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Description
| Manufacturer: | Boeing | |
| Base model: | C-97 | |
| Designation: | KC-97 | |
| Version: | G | |
| Nickname: | Stratofreighter | |
| Designation System: | U.S. Air Force | |
| Designation Period: | 1925-1962 | |
| Basic role: | Transport | |
| Modified Mission: | Tanker | |
Specifications
| Length: | 117' 5" | 35.7 m | |
| Height: | 38' 3" | 11.6 m | |
| Wingspan: | 141' 3" | 43.0 m | |
| Wingarea: | 1,769.0 sq ft | 164.3 sq m | |
| Empty Weight: | 82,500 lb | 37,414 kg | |
| Gross Weight: | 175,000 lb | 79,365 kg | |
Propulsion
| No. of Engines: | 4 | ||
| Powerplant: | Pratt & Whitney R-4360-35C | ||
Performance
| Range: | 4,300 miles | 6,924 km | |
| Max Speed: | 375 mph | 603 km/h | 325 kt |
| Climb: | 20,000 ft/min | 6,095 m/min | |
| Ceiling: | 30,200 ft | 9,204 m | |
Known serial numbers
Examples of this type may be found at
| Museum | City | State |
| Pima Air & Space Museum | Tucson | Arizona |
| Strategic Air Command Museum | Ashland | Nebraska |
KC-97G on display
Pima Air & Space Museum |
Recent comments by our visitors
| Ernie Brown , CA | I was a navigator on the G model from 1961 until 1965. The max gross weight even on alert was 175,000. If we had to in war time,we could go to 185,000. I don't know of anyone ever going to that weight even in the test phase. I thought the plane was a dog, but from the crew standpoint it was great. Until I went to C-5's, it was the roomiest crew compartment I ever flew in. 08/30/2008 @ 12:43 [ref: 22584] |
| Hastings (HJ) Lamb Great Falls, MT | I was a crew member (enlisted) aboard the KC-97 and C-97s assigned to 3902nd Base Flight. I was one of about 10 Flight Stewards that inhabited the first floor of base ops. Our missions were primarily in support of the SAC, SACMET and making routine courrier flights between Andrews (East courrier), Barksdale (South courrier) and Travis (West courrier). We provided meals that were cooked from scratch and also served drinks (non-alcoholic) of course! The stewards wore distinctive "Uniforms" consisting of a maroon blazer, white shirt/black tie and black slacks with servce dress shoes (no white socks!). There were two very special KCs that were Gen. LeMays flag ships - Tail #s 393 and 394 I believe. They were decked out with pullman bunks, a conference room a spiral staircase to the lower deck that held all the comm gear. Ever fall down the hell-hole? Quite a surprise to open the cockpit door while the crew chief had the trap door opened and forgot to block the cockpit door!!! Made many trips throughout the US on the old 97 from 1970 to 1972. As I recall - some of the stewards were Carl (Sweet CArl) Walmer, TSgt Heckman, MSgt Frederico (Freddy) Arredondo, and several others I can see in my mind but just can't put a name to. We eventually transitioned to KC-135s, but the C-97s will always have a special spot in my heart and mind. 08/17/2008 @ 18:35 [ref: 22482] |
| Roger Buck Albuquerque, NM | Thanks Dick Pracht for this site, those were the fun days working at the MB1 site. I have many great memories there.
I was on my way to the M&I building, when that KC-97 took off. I felt it was in trouble since it was so low. I did'nt see the actual crash, due to the alert barns blocking my view, but did see the flames and smoke. If you remember my old 47 Ford coupe could'nt pass inspection, so I had to park of base. I either caught a ride or walked to the site. That day of course I had to walk all the way. That day made me think of getting on an airplane in the future, I have had a few scary moments in c-130's in Vietnam & Philippines. and a c-124 coming back from Panama Canal. 06/02/2008 @ 15:43 [ref: 21090] |
| Dick Pracht , OH | Feb 28th, 1961 Selfridge AFB KC-97 #53-331
This is the crash that Mac and I drove under ---- just as it took off. We commented how low it was and ABOUT the caution sign, to watch for low flying jets ---97 is not a jet. Two minutes later we looked over/heard it hit on the main road going north. It was a very big fire ball and we drove out to the site and may have been first on the crash location. There was not one thing for us to do ..... all fire and biggest part of the plane, that we could see, was an engine. We left and came back later ..... at that time most of the fire was out .... some still being worked and crew body recovery was in process. I did know that all of the crew were killed and think that the loss on the ground was a few buildings and a dog or two. I had searched for an account of this crash over the years and now have one. Dick REFEREBNCE: Ken Tarwater, 307th ARS 02/28/2008 Chuck Hackney, Southfield, MI 02/23/2008 05/31/2008 @ 04:55 [ref: 21062] |
| Duane Delk Msgt Ret Ladson, SC | On the Performance Data Section of the KC-97 you have
the Rate of Climb as 20,000 ft per/min. When I flew in the aircraft as a Flight Engineer even at low Gross Weights we were luckly to make 2000 ft per/min. 05/12/2008 @ 17:13 [ref: 20855] |
| Kenneth Tarwater Kansas City, MO | In answer to Chuck Hackney about the KC-97 that crashed at Selfridge AFB, Mich. Author and Military Historian SAC Brat Mike Hill came up with this information from Kirkland AFB, NM. while looking for details into this crash for the History of the 307th Bomb Wing, Lincoln AFB From 1954 to 1966, The Lincoln Years, that as we speak he is writing. The crew that was lost was mostly former Lincoln AFB crew members that had moved to Selfridge AFB during a PCS on June of 1960. "On Feb 28th, 1961 KC-97 #53-331 crashed on take off during an ORI at Selfridge AFB, Mich. Because of engine failure and loss of power they were trying to dump fuel but couldn't stay in the air long enough and crashed about 2 miles from the end of the runway." Those of SAC's 307th Air Refueling Squadron that we lost that day were: Aircraft Commander-Capt. Lindell Hagood, Co-Pilot-Lt. John Dibble, Navigator-Lt. Robert Lewis, Flight Engineer-T/Sgt Robert Derby, Boom Operator-S/Sgt Ernest Lemoine. May these young brave men of the USAF be remembered fondly for their part in winnning the Cold War. God bless and keep them until we meet again. Ken Tarwater, 307th ARS, 1957/1960. 02/28/2008 @ 07:38 [ref: 19799] |
| Chuck Hackney Southfield, MI | I was stationed at Selfridge AFB, Michigan 1n 1960. There was a KC-97 that went down with all crew lost. Does anyone out there have further info? 02/23/2008 @ 11:39 [ref: 19749] |
| Msgt Duane Delk Ret Ladson, SC | I've been following the discussion about the Max Gross Weight of the KC-97G between Eugene Gadbois and Skip
Sputio. The normal Max Weight was 175,000#, but in EWO conditions you could go higher. I don't remember the exact figure, but if you filled the wings and Drop Tanks with Av Gas and the Deck Tanks with JP-4, the Gross Weight came about 185,000# Empty Wt= 94,000#, Wing Tanks 45,000# Drop Tanks 8,000# and the Deck Tanks 38,000# this =185,000# However all of this depended on the Performance of the Aircraft due to the RW Length, PA of the Airfield, OAT, and Dew Point. I was a Flight Engineer at Westover AFB, MA from Feb 58 until May 63. I was assigned to the 384th AREFS. 11/28/2007 @ 19:03 [ref: 18708] |
| N H Spurio , VA | Ref the note from SMSgt Gadbois. The 185,000 figure was one I got from the crew, Maybe I misunderstood, or maybe each outfit had different limitations. All I know was what
the TO said. Whether or not it was loaded up to it's max is another thing. AS for efficiency, that's hard to measure and I don't know how one would do that, and is somdthing I never heard of--not saying it doesn't exist. I do know that once the plane was retofitted with the aluminum prop, our work load went down. The major problem we had was getting all the air bled out of the IOC, which caused the prop to hunt and surge at times. Other than that, mo major problems. 11/21/2007 @ 08:35 [ref: 18614] |
| Eugene Gadbois Show Low, AZ | I was a Flight Engineer on the KC-97F & G from 1954 to 1964. Checked out at Castle AFB, 90 ARS, which moved to Dow AFB and became the 341st ARS, Then to the 307th ARS, Selfridge AFB. Skip Spurio had the wrong story about the steel vs aluminum props. One of the steel props was cracked and broke off on take off at Castle, killing the crew on crash landing. after that they magafluxed every steel blade until the new aluminum prop blades were made. The aluminum blades were never as efficient as the old steel blades. At no time did we ever exceed 175,000 lbs. And the service ceiling was 23,500 feet on a standard day. During refueling at max continuous power we would have to descend slowly to get 210 kts for the B-47. I was at Goose Bay during the Cuban crises along with 65 other crews. I was so glad to get out of SAC in 1964 and go to MAC to fly C-124 at Hickam, Hawaii.
SMSgt Eugene Gadbois (Retired) 11/04/2007 @ 18:56 [ref: 18400] |
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