08/12/2006. Remarks by Jack McKillop: "This aircraft was the first of three prototypes and made its first flight on November 9, 1944. On January 9, 1945, flown by Major Curtin L. Reinhardt, it set a speed record by flying the 3,323 miles (5,348 km) from Seattle, Washington, to Washington, D.C., USA, nonstop in 6 hours 3 minutes with a 20,000 pound (9,072 kilogram) payload. Since this aircraft was pressurized, it flew at 30,000 feet (9,144 meters) and with a good tailwind, its average speed was 383 mph (616 kmh)."

Remarks by Geoff Miller: "This photo shows one of several prototypes of the military version of the Stratocruiser, the (K)C-97. Note the relatively short vertical stabilizer and the B-29-style engine cowlings with the 'grin'-shaped oil cooler intakes below the propellers. The production Stratocruiser and (K)C-97 were actually developments of the B-50 version of the Superfortress, not of the B-29; they had the B-50s tall stabilizer, Pratt & Whitney R-4360 engines (in lieu of the B-29's Curtiss-Wright R-3350s), and the distinctive B-50 engine cowlings with the large oil cooler intakes set about halfway back toward the wing leading edge. Contrast the two pictures at All About Guppies to see the differences."