| Boeing 367-80 |
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| 367-80 | |
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The Boeing 367-80 or "Dash 80", as it was called within Boeing , was a concept demonstrator jet transport built in less than two years from project launch in 1952 to rollout on May 14 , 1954 for a cost of 16 million dollars. This was at the time an enormous risk for the Boeing Company, since they had no committed customers for the project. The designation was a Disinformation tactic by Boeing; "367" was the Boeing model number of the C-97 Stratofreighter , an aircraft of the previous generation that the Dash 80 owed nothing to. In fact, the Dash 80 was closer in relation to Boeing's B-47 Stratojet . The Dash 80 is usually said to be the Prototype for both the KC-135 , an air tanker used by the United States Air Force , and the Boeing 707 Airliner . However, despite subsequent wishful thinking of Boeing's financial department, the Dash 80 was built as a concept demonstrator. Little of the tooling made for the Dash 80 was usable for the 707 because the fuselage and wing had to both be enlarged to accommodate airline requirements. To enable the fitting of six-abreast seats, the 707's fuselage had to be widened by 6 inches (150 mm). The extra cost meant that the 707 did not become profitable until some years after it would have if these modifications were not necessary. Fortunately, fewer modifications were required for the KC-135. Prior to building the Dash 80, Boeing officials tried to convince Seafair and Gold Cup Hydroplane Races held on Lake Washington on August 6 , 1955 . The Dash-80 was scheduled to perform a simple flyover, but the test pilot Alvin "Tex" Johnston amazed the audience and brought attention to the aircraft when he performed a Barrel Roll instead. The maiden flight of this aircraft took place on July 15 , 1954 , and her final flight was when she was flown to Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C. on August 27 , 2003 after being fully restored by Boeing. It was later put on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center , an annex of the Smithsonian Institution 's National Air And Space Museum located at Dulles. SPECIFICATIONS (BOEING 367-80) General characteristics
Performance
RELATED CONTENT Related development: Boeing 707 - C-135 Stratolifter Comparable aircraft: Designation sequence: 367 /367-80 - Boeing 377 |
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