Propliner
Aproplineris a large, propeller-drivenairliner.Typically, the term is used forpiston engineairliners that flew before the large scale advent of airliners of thejet age.With the notable exception of thede Havilland AlbatrossandFokker F-10of the late 1920s to 1930s, which were largely fabricated of wood, propliners generally featured all-metal wings and structural members, totally or partially retractable landing gear, and two, three, or four engines. A few might deviate from these characteristics with fixed landing gear, such as the Albatross, Fokker 110, andLockheed Vega.
The first all metal passenger service propliner was theHandley Page Type Win the 1920s. Then theBoeing 247made its first flight in 1933, with theDouglas DC-1andDouglas DC-2closely following in response. The most successful is theDouglas DC-3,which was produced in the thousands, and is still in widespread use; while theDewoitine D.338andSNCASE SE.161 Languedocwere developed in France and Germany produced theFocke-Wulf Fw 200 CondorandJunkers Ju 90.In Japan a license-built version of the Douglas DC-3 was developed as theNakajima L2Dand the smallerMitsubishi MC-20was locally developed. In the NetherlandsFokker,previously one of the leading manufacturers of airliners before the Boeing 247 appeared, became the European sales agent for Douglas DC-2s and DC-3s. Most British-built aircraft of the period were less advanced, such as theAvro 642 Eighteenandde Havilland Express;one exception was theArmstrong Whitworth Ensign.Other American-designed propliners included theDouglas DC-4,Douglas DC-5andMartin 2-0-2.None of these models featuredcabin pressurization.
With the earlier introduction of theBoeing 307 Stratolinerand the experimentalDouglas DC-4E,a second generation of propliners emerged. These technologically more modern aircraft featured cabin pressurization systems allowing greater comfort by allowing aircraft to fly higher and above much of the lower altitude weather, although it was not until theLockheed Constellation,followed by theDouglas DC-6andDouglas DC-7,that this design advance became common.
By the 1950s the traveling public were increasingly finding themselves being transported upon long range pressurized propliners such as theBoeing 377 Stratocruiser,Lockheed L-1049 Super ConstellationandLockheed L-1649 Starliner,or shorter ranged twin enginedMartin 4-0-4andConvair CV-240, CV-340 and CV-440aircraft. British propliners included theAirspeed Ambassador,Vickers VikingandHandley Page Hermes,while theCanadair North Star(a development of the Douglas DC-4) was produced in Canada. TheBreguet Deux-PontsandHurel-Dubois HD.31were manufactured in France; and the Soviet Union produced the postwar twin-enginedIlyushin Il-12andIlyushin Il-14,both produced in quantity through the 1950s. Finally, the SwedishSAAB Scandiawas produced in small numbers.
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