80 Years Ago Today...

Reaganite Republican ^ | 09 February 2013 | Reaganite Republican

[Reaganite Republican]

In February 1933 the Boeing Aircraft Company -today enduring an extremely difficult period- flew a groundbreaking new plane for the very first time- the Boeing 247.

This design could be called the first true airliner, as it featured major innovations -plus the safety and power of twin engines- that made commercial long-range air travel feasible: all-metal construction (no wood frame), retractable landing-gear, variable-pitch propellers, pneumatic de-icing system- even autopilot.

With a top speed of 200mph/cruising at 189, the Boeing 247 was able to run a NYC to Los Angeles route in an impressive 20 hours (including 3 fuel stops), a 7.5 hour improvement on the previous state-of-the-art. The plane carried 3 crew, 10 passengers, and 400 lbs of mail, and 75 were built: Boeing Air Transport flew 60, United Air Lines took 10, and some even went to Deutsche Lufthansa.

But Boeing refused to sell 247s to any other operator until it honored United's order for 60 units: this prompted competing airline TWA to ask the Douglas Aircraft Company (which was to become McDonnell-Douglas before being folded-into Boeing in 1997) to build a similar plane they could buy so as to compete with UAL on the NYC-LA route.  

Douglas was at first reluctant, but acquiesced and developed the 12-passenger DC-1, leading to the slightly-larger DC-2 (14 p) and then further stretched DC-3 (21+p).

Built at Douglas's Santa Monica, CA plant, the Douglas DC-2 

-introduced in May 1934- was an instant sensation: within six months of service, the DC-2 established 19 American speed and distance records. 

TWA was delighted, and immediately put DC-2s on overnight flights from NYC to LA. In the spirit of long-distance trains, the flight was dubbed the Sky Chief: departing from New York at 4PM with fuel stops in Chicago, Kansas City, and Albuquerque, it arrived at Glendale, CA (SFV) by 7AM: for the first time, the air traveler could fly coast-to-coast without losing a business day...

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[Reaganite Republican]

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[QBFimi]

A feature of the 247 that was not well liked - the wing spar ran above the floor. Passengers had to step over it to access the forward part of the cabin.

Trivia:
- Note that in the photo on the Boeing site the windshield slopes aft. In the first versions of the aircraft it sloped forward. All these early models were later converted.
- N13347 stayed in the United fleet until sometime in the ‘50s as a weather research aircraft.
- The color illustration of the 247 was created at the United pilot training center in Denver shortly after the company purchased their first computer graphics program. Prior to that, all illustrations used in the training slides were hand-created “mechanicals”. Those of us who saw it as a work in progress were stunned that ones and zeros could do this. the artist went on to create monthly calendars with all the UAL aircraft - DC-3, -6, -8, -10s, Boeing-720s, etc.

[knarf]

[norwaypinesavage]

I flew a number of times in a North Central Airlines DC3. (North Central has since been absorbed by Northwest, and now Delta.) I remember once sitting near the wing watching the air stream over the engine cowling. After a while I started wondering how come the air stream was visible. With further study I realized that the engine was leaking oil, and what I was actually watching was the oil stream, as it leaked from the engine. We landed as scheduled.

[Moose4]

Oh, that’s not abnormal. Radial engines leak oil like crazy, especially when sitting on the ground (planes at airshows will typically put buckets on the tarmac under the engines to catch the drips). You only worry about a radial when it STOPS leaking oil...because it’s probably run out!

}:-)4

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Some years ago, wife and I flew from Huatulco to Oaxaca in a spotless DC-3, operated by Air Liberdad. My seat allowed me to look out on the wing and engine on the right side. Every few minutes a drip of oil would appear, then blow off.
We flew between the mountains at a leisurely speed. I could have shouted down to the farmers just below the airplane.
Two young pilots in blue Nomex jumpsuits were in charge. As we approached Oaxaca, they cut the engines and we glided in to a perfect landing, right at the rear door of the thatched roof air terminal.

[ken5050]

Wonderful pic...you can easily see the soon-to-be B-17 i the silhouette

[Reaganite Republican]

I heard about that wing spar, one of the chief benefits of competitors from Douglas was the lack of this, understandably.

Very interesting info, thx my FRiend

It seems to me the DC-2 killed the future for the 247, since some flaws like the spar were quickly solved by Douglas. United never took delivery on 50/60 planes they orders, I assume production was halted...

[Reaganite Republican]

Saw the same thing riding the (radial) Ford Tri-Motor in the 60s, when I was a kid they flew them out to the Lake Erie Islands and yes it leaked a lot of oil

[norwaypinesavage]

I remember the Ford tri-motor flights to the lake Erie Islands. I recall that they flew them well into the 70s, maybe even the 80s. I regret never riding on one.