PanAm Stratocruiser

[pigboat]

I found this three-part film while searching for something else on YouTube. Apologize if it's been posted before. It's a pity the clips are so dark.

Stratocruiser Part 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2Waf72ajvY&feature=related).

Stratocruiser Part 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGtc8GelfM4&feature=related).

Stratocruiser Part 3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Fwp9Vheh8E&feature=related).

[Noyade]

Can anyone confirm or deny this anecdote? It's from Ernest K. Gann's Flying Circus (1974). Always wondered.

http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/4786/stratp.jpg (http://img22.imageshack.us/i/stratp.jpg/)

[411A]

I flew the Stratocruiser for a very brief time, and I cannot ever remember such a situation.
Wild imagination, me thinks.

Now, about the hot part...whilst flying into the sun, lets just say that the B377 was not the coolest ride available, especially in the tropics.

[WHBM]

I've heard this abut several types from that era, as a result of the poor air-con of the time. Overheated flight decks in the tropics were noted on more than one BOAC type, and as the prevailing liveries around 1950 were unpainted aluminium it led to first the flight deck area, and then the whole upper fuselage, being painted white, as this was found to be an effective reflector. The first BOAC type for this was the Argonaut, as their Strats did not operate into the tropics, but it later spread to all types, and indeed across many carriers.

Water ingress at various times, but particularly in the descent, was also common, my father spoke about it on DC3s in Burma in WW2. Blaming it on the condensed pax breath is a new one, however.

I suspect that "descent altitude" should e "descent attitude". The Strat was always notably nose-down on finals.

[Noyade]

I flew the Stratocruiser for a very brief time, and I cannot ever remember such a situation.
Wild imagination, me thinks.Thanks for that, I had my doubts. Gann has very few good things to say about the Stratocruiser in his book.

[411A]

The Stratocruiser carried over many of the sub-systems of the B-29, including the very complicated electrical system.
The pressurisation was provided by roots blowers (aka, cabin superchargers) fitted to the outboard engines (1&4) that worked reasonably well.
The airplane was a high cruiser (for its time) because the engines used were a hybred design, both a supercharger and very large General Electric turbocharger fitted to each, which provided good performance.
Oil.
Yes, it used a lot, in fact, nearly as much as a DC-7...which was a whole lot.:ooh::ooh:

550 US gallons/hour cruise consumptuion...but it was fast...over 300mph in its prime.
Flying qualities?
Quite good for such a large airplane...hydraulic boosted controls helped a lot.

[stepwilk]

We published that Stratocruiser chapter in Flying Magazine--as well as a number of others from the "Flying Circus" book--before the book came out, and I suspect that "altitude" instead of "attitude" was a mistake we made. In fact I can probably assume it was a mistake I made, since I was Ernie's editor...

[ancientaviator62]

In defence of EKJ the story may well have been true as the Hercules often treated the unsuspecting pax to a very cold shower whilst descending from altitude.

[ancientaviator62]

that should read EKG of course. Doh !

[Rainboe]

It's not water ingress! Condensation from all those passengers breathing can make for enough humidity in the cabin to cause ice to form on the bare frozen metal parts of the aircraft. Additionally, when humidifiers used to be operating, the problem would be worse. I think flight engineers used to turn them off towards the end of cruise. When you descend, the water melts and runs forward, and a significant amount can rain into the flight deck, as well as many passengers getting a surprise dousing from water on top of ceiling panels suddenly finding a way down. On the 747 100-300, during descent, a lot used to pour out of the overhead panels right above the pilots in particular. I have known crew to have tea towels, trays and clipboard held strategically on their laps. Sometimes the shirts would get a dousing. For some reason, the 747-400 didn't suffer, but it was a known problem on earlier types. I often used to end up with damp trousers with wet patches on landing. The 747 models have discreet drainage pipes and channels running down around the windscreens.

[gas path]

I often used to end up with damp trousers with wet patches on landing.
Are you sure that isn't an age related thing? :E:}:E