Boeing 377 Stratocruiser - Airliner Tech Vol. 9 [Paperback]

Nicholas A. Veronico (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 31, 2001

Boeing's model 377 was developed from the World War II B-29 bomber. Named the Stratocruiser, this four-engine passengerliner bridged the gap for Boeing from war-time production to the introduction of the all-jet 707 in the late 1950s. The Stratocruiser, which set the standards for luxury air travel, represents a romantic era in the golden age of commercial aviation. The plane was equipped with sleeper seats, fold-down berths, and a 14-passenger lounge below the main deck that was reached by descending a spiral staircase. Such amenities would not be seen again until the early 1970s when Boeing's 747 came on line. For aviation enthusiasts.

Product Details

• Paperback: 104 pages
• Publisher: Specialty Press (August 31, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580070477
• ISBN-13: 978-1580070478
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #936,688 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Portable Feast, December 1, 2003

By 

Daniel L. Berek (Flanders, NJ, United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Boeing 377 Stratocruiser - Airliner Tech Vol. 9 (Paperback)

Detailed pictures of the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser are notoriously difficult to find. Nicholas Veronico, however, has assembled a wealth of sharp photographs showing the aircraft under construction, the mighty (and equally temperamental) Pratt & Whitney R-4360 radial engines, flight decks (including navigator's and flight engineer's stations), and interiors (including the main deck, lower deck lounge, sleeping births, lavatories, and galleys) - all this and more in a slim 104-page volume! Mr. Veronico does an admirable job showing the configurations unique to each airline customer, and he includes information on secondary operators of the type.

Mr. Veronico's text is both enjoyable and informative, covering the development of the mighty Strat, along with narratives of the aircraft in airline service. This technologically advanced (for its time) airliner, unfortunately, had more than its share of trouble; the author describes the untimely endings of these ill-fated birds, including Captain Richard Ogg's heroic water landing of Clipper 953, Clipper Sovereign of the Skies. Detailed charts at the end of the book present the serial numbers and construction IDs of all the Stratocruisers by major carrier, along with individual histories of each and every Stratocruiser built.

I have yet to find more information on a particular aircraft in a single volume; Mr. Veronico truly outdid himself here. I heartily recommend this excellent book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extrordinarily well-done study of a lost classic, October 20, 2002

By 

Paul De Zan (Burlingame, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Boeing 377 Stratocruiser - Airliner Tech Vol. 9 (Paperback)

This book is a solid cut above most of the breed, very well written and adorned with first-class drawings and photographs. The only element of the Stratocruiser story it overlooks is the fascinating tale of hidden US goverment financial support for the airlines that purchased it, which is covered in Ernest K. Gann's 1974 book "Flying Circus."

It's a real tragedy that no Stratocruisers were preserved; it seems I was just born too late.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended for all aviation history enthusiasts, October 8, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Boeing 377 Stratocruiser - Airliner Tech Vol. 9 (Paperback)

Boeing's model 377 was originally developed from the B-29 bomber that flew so effectively during World War II. The four-engine civilian passenger liner model was named "Stratocruiser" and bridged the gap for Boeing in its transition from war-time bomber production to the development of the all-jet 707 in the late 1950s. The Stratocruiser set the standards for airborne luxury travel and ushered in a romantic era in the golden age of commercial aviation. Highly recommended for all aviation history enthusiasts and the ninth volume of the outstanding AirlinerTech series, Boeing 377 Stratocruiser's text is enhanced with 160 photos and line art, including eight pages of color photography.