In early 1942 Boeing initiated a design study to examine the feasibility of producing a transport version of its B-29 Superfortress. In due course the company's proposal was submitted to the USAAF for consideration and, because at that time the long-range transport was a much-needed type of aircraft, a contract for three prototypes was awarded on 23 January 1943. Identified by the company as the Boeing Model 367, and designated XC-97 by the US Army Air Force, the first made its maiden flight on 15 November 1944.
The XC-97 had much in common with the B-29, including the entire wing and engine layout. At first view the fuselage, of 'double-bubble' section, appeared to be entirely new, but in fact the lower 'bubble' was basically a B-29 structure, and so was the tail unit attached to the new (and larger) upper 'bubble'. On 6 July 1945, following brief evaluation of the prototypes, 10 service-test aircraft were ordered. These comprised six YC-97 cargo transports, three YC-97A troop carriers, and a single YC-97B with 80 airline-type seats in its main cabin.
The first production contract, on 24 March 1947, for 27 C-97A aircraft with 2425kW Pratt & Whitney R-4360-27 engines, specified accommodation for 134 troops, or the ability to carry a 24,040kg payload. Two transport versions followed, under the designation C-97C and VC-97D, and following trials with three KC-97A aircraft equipped with additional tankage and a Boeing-developed flight-refuelling boom, KC-97E flight-refuelling tankers went into production in 1951. This version was powered by 2610kW R-4360-35C engines. The KC-97F variant which followed differed only in having R-4360-59B engines. Both the KC-97E and KC-97F were convertible tanker/transports, but for full transport capability the flight-refuelling equipment had to be removed. The most numerous variant, with 592 built, was the KC-97G which had full tanker or full transport capability without any on-unit equipment change.
When production ended in 1956 a total of 888 C-97s had been built, and many were converted later for other duties. The KC-97L variant had increased power by the installation of a 2359kg thrust General Electric J47-GE-23 turbojet beneath each wing to improve rendezvous compatibility with Boeing B-47s. KC-97Gs converted to all-cargo configuration were redesignated C-97G, and in all-passenger configuration became C-97K. Search and rescue conversions were HC-97G, and three KC-97Ls went to the Spanish air force, being designated TK-1 in that service. Several have served in many roles with Israel's air force.
Variants
C-97D: designation applied to the third YC-97A, the YC-97B, and two C-97As following conversion to a standard passenger configuration; the three VC-97Ds were subsequently redesignated C-97D
KC-97H: designation applied to one KC-97F, following modification for service trials as a tanker using the probe-and-drogue flight-refuelling system developed in the UK
YC-97J: final designation of two KC-97Gs converted for USAF use as flying test-beds, each with four 4250kW (5,700-shp) Pratt & Whitney YT43-P-5 turboprop engines
Boeing 367 / C-97 on YOUTUBE
Specification
MODEL
KC-97G
ENGINE
4 x Pratt & Whitney R-4360-59B radial pistone engines, 2610kW
Lynn Wolfe, Col USAF, Ret, e-mail, 22.08.2008 01:50
I flew the KC-97G from 1958 to 1963 in the 55th ARS at Forbes AFB, Kansas. The mission of the 55th ARS, a squadron of the 55th Reconiance Wing, was to refuel the Wing RB-47s anywhere in the world. I flew as copilot for 3 years and upgraded to Aircraft Commander just before the Cuban blockade in 1962. It was a grand aircraft of it's day which required extensive aircraft system knowledge of all five crewmembers.
As a controller at Atlanta ARTC Center, we had many opportunities to fly in the KC-97 tankers from TYS(Knoxville, TN) with the Tennessee ANG, and observe A /A refueling in AR-633.
Was a recip engine mech with the 1502nd FLMS @ Hickam AFB (58-61) working transient AC. Working the was a pleasure compared to the C-124. Loved cranking those old 4360's.
From 1956 to 1059 I flew the KC-97 F /G models out of Dow AFB, Maine with the 341st ARS. Having expieranced about 2000 hrs and millions of pounds of fuel off loaded to B-47's and B-52's in SAC I can can say it was indead a great ride for the times.
I flew G's with the 70th, 509th and 100th Air Refueling Squadrons between July, 1961 and December, 1965 as a navigator. People that call the 97 a Cadillac are right. The only other aircraft I flew that had the room for the cockpit crew the 97 had was the C-5. Left the plane with just over 1500 hours in it.
That flight engineer extraordinary, Chas Bos, was the flight engineer that instructed and checked me out in KC97 as a FE at Lockourne AFB after being a crewchief on the 97 for seven years. That was the Cadillac of the AF as for my opinion.The flight engineer occupied the 'CAT BIRD'S seat!!!!!
I flew the KC-97F /G as a Copilot and Aircraft Commander from 1961 to 1965 for a total of 1,500 hours. The bases were MacDill AFB, FL; Dow AFB, ME and Pease AFB, NH. It was a grand old plane.
I flew KC-97F & KC97G from 1953 to 1963 and C-97 from 1963 until 1972 as a flight engineer in SAC. It was a big improvement over the B-29. The engines took lots of maintenance but I loved that aircraft. It was a flight engineers aircraft.
I flew KC-97s at Whiteman AFB and Little Rock AFB between Nov 57 and Oct 63 and have about 1700 hours as pilot and copilot. At Whiteman we had a KC-97G which we called a +G 1 /2." I can't remember how it differed from the standard G, but it flew very differently. It was tail number XXX333.
Have over 6000 hours serving as a Loadmaster in the C97g, with over 1,000 of those hours flying in the Biafra Airlift in Africa. Eight of the C97G's barrowed from the USAF were used. One crashed at Uli, the rest brought home and one still resides in the Pema Air Museum in Tuscon.
