The Forgotten Pioneers of Pressurized Flight

The Boeing 307 Stratoliner was a game-changer in aviation history. First taking to the skies on December 31, 1938, this aircraft was the world's first airliner with a pressurized cabin.

Boeing built only ten of these planes, which were essentially modified B-17 Flying Fortress bombers with a new pressurized fuselage. The Stratoliner could carry up to 33 passengers in luxury, complete with reclining sleeper seats, berths with windows, and even skylights in the lavatories.

The aircraft's pressurization was a major innovation at the time, allowing passengers to fly above the weather and reducing turbulence. However, this feature also came with a price: on March 18, 1939, the prototype crashed during a test flight, killing everyone on board.

After a redesign that included a larger vertical tail, the Stratoliner entered service in July 1940, operated by Pan American's Clipper Flying Cloud. The aircraft served as a transport during World War II and continued to fly until the 1950s. Today, only one original Stratoliner remains - the restored Clipper Flying Cloud at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.