The Museum’s KC-97L was delivered to the USAF in January 1956 and served with various units all over the world before being retired in 1977. The aircraft was sold to a commercial user and was acquired through an exchange and flown to the Museum in 1986.
Boeing KC-97L
Stratofreighter
The C-97 was the Army Air Forces (AAF) cargo/transport version of the B-29. Between 1943 and 1950, 74 Stratofreighters were ordered; the first flight occurred on 15 November 1944. A tanker version (KC-97) was introduced in 1950 using the “flying boom” refueling system, and all subsequent USAF contracts for C-97s were for tankers. In all, 890 aircraft were ordered, 74 C-97s and 816 KC-97s.