BAHF Boeing C-97 Start Up & Take Off June 4, 2019

[@kennethhoover2748]

I crossed the Atlantic in a Stratocruiser, the civiiian version of this plane, in June 1955. I was 5 years old. An hour out of Goose Bay Labrador the left inside engine caught fire. The fire was extinguished and we returned to Goose Bay, where we sat on the tarmac for 12 hours while the engine was repaired. On the second attempt, just after passing the point of no return (closer to destination than point of departure) in the mid-Atlantic the engine caught fire again. Again it was extinguished and we continued into Shannon Ireland on 3 engines. The early days of trans-Atlantic flying were a bit more interesting than they are now.

[@Jimbo-in-Thailand]

@Kenneth Hoover - Your story reminded me that way back in 1971 a C-97 had to make an unscheduled stop due to engine trouble at Seymour Johnson AFB. This was in eastern NC where I was stationed as a young F-4E Phantom fighter jet crew chief assistant during the late Vietnam War. I remember that old C-97 sat on the ramp for quite a few days waiting for a replacement engine to be scrounged up and flown in. In those days that bloated 'B-29' was still a behemoth of an airplane. Still love the sound of those big old round engines! And glad your Stratocruiser flight eventually made it across the big eastern 'pond'! 😁

[@kennethhoover2748]

@@Jimbo-in-Thailand You know the Stratocruiser actually had a spiral staircase in it that went to a lounge "downstairs" in the lower hull. Yeah, it was considered a huge airplane in its day.

[@gmanchurch]

Those airplanes had Pratt&Whitney R-4360 radial engines on them. They displaced 4,360 cubic inches and had 4 rows of 7 cylinders for a total of 28 cylinders. Each cylinder had 2 spark plugs for a total of 56 spark plugs for the 28 cylinders. Those engines were amazing and temperamental and had to be controlled by the flight engineer who sat sideways behind the copilot’s seat. His job required a lot of skill as he was tasked with the operation of those big engines. Those engines weren’t computer controlled back then like they are today on modern aircraft. That person was called the flight engineer and it was his job to monitor the many functions of those 4 complex engines and he had control of the engine settings,all of the temperatures and pressures just to name a few. Today’s aircraft don’t require a flight engineer because of the use of fully automated systems in use today.

[@rabitstudios2.158]

You were five years old😱😱

[@alancameron3303]

Kenneth, I crossed the Pacific in one in 1958, age 7. Between Honolulu and Tokyo one engine caught fire. We dumped about 10,000 gallons of gas into the Pacific and ditched at wake island, then went on to Tokyo the next day with a new engine. Everyone else stayed in the FBO overnight but I was still asleep in my bunk.

[@MA-iv7ol]

Nothing like the sound of big radials passing in the distance. Never gets old!

[@Hooligan-F8F]

Wonderful sound which I greatly miss.

[@socaljarhead7670]

I love it.

[@Brommear]

That, and a steam locomotive!

[@ellisonlowrimore7751]

No sound like a round!

[@Luke-ot6mk]

In my childhood this was the airplane sound! 7:10

[@brianmatthews9697]

My dad was a crew chief on these from 58 to 65, then a flight engineer. He was at Floyd Bennett in Brooklyn. I remember sitting in it with wheels chocked and running, what a sound, scary for a 6 year old. When he was a mechanic I remember how filthy he got. Dad worked hard. He'd love this.

[@boeinga370]

May he rest in peace, he sounded like a great man. I’m sorry for your loss.

[@Stllno]

He would have had his work cut out! A flight engineer back in those days was like a doctor working in intensive care such is the need to be ‘on-the-ball’ and carefully and constantly monitoring performance and adjusting the engines etc.

[@TRONABORON]

🇺🇲🫡☕

[@vicqruiz4630]

My dad was flight engineer on one of these, early sixties. He used to say that after babying R-4360s all day, raising three kids was a piece of cake.

[@martinwinslow9471]

a great satisfying position.

[@PeterMatthess]

I can well believe it if the A2A Simulations B377 is anything to go by!

[@9traktor]

Although masterpieces of U.S. egineerity the highly refinded R-4360 engines proned to overheat. The turbine-engines were the next to come...

[@jamesricker3997]

The R-4360s were the reason Stratoliner wasn't the dominant airliner of the 1950's.

[@guitarsnakeilm7821]

That's what I heard from one of my family members who flew the KC-97 and one who maintained them as well, a total pain!

[@philipdavies1140]

As a young kid in the early 50’s I lived a few miles east of Heathrow, and I can clearly remember watching those great lumbering planes passing over to line up on the main runway. The sound of those huge radials on take off brings back so many memories. Thanks for this great video!

[@philipdavies1140]

I spent the first few years of life in Brentford only about 6 miles from Heathrow. Those big radials were my lullabies well into the night!

[@brownmeansblue6057]

Breathtaking. So impressing to see one of the last piston giants in action. Wish I was there to hear and smell this awesome plane.

[@bebajoro77]

Lovely to see the old girl still in action. In their day they were known as the biggest three-engined aircraft in the world since they seldom arrived anywhere with all four running, despite the heroic efforts of the engineers.

[@sbb714]

I think you might be confusing the C-97 with some other aircraft. I flew these HC-97 ARRS variant) for 2 years with the 303rd ARRS from 1970 to 1972, and I don't recall one of our planes ever losing an engine. These were the same engines (Pratt & Whitney R-4360) as used on the B-29, B-50, C-124, C-119, B-36, C-74, and the commercial airline version of the C-97 the Stratocruiser. I don't think those engines would have been on that many aircraft if they were as unreliable as you are stating. All that said, they did require a lot of service and maintenance to be kept on ready status.

[@georgekemper4952]

@@sbb714 My Father was the Maintenance Office for the 303rd at Kindley AFB, Bermuda, 1962-1963. Dad helped close down the unit after they flew the KC-97s to the Boneyard. He then went Otis AFB, Mass and closed out another KC-97 unit. As a high school senior, Kindley AFB was the best place ever for an 18YO boy.

[@ndmulyana2337]

@@sbb71400

[@ndmulyana2337]

@@sbb714 pp

[@ndmulyana2337]

0☆+@@sbb714

[@suzanneterrey4499]

I flew commercially in this type of bird back in the early 1950's when I was very young. They were a blast to walk downstairs and sit in the belly looking out the big windows and I flew from New Mexico to Washington D.C. I miss flying low and looking at the landscape up close and flying into the clouds.

[@markhull1366]

I didn't know that any of these were still operational. I was a crew chief on a KC-97L in the early 70's. That 'ol girl had personality. Wish I had a dime for every spark plug I changed! LOL

[@bendeleted9155]

$22.40 was a decent day's pay back then. 😉

[@markhull1366]

@@bendeleted9155 LOL! Yeah, and sometimes I got to do this twice a day! Then I got to stand at a plug blaster cleaning them too. The upside was that I was run-up and taxi qualified. Now that was fun!

[@timmayer8723]

Mark Hull I also was a C-97 line mechanic during the early to mid sixties. Yeah pulling all the plugs was a major hours long project in the blazing arizona sun as was changing the engine oil filters on all the planes over a two day period. These two enormous tasks were usually handed out as punishment for some military infraction

[@bendeleted9155]

@@timmayer8723 most people don't change 56 spark plugs in a lifetime, and inconcievable that they be all on one engine at the same time. Great engine, as evidenced by the 4360-powered Sea Fury Dreadnought which never ever breaks during a race. It just cranks out 440 MPH all week at Reno and then flies home on the same engine. Thank you for your service!

[@markhull1366]

@@timmayer8723 Oh Yeah, that sucked. We actually had 2 sets of fatigues. One for working on the plane and one for good. 50 weight stained permanently! Did your aircraft keep a 55 gallon drum fastened to the upper deck with a hose leading to the fwd fuselage tank? We coundn't go x-country unless it was full. What I always held my breath on was refueling the F-4's. We'd be pushing so much boost to go fast enough that that we'd pop out the exhaust expansion joint (pinecone) between the cylinder port and collector ring. Had to do a "breakaway", emergency engine shutdown, declare an emergency and land on 3 (unless we still had some JP-4 to run the J-47's on, then we had 5) If we were very lucky, we didn't have to change the jug. Still took hours to take everything loose to replace it. Still loved that 'ol thing.

[@jhoneral3803]

Grew up listening to these arrive and depart from Philadelphia Airport. Lotsa memories. I was a kid at the end of the prop era........ Nice!

[@retrovideoquest]

Perfect. Thanks for not talking and for not adding music. This is how every aviation video should be. Subscribed.

[@jimbos3421]

Just think, this was a daily occurrence at every big airport in the late 1940’s & 1950’s. What a show!

[@garysprandel1817]

Dad ground crewed on the tanker variant during his time in the USAF in the early 60s. In the 90s Academy Models came out with a 1/72 scale model of the KC version that I built and mounted on a nice display base for either a birthday or Father's Day. Unfortunately I reclaimed that model 5 years ago when we were cleaning out his condo where it sat here in my place until this past spring when by happy accident a co worker of an artist friend of mine needed some help moving some display cases at a local air museum and to get some sizes for an art project they wanted. When we returned with the finished art I donated the model in my dad's name where it can be enjoyed after I'm gone and to honor the ground crew guys that make it possible to kick the tires and light the fires.

[@BigSpudz]

Gorgeous looking Planes back then. Planes used to have it's own character but now they all look the same.

[@bramantyoprahoro7284]

It's son of a Superfortress.

[@terryhill545]

I was in crash fire unit in the USAF. We had to have a truck on standby for every engine start up.I still remember the sound of this mighty bird.

[@ronmay1041]

Who doesn't LOVE the sound of round engines...

[@cristianabarsuglia629]

A gravelly baritone ROAR, echoing down from the sky - a sound rarely heard anymore.

[@BobbyTucker]

@@06fz1000 , That was the first time I'd heard them called "Round", lol. To each his own.

[@michaelveis8937]

I used to see C-97Gs takeoff and land ar Van Nuys Airport at the 146th Tactical Airlift Wing. We lived on the North side of Van Nuys Airport. Loved the sound of those Pratt & Whitney twin Wasp radial piston engines.

[@williamc.1198]

My Father-in-Law was a boomer on KC-97s and KC-135s for many years, He retired as a MSGT. Smokey, old 4360"s. As an Air Fore brat I remember seeing both aircraft all the time.

[@davidscherer3392]

I was 17 and a Navy recruit when I rode to Tokyo - facing aft - in a USAF C-97. Only military officers of high rank had windows seats. Interim stops were Honolulu and Wake Island. Dave Scherer.

[@daf62757]

There is a C-97 that has been turned into a restaurant dining area at the airport in Colorado Springs. The bird has Texas National Guard on the side so you have to wonder how it got to Colorado. Great experience sitting and eating inside one!

[@167curly]

Great footage, thanks. Those 4 row P&W 3,500 hp R4360s radials were smoky engines for sure. When I was a kid I flew several times in BOAC's Stratocruisers and always loved the moments when the props' pitch was reversed on touch-down to save the plane's brakes. I used to feel very sophisticated going down the spiral staircase for a ginger ale in the bar down there! They were the Jumbos of the fifties.

[@georgegonzalez2476]

On the B-36 those engines had a 200 gallon oil tank per engine. Sometimes they would run low on oil before running low on gas. They often painted the wings behind the engines with black paint to kinda hide the oil streaks.

[@maker-matt]

That bar was why it was nicknamed the "Strato-Boozer" no joke!

[@normanmcleod7169]

Exactly the same with me !

[@craighagstrom1692]

My dad ferried the last NWA Stratocruiser to retirement in late 1960. Flew them for years.

[@donaldwoodmancy1379]

Among many, many military airlift flights, I had one flight in a C-97 from Offutt AFB to March. Back then, it was just a way to get home on leave and I don't have a single memory of it. Mow I wish I had paid more attention.

[@noelhall945]

As a boy, once sat by that open cockpit window landing at Prestwick in the 1950's when BOAC had several Stratacrusers in their fleet; all named after Imperial Airways flying boats of the 1930's.

[@KellyAtkison]

I was privileged to be crew on this same aircraft when it was part of Grace Aire Medical Foundation, and we flew to Haiti with a full plane load of supplies including 2 trucks and a water purification trailer along with 4 wheelers, tires and building supplies. What a great lady she is and I'm very glad she is still doing what she does best.

[@christiantosumbung5791]

That is a lot of smoke. So much of that fuel is still unburnt. Really makes you realize how clean burning engines have become in the past 70 years or so. Great video.

[@philhand5830]

Isn't the smoke on startup from engine oil??? Somebody info me....

[@sammyn9345]

That’s not fuel bud

[@gregbuck701]

@@philhand5830 yes....engine oil, most likely from the lower cylinders from sitting.....but not too much oil, you can mess up the motor BAD....liquids do not compress well. Lol.

[@DouglasUrantia]

@@philhand5830 .....yes.

[@DouglasUrantia]

@@gregbuck701 yes.....

[@zeppelinkiddy]

In 1945 my late mother was working on the B-29 line at Boeing Renton WA. When the war ended she was shifted over to work on the prototype C-97. I still have her Boeing monthly employee magazine she kept, that feature the aircraft.

[@pkwigglesworth]

In the 1950's, I saw Stratocruisers (and Constellations) up close, static and taxiing, at London Heathrow. My uncle was taking building progress photographs of a new BOAC maintenance hanger. Unforgettable.......

[@paulturner6739]

Still Love a good Connie

[@marklynch3149]

Magnificent aircraft from a bygone era.. A pleasure to see and hear such classics take to the skies 👍

[@willtheawesome9006]

Just saw this during WWII Weekend at the Mid Atlantic Air Museum. Truly is a thing of beauty.

[@davidvance6367]

Will I Am, is this the museum that has the P-61 being rebuilt. How far have they come with it

[@biggestrocky]

I was a weather observer at Sheppard AFB from 1971, to 1975, and there were 4-C97’s, and (I think) 5-KC97’s parked on the ramp next to the remote observation site. I went TDY to Mather, then McGuire, and when I came back, they were all gone. Beautiful aircraft.

[@timmytwodogs]

Finally, something that burns more oil that my '62 Chevy. Neat aircraft and so wonderful to see one in it's natural element.

[@curtisgregory517]

it had a 56-gallon oil tank behind each engine and sometimes that was not enough. I had the pleasure to know this type of aircraft very well in 1957.

[@SulCoCrazy]

Aviation perfume!

[@SulCoCrazy]

@@curtisgregory517 thank you for your service. Could the tank be refilled in flight?

[@curtisgregory517]

@@SulCoCrazy No, they could not be serviced in flight. But the oil tanks did have a standpipe inside of which would reserve the last few gallons of oil to be used for the propeller feathering pump. these engines were the largest reciprocating engines ever built. Each had 4360 cubic inches of displacement with 28 cylinders. At that time these engines had to be overhauled every 600 hours. a big airplane, I was just a kid, this was my first airplane in 1957, I was so excited like a kid in a candy store.

[@cap2c484]

@@curtisgregory517 Haha, I wondered how they could carry enough oil watching that thing puff away.

[@brianhealey5286]

Spent four wonderful years in SAC flying in this tough old bird over the pole refueling B-52's. Never lost a mission.

[@kristov29]

It's hard to remember back to a time when the USAF was powered by reciprocating (piston) engines. Jets and turbo props dominate, but there remains something special about a big radial engine. The noise and the raw power of internal combustion, and the smell of high octane avgas cannot be duplicated.

[@dirtylatte]

In 1972 or '73 I flew in one of these! I was in Civil Air Patrol as a kid and our squadron was flown to Wright Patterson AFB to visit the museum. We got to stay in the VOQ overnight & then were flown back courtesy of the USAF. It was so cool for a bunch of aviation geeks! Good times, thanks for posting!👍😎

[@WAL_DC-6B]

Nice that you got that rare flight in a KC-97. I was in the CAP at the same time and when we went to the Air Force Museum (summer, 1972), we instead rode there via a chartered GM PD4104 bus. We did get to stay at the VOQ at Wright Pat as well.

[@dirtylatte]

@@WAL_DC-6B Small world! If you enjoyed that trip half as much as I did, you had a great time. I most remember how huge the B-70 was, and a Ju 88 with its control surfaces hanging in tatters. It has since been restored and moved inside. Sorry you didn't get to go via C-97, but you can't tell me you didn't have fun with your buds on that bus trip! We were the 48059th Racine composite squadron from Wisconsin. Funny how a vid can trigger all those fond memories.

[@WAL_DC-6B]

@@dirtylatte I was in the Maine Township (Illinois) composite squadron. It was indeed a fun trip. At least we got to see the XB-70 and Ju-88 (and 52) while they were still on display outdoors. How that museum has grown over the years!

[@paullee2177]

I worked on KC-97s at Mt. Home AFB Idaho in 64-65. Love these old recips! AF, MSG, Retired.

[@johnpeschke7723]

As kid i remember seeing these ships flying in and out of Norton AFB in San Bernardino. some of my grammar school friends were the children of enlisted crews.

[@67gt500snakebite]

The Boeing 377 Stratocruser is such a beautiful old airplane. I would love to see this beautiful plane in person. I wish more of the old planes of yesteryear would have been saved.

[@howardrickert2558]

I miss fly big radials. It took both hands, both eyes, and both cheeks to start a warm or hot radial. Today I can start a GE -90 with one hand... from the galley. Thanks for posting. It brings back memories of when I got paid to be a pilot, and not a manager.

[@vip01]

I worked on Kc-97's in SAC at Homestead afb, and Otis AFB. Later I worked on the same airplanes in the Ohio ANG, we converted them to L models there. I was in charge of the flight simulator in 1968. Lots of good memories...

[@robertreaburn9648]

PV Peel my dad was at homestead with 435 th Lt Col George Reaburn 58 to 65

[@deingy1]

Caught hops with Creek Party KC's several times. Wilmington/Azores/RheinMain. Had Spook 97s at Wiesbaden. No rides on them.

[@naviguessor6065]

We were at Otis '61 - '65. Dad was nav on Connie's w/ 960th. ( 6091st at Yakota )

[@naviguessor6065]

* Dad started with Ohio ANG at Lahm in Mansfield in '52.

[@vip01]

@@naviguessor6065 I left Otis in May 1962 when I got released from President Kennedy's extension. I knew a couple of the Connie radar operators. My band played at the Airman's club and the Officers club a couple times. Band's name was - Mystics..!

[@ut000bs]

I had no idea there was a C-97 still flying. That's awesome! When I was a boy back in the early 60s in Tennessee I remember the Air National Guard's KC-97s flying over all of the time with their added on turbojets. I didn't know to relish that sound back then and I don't remember what it sounded like. That's sort of sad to me. lol Edit: listen to those radials singing in harmony at the end. 😍

[@timmayer8723]

The propellor pitch was controlled by electric motors through gears including reverse pitch which was a tremendous strain on the motors. The 4360 engine develops tremendous torque, horse power rating aside. During flights across the Pacific to Hawaii and back the engineer was constantly adjusting the pitch on the four huge propellers. The out of sync condition caused a major vibration throughout the aircraft. The plane was a cargo version and had hundreds of stainless steel tie down loops hanging from its bare airframe. All would ring or rattle until the engines got back in sync, then would slowly start again over and over. The cockpit was immune to the racket since they had a door to the cockpit. All aboard the aircraft were at the mercy of the thunder of the four three thousand horse power engines pulling us through the night and across the Pacific Ocean for ten Long and noisy hours .

[@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017]

Are you talking about a passenger plane or one of these freightliners?

[@BingBangBye]

@@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017 As the comment says: "The plane was a cargo version..."

[@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017]

@@BingBangBye Right. I missed that. I was confused why people would be riding in the cargo area.

[@daleyingling4868]

Awesome story!

[@Timothy-lb2vr]

The C-97 could be configured various ways. Our sister squadron stationed in phoenix Arizona was an air refuelling outfit. Our squadron was multi purpose. Cargo was the basic setup. Everything was loaded through the two enormous clam shell doors at the rear of the plane. This was during the Viet nam war. We flew equipment and munitions to the far east and brought back all sorts of cargo including troops. For security purposes we flew only at night both ways. You couldn’t see the Pacific Ocean eight thousand feet below our plane but you had to be aware of its presence which defined darkness. Ditching our plane into that darkness even with the 20 man life raft we carried would take the lives of most of us even if the sea was calm. C-97s were known to break up, tail section

[@dougalexander5871]

What a magnificent noise she makes! Love the old piston planes!

[@nemo227]

They were magnificent planes for their era. It was exciting.

[@scotty3034]

Still is!

[@nemo227]

@@scotty3034 Agreed.

[@eddieschwab864]

Do you know why they don't play Bingo in Japan? Every time someone says B-29 everyone runs and hides...

[@nemo227]

@@eddieschwab864 You got me on that one, almost snorted coffee through my nose. BTW, Back in the eighties I had a customer who flew B-17's and then B-29's. One day I bought one of those "historic" magazines with pictures & stories of WWII. There was a story about a flight of B-29's bombing Tokyo. Gen. LeMay had them doing "low level" bombing with incendiary bombs. One bomber got caught in the firestorm updraft and started to roll inverted, to the horror of the other flyers who saw it, but the pilot just continued the roll and leveled out. A day or two after I had read that my WWII pilot/customer came in and I asked him if he had ever bombed Tokyo. "Hell, I rolled a B-29 over Tokyo." Then I told him what I had read just a day or two before. I had some some interesting customers with some interesting stories.

[@cristianabarsuglia629]

These big planes entered service in 1947, only 44 years after the Wright Bros. flew at Kitty hawk in 1903- what an astonishing rate of technological advancement in those 44 years! It has now been 118 years since 1903, and we're planning travel to Mars - put that in your pipe and smoke it!

[@pingpong5000]

She lookes quite impressive in the air when those engines stop smoking, 60 odd years ago she would be the queen of the skies, briefly. Great sound.

[@markdayneowalla]

My father flew the KC-97 Stratotaker in the 50's-60's. He later flew the HC-97 rescue then transitioned to the HC-130. I was inside one of the HC-97's as a very young kid but never got to see or hear one running or in flight.

[@donallen7990]

I was in the 55th Air Rescue '63 to '66 stationed at Kindley AFB, Bermuda. What squadron was your dad in?

[@markdayneowalla]

@@donallen7990 The 44th when he flew tankers, then later the 305th when he flew rescue. He was in rescue when they transitioned from the C-97 to the HC-130 and in fact he flew the 1st C-130 into Selfridge ANG base in Mt Clemens MI where he was stationed.

[@timmotel5804]

Excellent. I remember the early days of passenger jets flying over my house in Arlington Virginia, but DC-6's, DC-7's and Lockheed Constellations flying over all the time. Beautiful and that wonderful sound. From 3rd grade in school onward. I was in the Air Force and saw these refueling aircraft on the tarmac in1972. Thank You for showing this beautiful airplane.

[@RWMunday]

My Father flew the KC-97 tanker version of this aircraft. He enjoyed the `modern` step up from the KB-50 tanker.

[@faerieSAALE]

I am absolutely GOBSMACKED that there is one of these C-97's left in flying condition. These are great magnificent beasts and it is a shame they've all been junked around the globe for jets.

[@jasonredmond8502]

I’m glad they are still flying. Beautiful and amazing machines

[@rescue270]

Until a little after the millenium there were two or three still flying in Alaska. This was one of them. Hawkins and Powers Aviation used them for firebombers, fish and fuel haulers. One KC-97 burned to the ground offloading gasoline at Unalakleet around 1992. After the demise of Hawkins and Powers, this one here was sold to a Texas operator who continued to lease it to Alaskan concerns until it was sold to Berlin Airlift. As far as I know, the others are still on display at a museum next to Hawkins and Powers' former operations base at Greybull, WY. The C-97 was the Boeing 367 Stratofreighter There is one last 377 Stratocruiser flying for NASA out of El Paso, TX. It has been highly modified as a Super Guppy with Allison turboprop engines.

[@ericbitzer5247]

@@rescue270 I would love to see a 377 fly today.

[@trimule]

They were doing a pretty good job of junking themselves but they had a bad habit of doing it with a load of passenger onboard.

[@NSC057]

Interesting shape and was thrown in to see it fly. Knowing very little about this era, why do the engine smoke so much when they are started?

[@normanhacker3588]

My father, Robert.Hacker was a flight engineer for boac in early 50's on these ,but the passenger version.Said they REQUIRED too much maintainece for civilian application.Connies ultimately replaced them.

[@donallen7990]

I was a recip engine mechanic when I was in the USAF from '62 to '66. I worked on the HC-97G when I was in the 55th Air Rescue Sqd. stationed at Kindley AFB, Bermuda. Those 4360-59B engines were a little dirty but they ran forever. We got our aircraft straight from the depot where the booms and upper internal fuel tanks were removed and clam shell doors were put on. It took awhile to get all the oil leaks fixed but since we weren't flying balls to the wall once they were fixed the engines were pretty clean. Always loved the sound those engines made.

[@SuperScratch1]

Beautiful. Many would not consider the C-97 beautiful. But I do.

[@donaldsalkovick396]

People in those days definitely had big cujone's flying in planes like this. What an interesting front window set up

[@gerilynntarvin9402]

I remember these aircraft (and B-36's) flying overhead like it was last week, love these planes.

[@mikeveis6269]

Very beautiful sound! Love the sound of those Pratt and Whitney twin wasp radial piston engines!

[@garyyoung4074]

A small thing, but the engines were R-4360 wasp majors. Twin wasp was R-2800.

[@normansilver905]

Two were modified for use a Forest Fire air tankers. Both flew in Alaska in that service. Both performed admirably. They were taken out of service in 2000.

[@kevinkearney1277]

Only one was used for Forest Fire service Hawkins and Powers Tanker 97.

[@ihopetowin]

The Stratocruiser and the Connie, beautiful.

[@jimratliff2753]

About as cool as it gets. Some very old stuff coming to life again. Love the old aviation relics that fly!

[@gazza2933]

Nothing like the sound of the four Merlins on a Lancaster or the Allison's of a C-130. However, still a wonderful old airliner. When flying was an adventure. 👍

[@TheRusty58]

@Gazza 29 I think there is a big difference in sound from a V-12 Rolls Royce Merlin engine to a 28 cylinder Pratt & Whitney quadruple radial engine from the Stratocruiser! Ok, both sound indescribably great! But not to mention the difference between the piston engines and the Allison turboprops of a C-130. The verdict in the soundcheck is clearly in favor of the piston engines! (The assessment relates only to the sound.)

[@johneddy908]

The C-97 was the basis for the 377 Stratocruiser, the largest airliner of its day.

[@OregonCoastVideo]

WOW,, ! Nice work !. And I love all the Gray hair in the Cockpit!!!!

[@kennyj4366]

The 28-cylinder four-row R-4360 Radial is the largest-displacement aviation piston engine to be mass-produced in the United States. what a sight.

[@dwmzmm]

Wow! This is as exciting as watching videos of the vintage Lockheed Connies starting up and taking off!

[@russellmacneil8591]

I use to fuel KC-97's when they would stop in at Travis AFB, CA on their way out to Hawaii in the mid 1970's. Would put both avgas & jet fuel on them. Loved watching them old ANG KC's taxi in & then take back off on their long flights. Great to see one still operational even though this was not the tanker version.

[@juergenbecker8597]

Die "alte Mühle" nochmal in die Luft zu bekommen ist total "geil". Der Sound und die Abgasfahnen beim Starten der Triebwerke - ein Traum. Und dann erhebt sie sich - Gänsehaut. Ein Kleinod der Luftfahrtgeschichte in der fliegen noch Handarbeit war. Der Crew meinen größten Respekt.

[@jamesburns2232]

The fuselage was called a "double bubble" because there were two aluminum tubes, a lower one and an upper one, conjoined to make one fuselage. ;-)

a morphed B29

[@JaHeHei]

Thanks for keeping West-Berlin alive with these planes.

[@RA76951]

That is a REAL aeroplane - brings back memories of the ANG KC-97L's that visited the UK in the '70's......

[@oliverewing3740]

The first and only time that I ever saw one of these was back in 1973 when I was stationed at Eglin AFB, Fl. It was sitting out on the flight line for a few days and then it was gone.

[@atreyuprincipalh4043]

what a beautiful footage of this wonderful awe worthy aircraft...and the great people that keep them flying/ God bless and thank You!!

[@philhand5830]

Love the sound of the old radials!!

[@scottmajor2620]

I would pay good money to see this fly in person.

[@wingmanjim6]

Later on this flight she sufferred an engine failure and is still at Reading, PA airport. BAHF is trying to raise funds for an engine replacement, assuming they can find an airworthy R4360 Pratt & Whitney for sale. They would greatly appreiate any help !

[@rogbrown1458]

I did back in the 50s. On full power prior to take off it started to drag down the runway even with the brakes on. Rog.

[@alternative80spodcast78]

My Dad used to work on KC-97s when he was in the Air Force, had quite a few pictures of them parked at Thule.

[@espgadvogados5260]

Me 2

[@MACvSOG]

As a kid I got to travel back and forth between San Fran and Oahu, as my Father was Flight Eng and Pilot at different times with Pan Am. Then later he along with several Americans, were involved in taking several , a lot of these, to Israel and boy are there some stories on that, like the time they almost ditched one, due to head winds crossing the Atlantic and no one was supposed to know they were going to Israel. lol I can laugh about it now, but they lost the last engine, no fuel left, just after landing at a French Air Force field, just over the coast. Dad said that was the leanest those motors had ever run. Or how Israel had modified the rear with doors for aerial drops. I have pics of these flying in formation, in Israel's Independence Day parade. Biggest memories were the long Pacific flights and the people you met. Pan Am was a fantastic place for crews and families back then, I have fond memories.

[@wrightflyer7855]

Thanks for the upload! I remember climbing through a C-97 (or C-124, not sure which anymore) in 1972 that had been dragged up a hill overlooking the Griffiss runway. With the LG sunk unevenly into the ground and nose in the air (engines removed) it was a struggle to board it and make my way to see what was left in the cockpit. Not much....it had either been vandalized or stripped of useful instruments. But it was still creepy neat, like a forgotten ghost plane. Anyone else remember this aircraft? Wright Flyer, USAF (1968-1972)

[@twoZJs]

Seem like you would remember if it was the 124, nose in the air, climbing a ladder from the huge cargo bay, back angled to the flight deck door? Either way, it would have been fun doing the exploring.

[@wrightflyer7855]

@@twoZJs No ladder from the cargo bay, and considering Griffiss was a SAC base with B-52s it must have been a KC-97.

[@genedegiorgio1617]

I was on duty at nha trang ab in late 1966, saw one taxi and take off. Lots of noise but it was beautiful to watch.

[@sillyone52062]

I was at Hagerstown when the MATS Connie came in. This puts that event in the shade.

[@adotintheshark4848]

Wow I tech trained on a c-97 for reciprocating engine school in the USAF, back in 1973. They still had a few, for training purposes. I didn't know there were any more of these around today!

[@brucefelger4015]

walk around, if there wasn't oil on the ground, there wasn't any oil in the engine

[@ericplaysbass]

We'll all probably be leaking a little when we get that old.

[@algrayson8965]

@@ericplaysbass - They leaked when brand new.

[@timmayer8723]

Bruce Felger Each engine on each plane, we had 12 planes, left a black oily mess about ten feet long by three feet wide. I was in for four years as a line mechanic. By the time I mustered out each oily mess had actually acquired a thickness of around 3/8 of an inch. We used high pressure wash and even the planes own high octane fuel to try and remove the huge stains, but nothing worked. There was a ' leak standard' for big radials that was acceptable from a safety stand point which was 'a drop every five seconds from any source'. These 3000 hp engines were under huge but acceptable strain. The high fuel consumption of 60 gph, at cruise, and the high loss of oil were just part of the price of being able to haul freight around the globe time after time.

[@johndoe1909]

@InfiniteMushroom the Wright corbcobbs where among the most efficient piston engines ever made (to this date actually). Just saying. They where, however limited in flight envelope, and they where very complex with lots of moving parts.

[@reedscarce4192]

@InfiniteMushroom How are they compared with today's fans? Would modern sensors and controls make a difference? - I write this knowing full well if the effort would pay a dividend someone would be producing a Y2K version. It's just comparing a 1960 Ford/Chevy with a 2019 Ford/Chevy leads me to wonder. What I'd really like to see is a graphite Spitfire with an F-1 derived engine!

[@spreadeagled5654]

Those R-4360s belch smoke like hell at startup! 💨💨💨💨

[@Chuck59ish]

Millions of mosquitoes were killed in the startup of this aircraft!

[@Alantheleopard]

Greenpeace would certainly love this aircraft...

[@andrewdonohue1853]

@@Alantheleopard and who cares about them. this is one example of a bygone era. leave it the hell alone.

[@jasonredmond8502]

I love the smoke

[@jeffdekonty9550]

We do our part. :-)

[@emmanuel6350]

😂😂😂

[@nc4tn]

Nothing like the sound of those big radials!

[@choochoo3985]

IN 1965 I WAS IN THE BACK OF ONE OF THESE IN THE KC-97 VERSION AND NOTICED THAT AS IT FLEW THE FUSELAGE ACTUALLY TWISTED DURING TURBULANCE. THE FIGURE 8 DESIGN ALLOWED FLEX BY DESIGN, BUT STILL IT REALLY MADE YOU TAKE A SECOND LOOK.

[@roberthenry9319]

Choochoo, your Caps Lock button is stuck in the "on" position. This makes your comment appear stupid and irrelevant.

[@choochoo3985]

@@roberthenry9319 I do that just so ignorant people that don’t understand the language in Kent right have a better chance of reading it. I’m glad you read it. Thank you so much.

[@MatematicaTel]

Starting this engines is not only beautiful, it´s hypnotic!!

[@kevinwilliam1276]

Professor você é realmente apaixonado por aviação, todo vídeo de avião que eu vejo o senhor esta lá, é quase onipresente😁

[@kevinwilliam1276]

Está me ajudando demais no meu curso de aeronautica, mas não sabia que tu gostavas tanto

[@jacquelineweinzierl9859]

I flew the C-97G from August 1971 to May 1975 from Wiesbaden AB, GE, to Berlin Templehof. Our cover story was "flying cargo to Berlin," but the real mission was photo and electronic reconnaissance. We had a 48 inch focal length camera that used 18 inch wide film and produced 36 inch prints. The camera shot through a retractable panel on each side of the lower forward compartment. It was called "oblique photography." The Berlin Corridors were the only place in the world you could fly over a Russian SAM site without getting a missile up your you know what. We filed flight plans like everyone else, so the Russians knew we were coming but couldn't do anything about it. We could also do infrared photography with the 10 inch camera mounted in the fuselage and shot straight down. We often took pictures of airplane outlines on airfields after the planes had departed. For a 44 year Cold War history lesson look up The 7405th Support Squadron or The Berlin for Lunch Bunch. We would brief at 0800, takeoff at 1000, go to Berlin, eat lunch, and go home in time for happy hour. By the way, in reference to the comment below on oil consumption, each engine burned 2 gallons per hour and the oil drum in back had an electrical pump on it to refill the tank on the engine. It was a great experience for a new pilot and an important mission that went on for 44 years. No ever crashed in the East or was shot down. It was a low risk and high reward operation. The Squadron motto in Latin meant "Supply the Truth." I always thought it should be "We're low, slow, and they know we're coming." Major Tom Weinzierl, USAF, (Ret)

[@franks.3750]

In the early 70s, when I was a child, I every day saw the C-97s, the C-47s and many others. I lived near Wiesbaden Airbase. When I play outside with friends and one of those Beautys flew less than 1000ft, I beckon to the pilots, thought that they could see me. Maybe, you have seen me, Tom :-) At that time, I was infected by Radials. In 2005, I became member at Superconstellation Flyers Association in Switzerland. In 2007 and 2009 I flew with their Connie. Awesome! And in 2019, I returned to Wiesbaden, to see the Dakotas remembering the Berlin Airlift. Keep this birds flying and thanks for this vid...

[@danbaker7418]

VERITATEM SUPPEDITARE or so it says on my coffee mug. Dan Baker, Ops Section, '73-'75

[@jjlxxxxx]

Hello Tom. Jeff Linder here. I was about to contribute some historical background on our "Berlin for Lunch Bunch" days at Wiesbaden but I don't need to now that you've done such an outstanding job. Joannie and I got to attend the reunion in Berlin for the 25 year anniversary of the final flight into Tempelhof. Unfortunately I was the only one from the Wiesbaden 7405th group in attendance but it was a superb event nonetheless. I've often told the story of how we used to refer to the '97 as the Boeing tri-motor, especially after we started getting rebuilt engines from the company in Dallas I think it was. Quite often we got no more than 4 engines before something fatal happened to them. Happily, I never lost more than one engine at a time. After returning home I got hired by the Utah ANG and flew the KC-97 for another 6 years. Ferried a couple of the old beauties down to Davis-Monthan for their final flight. In fact on one of them had shutdown an engine just after take-off from SLC for a prop-overspeed. Called back to SLC ops and asked what they wanted me to do with the bird, the reply was..."I don't care what you do with it, just don't bring it back here!" From there we transitioned to water-wagon KC-135's. Ended up retiring from UAL on the B747-400. Sweet career. Best to you and Jacqueline. JeffL

[@harryprovan9781]

1502 FLMS 58-61, Hickam AFB Hawaii. MATS. Flight line Maint. On 97s,124s,121s. Love to to watch these videos of startups of radial engines. Will always remember as an 18-19 yr old airman getting to start the 3350s and 4360s under the watchful eye of our crew Sgt. What a great time those years were.

[@MrDugas]

I was 22 years old as a new co-pilot on the KC-97G. Spent 4 years in SAC and had 2130 hours of flying that beautiful aircraft. Circa 1961 to 1965

[@semco72057]

I remember the C-97 and have flown on some of them and also the C-124 as well while in the Air Force as I had to ride on one of them back to my main base from our satellite base after duty there for two days. The C-97 was powerful on takeoff and landing and served faithfully through the years.

[@espeescotty]

No "skeeters" around that airfield for a few days after that.

[@2eretz]

Lol

[@intuitive7274]

Yes because the radial engine has no oil pan. The oil settles in the bottom cylinders and when it fires up the oil in the cylinders has no where to go so. WALA. it burns

[@AlfaGiuliaQV]

F**k, that was intense. Impressive someone under the age of 80 still knows how to fly it.

[@jamesricker3997]

They were versions in service until the early 1990s

[@vanvan5709]

MrMayonEgg Any one who knows how to pilot a multi engine plane can fly it. Yeah your right if you where s taxi cab driver.

[@johndoe1909]

@@vanvan5709 hahum no. With specific, rigorous and time consuming training you can do it but dont underestimate the effort these old ladies are hard to fly for many reasons.

[@desertbob6835]

@@johndoe1909 They were hard to fly when new. See above.

[@reubenmoss9214]

I was actually on the tarmac for this startup and takeoff. The crew ranged in age, and were all quite knowledgeable about the aircraft (and quite nice). The footage doesn't even do the experience justice!

[@TechnikMeister2]

They were death traps. The B29 variant suffered 25% losses due to accidents or fires. In 1955 my dad flew from Sydney to LA in the Stratocruiser version with PanAm. It lost an engine close to Fiji. He had to wait a week for a spare to be flown out and fitted, then another engine caught fire on takeoff in Honolulu. He caught a ship back. He was away for two months instead of two weeks. Later he flew in a Connie with Qantas instead.

[@fordlandau]

Note the air entry gills open for starting and take off. These had to be closed soon after take off or loss of power. Crashes occurred due to omission of this important step. The Boeing Stratocruiser was magnificent but troublesome.

[@steveharkins4049]

fordlandau True, not very successful, with mechanical problems like engine thermal issues and propeller overspeed incidents. Not many built, and once the DC-7 came along, the original operators of the 377 were happy to unload them.

[@fordlandau]

Steve Harkins yes. The Hamilton Standard propeller was poorly developed. Several over speed incidents occurred with complete loss of the prop. But they are still a beautiful beast and this vid is great.

[@albertringshauser7267]

I remember seeing them at Shaw AFB in the 70's. Them and Constilations. Amazing aircraft.

[@danchalfont1545]

I was in the fire dept. @ Show '60 - '64. The squeal of the 97's brakes were brain piercing.

[@fernhoppertimberworks8037]

My father flew one of thesefor twelve years for sac in omaha nebraska. He went around the world several times as a flight engineer.

[@maxsdad538]

I remember a California Air National Guard C-97 flying in and out of Van Nuys Airport back in the 60's. Graceful.

[@harrycline7496]

Flew to and back to basic training at Lackland , plus five times to summer camp ! Very comfortable and quiet ride compared to once in a 124 !

[@billpolits7594]

Beautiful aircraft! And so much oil burning as it's taxiing out... I didn't see fire extinguishers on the flightline for startup; I thought these were a must-have.

[@philhand5830]

I just love the sound of those radial engines at low speed idle. They sound kinda like an idling Harley Davidson... Raw power at rest.....

[@marryellen7713]

We also had C-54s, C 118s, T 29s, and for a short time a KC 50. It was great. We got priority seating to Berlin.

[@carlwalker3557]

Long live the 97! Awesome to see in the air. They make fine static displays too.

[@carllafong4791]

Rode a Pan Am Stratocruiser from San Francisco to Honolulu over 70 years ago. Just over 9 hours. Surprised to learn any were still flying. As I recall, not too many were in commercial service (under 100??). Tough to maintain and expensive to operate, as well as involved in several major incidents with a lot of lives lost. Propeller issues in some cases. I guess the same wing and engines as the B29.

[@jerryf5931]

I flew the first time in one of these at the age of 7 or 8....from Hawaii to SF on Pan Am :)