United Air Lines  Boeing  247-D  NC13359 (+ NC13342 & 13314)        (c/n  1741)

                                  

                                      The Boeing 247 first flew on 8 February 1933, and by June of that year United had 30 of the 60 they
                                      had ordered in service.  (They eventually wound up with 70 of them.....no mean feat in those days).
                                      It was the world's first "modern airliner".  In fact, if it had not been for the Boeing 247, the famous
                                      Douglas DC-2/DC-3 line of aircraft may never have evolved.  Since United, through its family tie
                                      with Boeing Aircraft, had effectively tied up production of the 247, no other airline could get a look
                                      in. Hence TWA's participation in the development of the Douglas DC-1.   The Boeing 247 as orig-
                                      inally designed was a bit of a dog.  Its performance at some of the higher elevation airports in the
                                      Rockies was pathetic.  To overcome this shortcoming, Hamilton-Standard variable-pitch propellors
                                      were fitted, which, along with redesigned engine nacelles improved performance in the take off, climb
                                      and engine-out modes.  The result was the Boeing 247-D and most "straight" 247s were eventually
                                      converted to "D" status.  The image below, although of a restored aircraft (I normally like to use photo-
                                      graphs of aircraft actually in service) does illustrate the livery used by United in the early 1930s. This
                                      aircraft is currently resident at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, and noiw displays1940 style markings.
                                      Finally, at the foot of the page is an actual 247 operating in 1940 and wearing the livery of the day. 
                                      By this time most of the 247-Ds had been retired, but several did soldier on until the outbreak of
                                      WW II when they were all impressed into USAAF service as C-73s.

                                      Boeing 247-D  NC13347                 (c/n  1729)

                                 

                                    Boeing 247-D  NC13326       (c/n  1707)