(Sweet Spot) The Stratoliner, Dash 80 and Concorde are the three of the most significant airlines that ever flew. Each represents a significant advancement in the technology of flight.
Junkers Ju 52/3m
- The Ju 52 was first built in the 1930s yet remained in service for more than a quarter century. This transport made its maiden flight in April 1931 and three years later a heavy bomber version appeared.
- As an airliner, it was used all over Europe, with several national airlines. As a military transport, it was a great work-horse. Many of these flew to the battle zone, loaded to the full with supplies, at the expense of the fuel needed to make the return flight.
- Both bomber and transport versions were used during the Spanish Civil War and continued in service with various nations after WW II. The Junkers Ju 52 carried up to 17 passengers, or about three tons of supplies, and cruised at about 150 mph. It could take off or land on almost any reasonably sized field, even a football field. Museum's aircraft is a Spanish-built and donated by Lufthansa.
Boeing 367-80
- Many people consider the Dash-80 as the single most transformative aircraft in the aviation history. The Dash-80 was the first successful commercial jet, the U.S. Air Force's KC-135 aerial-refueling airplane, and the prototype for the Boeing 707.
- America entered the age of the jet transport on July 15, 1954, when the Boeing Dash-80 made its maiden flight from Renton Field, south of Seattle. Prior to the creation of Dash-80, air travel was primarily for the rich, and even they had their doubts about its safety. The propeller planes of the day were slow, needed frequent refueling stops, and vibrated like crazy.
- The Dash-80 changed all that. Its jet engines made it suitable for high altitudes and high speeds, and its streamlined design exuded a palpable sense of security. Its large cabin could accommodate up to 200 passengers enough to change the economics of ticket pricing and its cruising speed was nearly two-thirds faster than any propeller-driven passenger plane.
- Powered by four Pratt & Whitney JT-3 turbojets, mounted under wings swept back 35 degrees, the Dash-80 established the classic configuration for jetliners to come. It also set new speed records each time it flew. This was illustrated in 1957, when it streaked nonstop on a press demonstration flight from Seattle to Baltimore in 3 hours 48 minutes at an average speed of 612 mph.
- Besides its fame America's first commercially successful jet airliner, the Dash-80 became a legend in Seattle when test pilot Alvin Johnston turned a simple fly-over into a double barrel-roll over during the 1955 hydroplane races. The daring performance was viewed by thousands of astonished spectators.
- During its early years, the Dash-80 was the center of attraction in the aviation world, giving many airline pilots, airline executives, and military and government officials their first taste of jet flying. It has approximately 3,000 hours of flight recorded in its logbook. After a long and distinguished career, the Dash-80 was finally retired and donated to the Smithsonian in 1972.
- This year marks the 55th anniversary of the Dash-80's first flight. One could argue that no airplane in history other than the Wright Flyer has had such an enduring influence on world culture. The Dash-80 led to a revolution in air transportation and helped demonstrate the range and speed advantages jets offer over propeller-driven engines. The success of Boeing's 7-series jets - the 707, 717, 727, 737, 747, 757, 767, 777, and soon the 787 Dreamliner -- validates the Dash-80. To date, Boeing has delivered nearly 15,000 jetliners. More than 12,000 remain in the world's jet inventory.
Boeing 307 Stratoliner
- The luxuriously appointed Stratoliner, built in the late 1930s, was the world's first passenger airplane to be pressurized, allowing it to avoid rough weather by flying at 20,000 feet. It flew at 220 mph.
The Clipper Flying Cloud began service flying Caribbean routes for two years. During World War II, it flew in South America under the direction of the U.S. Army Air Forces. In 1946, it made daily runs between New York and Bermuda. Throughout the next two decades it passed through the hands of several owners.
- The Stratoliner has been went through the major restoration twice so that we have the opportunity to view the aircraft as it looked the day it rolled off the assembly line more than 60 years ago. Three of the original ten aircraft survived until the 1960s. Museum's aircraft is now the last remaining example.
Supersonic Concorde
- The sleek, delta-winged Concorde rumbles onto the runway and waits for clearance for take off. The smoke comes from the engine as the plane power up. The noise starts to build up and continue to build. After getting the take off clearance, the pilot lights the afterburners and the Concorde responds by accelerating to the runway. After thunder down the runway for 5,000 feet and when the plane's speed reach 250 mph, the nose of the plane start to lift so the pilot ease back to the flight sticker to bring the elevon downward. The 205 tons gigantic bird is flying.
- As the plane climb and Concorde continue to accelerate. After 18 minutes, the airplane is at 26,000 feet and travel at Mach 0.80 when the fuel transfer processing begun. After the process complete, pilot again ignites the afterburners and the plane continues to climb and continue to accelerate. Thirty minutes after take off, pilot level off the supersonic at 60,000 feet, as he does, the angle of attack is decreased and let the Concorde reach the Mach 2 cruise speed.
- Concorde cruised at the altitude of up to 60,000 feet, where passengers could see the Earth's curvature. As aerodynamic heating raised its skin temperature, the Concorde grew eight inches longer. The Concorde flew at around 1,350 mph. The average transatlantic flight time was less than four hours. A Concorde took off from London at 9:00 AM in the Monday morning and arrived at New York JFK at 8:30 AM. This causes a lot of confusion to the passages.
- To demonstrate the potential impact of its speed, in June 1974 a Concorde took off from Boston headed for Paris just as an Air France 747 left Paris for Boston. The Concorde landed in Paris, spent 68 minutes on the ground, took off for the return flight, and arrived in Boston 11 minutes before the 747. The Concorde F-BVFA launched Air France's supersonic service, flying Paris to Rio in January 1976. The airplane made a round-the-world trip in 1998 in 41 hours, 27 minutes. Its last flight was on June 12, 2003 when it flew from Paris to Washington to be donated to NASM. The Concorde was a technical triumph but a commercial failure.
