Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter Collection

The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter(Wiki) was developed from the B-29 and B-50 Superfortress bombers. It entered service in 1947.



Only 77 were built before the arrival of the C-124 Globemaster II, but it found a new role as an airborne refuelling platform and a further 811 were built for this purpose.
After the introduction of the KC-135 Stratotanker in 1957, many of the tankers were converted back to transport roles for the Air National Guard.

Only 1 example of the C-97 is still flying. 52-2718 on c/n 16749, pictured above, is based in Reading, Pennsylvania.

The last C-97 ever made suffered a slightly undignified end, with its cockpit being used as an art project in the repair yards at Pima Air & Space Museum. This is also in the collection.

Out of those 888 production aircraft, I have managed to track down 37 full or partial airframes. 34 are visible, 3 are hidden. (1 is split across 2 locations)
All have their military id and construction numbers and I believe them to be typed correctly (C-97, KC-97, KC-97L, etc.) to their current configurations.

If anyone knows of any more, then let me know.

Cheers,
Sean.

Attachments:

Boeing_C-97_Stratofreighter_26May2021.kmz (2.54 KB)

Attachments:

KC-97 Reading.kmz (799 B)

KC-97 Wichita.kmz (786 B)

Thanks for the post willi1. I only keep current placemarks in most of my collections, rather than delving into the historic imagery.
Interestingly though, the Reading plane is still there in current imagery. I'll find out its details and add it to the collection now.

EDIT: Turns out it was the flightworthy C-97G pictured in the first post that had relocated to Reading from New York in 2017.
It is now reportedly stuck at Reading until they can raise more funds to keep it flying.

EDIT2: The Wichita plane is actually B-29 "Doc" (Wiki).

KMZ in first post updated. Still 32 aircraft in the collection.

Cheers,
Sean.

Apr 17, 2021 13:27:52 GMT v6srs said:

EDIT2: The Wichita plane is actually B-29 "Doc" (Wiki).

OK, then a failure in my archive. Was descripted as KC-97

Found another one. 

A KC-97G saved from the boneyards at Davis-Monthan and put on display outside the old B-29 factory in Cleveland.




It will be displayed while the inside is refitted as a restaurant for the convention centre that now inhabits the old factory.

Not bad considering it looked like this 4 years ago.





Full story here.

KMZ in first post updated. Now 33 placemarks.

Cheers,
Sean.

Found a KC-97G fuselage (52-2694/N31338 on c/n 16725) at Moses Lake, WA.

Imagery suggests it has been on the same spot for 16 to 17 years, with no sign of any of the rest of the aircraft.

Also a Catalina and possibly the only airworthy B-23 (39-0063/N777LW) left in the world are located at the same airport.
It's also home to several dozen airliners with an uncertain future.

KMZ in first post updated. Now 34 placemarks.

Cheers,
Sean.

The engines, wings and tail of an C-97 ( N971HP, 53-0317) at Planes of Fame Museum Valle Airport, Grand Canyon, AZ. The plane was broken-up for scrap at Stockton, CA. It was cut up to salvage the wings, tail, engines which were sold to Planes of Fame and will use in the restoration of the B-50 USAAF 46-0010.

Attachments:

C-97 Wings.kmz (701 B)

May 19, 2021 18:09:52 GMT willi1 said:

The engines, wings and tail of an C-97 ( N971HP, 53-0317) at Planes of Fame Museum Valle Airport, Grand Canyon, AZ. The plane was broken-up for scrap at Stockton, CA. It was cut up to salvage the wings, tail, engines which were sold to Planes of Fame and will use in the restoration of the B-50 USAAF 46-0010.

Nice find willi1. After seeing this, I had to go and track down the fuselage.
Found it in Mojave, CA. 

Both added to the KMZ in first post.
Now 35 aircraft in 36 placemarks.

Cheers,
Sean.

Found a tail section (53-0280 on c/n 17062) in Zruč, Czech Republic.

Interesting place. Seems to have all sorts of stuff.



Photos on the web, seem to suggest they had several parts of the KC-97 at one point.

KMZ in first post updated.
Now 36 aircraft in 37 placemarks.

Cheers,
Sean.

Attachments:

Zru Military Museum.kmz (718 B)

Found a restored cockpit section at the San Diego Air & Space Museum Annex.

Here's a picture of it in it's original C-97 form and it's new B377 Stratocruiser disguise.



I think they made a really nice job of it.

Also changed the identity of the C-97 at Hatzerim Airforce Museum in Israel.
Turns out 52-2736/4X-FPN was the survivor, and 52-2799/4X-FPO is now whereabouts unknown.

KMZ in first post updated.
Now 37 aircraft in 38 placemarks.



Cheers,

Sean.

Attachments:

San Diego Air Space Museum.kmz (721 B)

Two Spanish KC-97s. For details, see here

Attachments:

KC-97 San Cugart.kmz (791 B)

May 26, 2021 13:38:31 GMT willi1 said:

Two Spanish KC-97s. For details, see here

As a frequent visitor to Ruud Leeuw's website, I already knew about these two aircraft.
As I said before in other posts, I only keep aircraft visible in current imagery in the collection, as you never know when Google will delete the historic layers.
I've been caught out by this before and now have several placemarks on my PC that point at nothing.

Cheers,
Sean.