
   Lockheed C-60 Lodestar
   Lockheed C-69 Constellation


Utility / Observation / Special Duty:
   Aeronca L-3 Grasshopper
   Aeronca L-16 Grasshopper
   Antonov AN-2 Colt
   Auster AOP 6/9
   Avro 652 Anson
   Avro Shackleton
   British Taylorcraft I-V
   Cessna L-19 / O-1 Bird Dog
   Cessna O-2 Super Skymaster
   Cessna T-50 / UC-78 Bobcat
   Consolidated PBY Catalina

   DeHavilland U-6A / L-20 Beaver
   Fairey Gannet
   Fairey Swordfish
   Fieseler Fi156 Storch
   Grumman S-2 Tracker (C-1)
   Grumman HU-16 Albatross
   Grumman OV-1 Mohawk
   Junkers Ju 52/3m

   Lockheed P2V Neptune
   Max Holste M.H.1521 Broussard
   Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun

   Noorduyn UC-64 Norseman
   North American L-17 Navion
   N. Am./ Rockwell OV-10 Bronco
   Piper L-4 Grasshopper
   Stinson L-5 Sentinel
   Taylorcraft L-2 Grasshopper
   Westland Lysander


Jets:
   Aero L-29 Delfin
   Aero L-39 Albatros
   Aermacchi MB-326
   Avro Vulcan
   BAC Strikemaster
   Blackburn (BAC) Buccaneer
   Canadair Tutor
   Cessna A-37 Dragonfly
   DeHavilland Vampire
   DeHavilland Venom
   English Electric Canberra
   English Electric Lightning
   Folland Gnat
   Fouga CM-170 Magister
   Gloster Meteor
   Grumman F9F Panther
   Hawker Hunter
   Hispano HA-200 Saeta
   Hunting Jet Provost
   Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
   Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star
   McDonnell-Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
   McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom
   Messerschmitt Me-262
   Mikoyan MiG-15
   Mikoyan MiG-17
   Mikoyan MiG-21
   N. Am. F-86 Sabre / FJ-4 Fury
   N. Am. F-100 Super Sabre
   N. Am. / Rockwell T-2 Buckeye
   Northrop T-38 Talon / F-5
   PZL / WSK TS-11 Iskra
   Saab J35 Draken
   Soko G-2A Galeb
   Temco Pinto & Super Pinto


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Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter

(Variants/Other Names: Boeing Model 367; KC-97 Stratotanker; 377 Stratocruiser; HC-97D; TK-1; VC-97D; YC-97)


Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter
(Photo source unknown. Please contact us if you deserve credit.)

History: In 1942, the Boeing Company began to study a design proposal which would modify their B-29 Stratofortress bomber into a transport aircraft. A US Army Air Force contract was awarded in early 1943, and the first Boeing Model 367 (designated the XC-97) made its first flight on 15 November 1944.

The XC-97 had a lot in common with the B-29. The tail, wing and engine layout were nearly identical, and the fuselage consisted of an existing B-29 structure with a larger fuselage grafted on top, creating what became known as a "double-bubble" fuselage.

Several prototypes were manufactured to evaluate various mission roles and internal layouts. The YC-97 was a cargo transport, the YC-97A was fitted as a troop carrier, and YC-97B had 80 airliner-style seats installed. The first production C-97A transport appeared in 1947, and several variants of the aircraft were used throughout the late 1940s and early 1950s, but it was the newly-formed Strategic Air Command which benefited most from the aircraft, in the form of its next variant, the KC-97 Stratotanker. Boeing fitted the airframe with a flying-boom type refueling probe and added additional fuel capacity to make the aircraft an aerial refueling platform capable of servicing most of the days' fighters and bombers. It could also carry a large amount of cargo at the same time. It entered service in 1951, and served well into the 1970s.

Along the way, C/KC-97s were modified for various roles, including the KC-97L, fitted with two General Electric J47-GE-23 turbojet engines; the HC-97G, a search-and-rescue version; and the Spanish export version, the TK-1. The C-97 has also served in many roles in the Israeli Air Force.


Nicknames:
None

Specifications (KC-97G):
        Engines: Four 3,500-hp Pratt & Whitney R-4360-59B 28-cylinder radial piston engines.
        Weight: Empty 82,500 lbs., Max Takeoff 175,000 lbs.
        Wing Span: 141ft., 3 in.
        Length: 110ft. 4in.
        Height: 38ft. 3in.
        Performance:
            Maximum Speed: 375 mph
            Cruise Speed: 300 mph
            Ceiling: 30,200 ft.
            Range: 4,300 miles
        Armament: None.

Number Built:  888 (All variants)

Number Still Airworthy: Two: One C-97 operated as a privately-owned warbird, and one KC-97 operated as a firebomber in the USA.

Links:
The Aviation Zone KC-97 3-view drawings
Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation
Boeing Company C-97 History Page
Federation of American Scientists (FAS) KC-97 Page
Minnesota Air Guard Museum C-97
PhotoVault C-97/KC-97 Photo Page

 

KC-97 book from Amazon.com:
 



 




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