As WWII came to an end, Boeing was in desperate need of a long-haul civilian passenger aircraft to compete with the Lockheed Constellation and the Douglas DC-6. In a hurry to offer something similar to its main competitors, Boeing decided not to develop an entirely new airframe but rather modify that of its military ancestors, the WWII Boeing Stratofreighter and SuperFortress. The result was the rather ungracious, funny-looking Boeing Model 377 double-decker Stratocruiser. Yes, you read that right, the Boeing 747 was not the first double decker passenger airline!
But what the Stratocruiser lacked in looks was largely offset by the comfort of its incredible interior.
The Stratocruiser was ordered by several full-service airlines such as Pan Am and BOAC and rolled out on their flagship services such as the London – New York routes. At that time, it was defined as the world’s finest, largest and fastest commercial airliner. And it was, it really was.
BOAC, or British Overseas Airways Corporation, the British long-haul (hence overseas) state-owned airline, rolled out the Stratocruiser on its so-called Monarch services, which referred to its most luxurious all first-class trans-Atlantic flights.
The 1949 BOAC Stratocruiser offered an amazing interior with elegant features and details. It offered a lush and tastefully appointed extra-wide passenger cabin with fully adjustable armchairs, air conditioning and a pressurization system. There were large, gold-appointed men’s and women’s dressing rooms where passengers could prepare in private for sleep or refresh in the morning. Plus, a forward stateroom for the most important guests. And, it had pull-down full-size flatbeds equipped with a full-length curtain for privacy, featuring a “breakfast-in-bed” option before landing. It also boasted a circular staircase that led to an intimate and opulent club-like lower-deck bar and lounge. Drinking a glass of fine champagne in a bar flying at 30,000 feet was quite an experience back in the 1940s!
The atmosphere onboard these flights was very different from others. Since there was no in-flight entertainment, the Monarch flights were a place to interact and socialize, as opposed to the very individualistic journeys of nowadays. They were a place for businessmen, politicians and other high-profile passengers to gather and have meetings. Traveling on the Stratocruiser was an experience in itself and the flight felt like it was suspended in time and space. The flight deck door was left open, with only a velvet rope to keep the overly curious out. Flight crew officers spent time in the cabin, interacting with passengers. And on each flight, a table was set up for the Captain to enjoy fine dining (and wine!) with the most important guests.
Speaking about fine dining, the on-board dining options were developed by French chefs and the menus which were written in French, featured high-end items such as Beluga caviar, foie gras and oysters followed by the finest Champagne and wines that could be found on the planet.
The journey for passengers was hassle-free too. There were no security checks at airports, and you could literally turn up 20 minutes before your flight and still make it onboard, without having to show your ID to anyone. All you needed to board the plane was your ticket. After enjoying your flight, which back then resembled a cocktail party, all you had to do was to walk across the tarmac directly to the terminal where your luggage would be waiting for you at the luggage counter.
Although the air hostesses (who had to be single and had weight spot-checks before starting a duty!) made exceptional efforts to provide each guest with a first-class service, 1940s aircraft technology could sometimes ruin things.
For starters, the four Pratt & Whitney radial engines, each having a power output of over 3.500 hp, were known to be temperamental and rather loud. The engine vibrations could be felt in the cabin, making sleep difficult. Then there was the issue of speed or lack of it. Piston-engines airliners were painfully slow and the journey from London to New York could take up to 17 hours, with a refueling stop in Shannon, Ireland required before crossing the Atlantic. With a maximum altitude of 30.000 feet and no weather radar system, the pilots could end up inadvertently flying through storms, which translated to a lot of spilled champagne in the cabin! It wasn’t unusual for one of the 4 engines to simply give up as one passenger recalls: “The vibrations diminished, and the excitement kicked up after we lost an engine westbound to New York. The dead prop was just outside our window in the forward compartment. After several checks by the flight engineer, the plane landed in Newfoundland and passengers moved from airliner comfort and luxury to Army barrack simplicity. Eventually, a passing New York bound flight was diverted to pick some of us up.”
The last BOAC Stratocruiser flight was in 1959 and it was soon replaced by the likes of the Comet and Boeing 707. While other aircraft tried to take the place of the Stratocruiser, its luxury was never really matched by the early jets, and the atmosphere of suspended time and space while flying was gone. With the transition to jet aircraft, many of the luxuries of the Stratocruiser were let go as airlines switched their focus to speed, economics, and carrying more passengers.
Eventually, some of the Boeing Stratocruisers were turned into oversized cargo aircrafts called Super Guppies which were ironically bought by Boeing arch-rival Airbus to transport airplane component between its European factories.
Sources:
“Inside a 1947 Boeing 377 Stratocruiser, The largest and fastest aircraft in commercial service” on www.designyoutrust.com
“Boeing Stratocruiser” on www.united-states-lines.org
“What was the BOAC Monarch service like on the Comet 4” on www.travelupdate.com
“Model 377 Stratocruiser Commercial Transport” on www.boeing.com
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