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One sheet This mid-century BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) travel poster, titled "BOAC Atlantic Ocean Stratocruiser Speedbird," was designed by the renowned British graphic artist Abram Games circa 1949.
The artwork utilizes a modernist style, featuring a map of the Atlantic Ocean folded like a book, with stylized aircraft "stitching" the UK and USA together.
The Speedbird Legacy
The Logo: The stylized bird emblem, known as the Speedbird, was originally designed by Theyre Lee-Elliott in 1932 for Imperial Airways.
Aviation History: BOAC adopted the logo in 1939 and used it prominently until the airline merged with British European Airways (BEA) to form British Airways in 1974.
Modern Use: While the visual logo was replaced on aircraft in the 1980s, "Speedbird" remains the official radio call sign for all British Airways international flights today.
The Boeing 377 Stratocruiser
The poster promotes travel on the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser, a luxurious double-decked aircraft considered a "flying hotel" of its era.
Feature Details
Manufacturer Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Double-Deck Design Featured a main passenger deck and a lower-deck circular lounge accessible via stairs.
Luxury Services Offered sleeping berths, dressing rooms, and a pressurized cabin for high-altitude comfort.
BOAC Fleet BOAC operated 17 of these aircraft, using them primarily for high-end transatlantic "Monarch" services.
Performance Cruises at ~300-340 mph with a range of approximately 4,200 miles.
The Stratocruiser's golden age was relatively brief, as it was eventually made obsolete by the arrival of faster jet airliners like the Comet 4 and Boeing 707 in the late 1950s. |
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