Smoking on the plane. I always remember my gramps before he passed away telling stories about smoking in the theater, on boat, on planes like it was nothing.
Notice how everyone is dressed to fly back then compared to today.
I started flying in the 70s, and virtually any flight included a full meal or at least a snack, and I don’t mean just peanuts. Yeah, smoking everywhere much to my annoyance. But if there was an empty seat you could just hop into it, no questions asked.
The USAF version was the C-97 Stratofreighter
The USAF Also had a similar aircraft, the Douglas C-124
Ping
I’d never heard of that aircraft before. Looks like the “flying guppy” freighter. I had no idea a second deck was used for a lounge in that era...resurrected in the 747 twenty years later.
A cockpit crew of four for 55 passengers. United started 377 Service to Honolulu in 1950and discontinued it in 1954.
Did they really pressurize the cabin to sea level? If true, that was a big waste. Those are enormous windows, too.
I wonder what a 1950 ticket cost on that United flight in 2018 dollars. UA only ran first class SFO to HNL. For,reference, in 1955 BOAC B377s had 50 First Class seats (fare $400 one way New York to London) or 81 Tourist seats (fare $290). That is $3,700 and $2,700 respectively in 2018 dollars ONE WAY!
Airline deregulation sure made it possible for the masses to travel.
The first was the Pregnant Guppy, followed by the Super Guppy, and finally the Mini Guppy. The Super Guppy and the Mini Guppy had turboprop engines."
Last month flew on a United Boeing 777 from Denver to Honolulu. Was like riding on a city bus for 7 hours.
BTTT