Boeing 747 50-year flying anniversary (photo gallery)

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Boeing 747-121 N7470 Boeing Company is the prototype of the Boeing 747 family. First flight February 9, 1969.Boeing 747-121 N7470 Boeing Company is the prototype of the Boeing 747 family. First flight February 9, 1969.

Posted By: Marcel van Leeuwen February 9, 2019

On February 9, 1969, the Boeing 747, called the “Super Jet,” and dubbed the “Jumbo Jet” by the press took to the skies for the first time, and entered service on Pan American World Airways in January 1970.

1,548 (as of December 2018) 747s are built at Paine Field near Everett, Washington. The plant is the largest building by volume ever built, and has been substantially expanded several times to permit construction of other models of Boeing wide-body commercial jets.

As of July 2018, 462 Boeing 747s are in airline service, with British Airways being the largest operator with 36 747-400s. Demand for freighters is strong while passenger 747s are phased out. Of the 1,544 produced, 890 are retired; as of 2018.

  • Boeing 747-121 N733PA Pan American World Airways – Pan Am
  • Boeing 747-133 C-FTOE Air Canada
  • Boeing 747-21AC SCD PH-MCE Martinair Holland
  • Boeing 747-238B N159UA United Airlines
  • Boeing 747-238B VH-EBB Qantas
  • Boeing 747-244B(SF) ZS-SAR South African Airways Cargo
  • Boeing 747-258B 4X-AXB El Al Israel Airlines
  • Boeing 747-283B LN-AEO Scandinavian Airlines – SAS
  • Boeing 747-283B(SF) SX-FIN Sky Express Aircargo
  • Boeing 747-287B LV-OOZ Aerolineas Argentinas
  • Boeing 747-2D3B JY-AFA Royal Jordanian Airlines
  • Boeing 747SP-31 A6-SMM United Arab Emirates (Dubai Air Wing)
  • Boeing 747SP-44 V5-SPF Air Namibia
  • Boeing 747-357M HB-IGC Swissair
  • Boeing 747-446F/SCD JA402J Japan Airlines – JAL Cargo
  • Boeing 747-400 20-1102 Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF)
  • Boeing 747-406 PH-BFB Corendon
  • Boeing 747-409 B-18203 China Airlines
  • Boeing 747-412F/SCD 9V-SFC Singapore Airlines Cargo
  • Boeing 747-41R G-VROC Virgin Atlantic Airways
  • Boeing 747-422 N178UA United Airlines
  • Boeing 747-436 G-CIVZ British Airways One World
  • Boeing 747-451 N662US Northwest Airlines
  • Boeing 747-481(BDSF) B-2435 Yangtze River Airlines
  • Boeing 747-48E HL7420 Asiana Airlines Cargo
  • Boeing 747-4B5 10001 South Korean Air Force
  • Boeing 747-4D7 HS-TGH Thai Airways International
  • Boeing 747-4H6F SCD 9M-MPR MASkargo
  • Boeing 747-4U3 PK-GSG Garuda International
  • Boeing 747-8I N6067E Boeing Company
  • Boeing 747-8R7/FSCD LX-VCD Cargolux

Photos Rob Vogelaar

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