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Aviation History
1945
1945 - 0018.PDF
FLIGHT JANUARY 41H, 1945 Boeing 377 Stmtocruiser A New US* Transport Developed from the B-29 Superfortress : Very Low Operating Cost for High Performance EMPHASIS that our Iriends on the other side of theAtlantic do not allow grass to grow under their ieetis evidenced by the fact that they have already developed a commercial air liner from the famous B-29 Superfortress—what is more., the "military" prototype ut the new machine has been built and is at present under- going test. Boeings say that " all present models of the 377 will be for military service," but nevertheless this should not blind anyone to the fact that the Americans have the first of the greater post-war super-transport air- craft already built and flying. What is more, the Strato- i-ruiser is a larger and more commodious and higher- powered aircraft than our British Tudor and Hermes which, one may reflect, are not yet built. We have no doubt whatsoever that if the Government would authorise M.A.P. to give our aircraft manufacturers carte blanche (within the limits of war requirements) to produce the sort of post-war commercial aircraft they want to produce, then, within a year, we could have flying at least two, probably three, world-beaters. In the face of the sort of competition of which the new Stratocruiser gives concrete evidence, it is essential that this country of ours gets off to a start which will not penalise further our already heavily handicapped industries. Our start of this war should paint a sufficiently vivid picture of the costs of unpreparedness. There is nothing to show that post-war aeronautical rivalry will be any less cut-throat than its wartime image—if anything, the reverse is indicated. Present Indications of Future Trends There are so many, indications of the peacetime com- mercial trend of the world that it would seem impossible for anyone of unveiled perception not to see the way things are heading. As an example: France is at present eager to buy American aircraft. These, we will grant, are military machines—but, we must ask, are British aircraft manufacturers so pressed that we cannot afford to supply France with aircraft for her needs? We do not need to ask if our aircraft are inferior to American types. But if France is prepared to go at once to America for her mili- tary aircraft, is there any reason why she should not do the same thing for her commercial machines? Unfor- tunately the answer is No. America has more to offer than we have, and we have no reason to believe that we can give the U.S. any start she wants and still beat her. We .J*r, REAR CdOCO This cut-away 1 rawing illustrates the main interior arrangement and gives an excellent idea of the size and roominess of the new machine.
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