The Boeing 377 Stratocruiser (first flight: Jul, 1947) was a large, long-range airliner developed from the C-97 Stratofreighter military transport, itself a derivative of the B-29 Superfortress. Boeing’s 377 design was advanced for its day as it featured two passenger decks and a pressurized cabin, however reliability was poor due to problems with the four 28-cylinder Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major radial engines and control problems with the engine propellers. Only 55 Model 377s were built for airlines, along with a single prototype.
With the recent release of the movie Oppenheimer there has been renewed interest in the many aspects that came together to make the atomic bombing of Japan a reality. This artifact spotlight will discuss some of the back story of the development of the atomic bomb, and highlight artifacts we have on display here at the San Diego Air and Space Museum. Much has been written about the reasons for, and decision by, President Harry Truman to use nuclear weapons against Japan; an act that ultimately led to the end of World War II with the unconditional surrender by the Empire of Japan.
The San Diego Air & Space Museum recently acquired a wedding dress with a very special story behind it, that involves war, love and survival.
The San Diego Air & Space Museum has a large collection of playing cards that were given to passengers when they were traveling by air. It might take a while to understand why the airlines would hand out playing cards, but when your smartphone runs out of battery on a long flight, one can quickly see why....the cards provided a diversion in a time before in-flight entertainment.
It is very exciting for us when we receive an artifact along with images which highlight the artifact in a historical context. For Christmas this year, we are highlighting an artifac...a Santa costume...that has a rich provenance that gives insight into the culture of Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA).
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The San Diego Air & Space Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Federal Tax ID Number 95-2253027.
