All Stratocruisers had Cowl Flap controls (toggle switches) on the FE Panel. Almost all were rigged to be toggled 'UP' to open and 'DN' to close, while there were a few that were rigged just the opposite! The aircraft in question was one of the odd balls, so when the FE thought he was closing the cowl flaps on take-off, he was actually running them full open. Cowl plaps on those engines were like barn doors. All that horsepower at that high gross weight was not enough to overcome the drag, and down they went. Sad.