When Boeing embarked on the 747 program way back in the 1960s it probably never imagined how iconic and admired the 747 would become in the world of civil aviation.
The 747 was Boeing’s first wide-body commercial airliner and was conceived as air travel started to surge and airfares started to decrease, creating the opportunity for larger commercial aircraft. There are many evolutions of the 747 with multiple early variants in production at the same time.
The 747 was the first wide-body aircraft to achieve more than 1,500 orders. The manufacture of the 747 ended in 2022 after a 54-year production run. Affectionately known as the ‘Queen of the Skies,’ the 747 has been flying for over 5 decades in its various forms and will continue to do so for years to come, albeit its heyday has now passed.
In this article, I briefly look into the history of how the 747 was developed and then explore the multiple 747 variants that have been developed over the lifetime of the program.
History
The 747 was conceived as air travel began to become more popular in the 1960s. Pan Am’s President asked for a new jet airliner 2.5 times the size of then-available aircraft such as Boeing’s 707, with 30% lower per passenger costs. Boeing began its 747 studies in 1965 and asked Pan Am and other airlines to contribute so that airline requirements and objectives could be better understood. By April 1966, Pan Am had ordered 25 Boeing 747-100 aircraft.
The original 747 design included a full-length double-deck fuselage. However, concern over evacuation routes and limited cargo-carrying capability caused this idea to be scrapped in favor of a wider single-deck design with the cockpit placed on a shortened upper deck to allow freighter versions to have a door in the nose cone. The purpose of the small space behind the cockpit was not initially clear, but ideas for a ‘lounge’ area for passenger variants were soon discussed.
As Boeing did not have a manufacturing plant large enough to assemble this new giant airliner, they chose to build a brand new plant. Boeing eventually decided to build the new plant at Everett around 50km north of Seattle on a 320-ha site adjoining Paine Airfield military base. Boeing bought the site in June 1966. We wrote more about where Boeing aircraft are made here.
Boeing agreed to deliver the first 747 to Pan Am by the end of 1969. The delivery date left only 28 months to design this challenging new aircraft. Boeing had to overcome many problems during the 747’s operational test program. Evacuation tests caused injuries to the test volunteers.
On September 30, 1968, the first 747 was rolled out of the Everett assembly building before the world’s press and representatives of the twenty-six airlines that had already placed orders. The first flight took place on February 9, 1969, and was followed by an exhaustive flight test program.
Similar, to the operational test program, Boeing had many challenges to overcome during the flight test program. In particular, there were problems with the engine stalls which delayed deliveries for several months.
Despite these problems, Boeing was able to successfully take a test aircraft to the 1969 Paris Air Show where it was displayed to the public for the first time. The 747 received its FAA airworthiness certificate in December 1969, and the first 747 was delivered in December 1969, entering service on January 22, 1970, on Pan Am’s flagship New York–London route.
Boeing 747 Variants
The 747 program is characterized by constant development and evolution over more than five decades with multiple series, and with many variants and sub-variants in each series.
The picture is quite complicated and to try and simplify this I have listed in the table below the 747 variants by each series:
| Series | Variant/Sub-Variant | Type | Entry into Service |
| 747-100 | 747-100 | Passenger | 1970 |
| 747-100SR | Passenger | 1973 | |
| 747SP | Passenger | 1976 | |
| 747-BSR | Passenger | 1978 | |
| 747-100B | Passenger | 1979 | |
| 747-100BSR SUD | Passenger | 1986 | |
| 747-200 | 747-200B | Passenger | 1971 |
| 747-200F | Freighter | 1972 | |
| 747-200C | Convertible | 1973 | |
| 747-200M | Combi | 1975 | |
| 747-300 | 747-300 | Passenger | 1983 |
| 747-300M | Combi | 1983 | |
| 747-300SR | Passenger | 1987 | |
| 747-400 | 747-400 | Passenger | 1989 |
| 747-400M | Combi | 1989 | |
| 747-400D | Passenger | 1991 | |
| 747-400F | Freighter | 1993 | |
| 747-400ER | Passenger | 2002 | |
| 747-400ERF | Freighter | 2002 | |
| 747-400BCF | Converted freighter | 2005 | |
| 747-8 | 747-8I | Passenger | 2012 |
| 747-8F | Freighter | 2011 | |
| 747-8BBJ | Business/Corporate | 2012 |
Boeing 747-100 Series
The 747-100 was launched by Boeing in 1966 and took its first commercial flight in early 1970. The first 747-100s were built with six upper deck windows (three on each side) to accommodate an upper lounge area, but Boeing soon began to offer an upper deck with ten windows on either side as an option because airlines preferred to use the upper deck space for premium class passenger seating.
The 747-100 had a range of 4,620nmi (8,556km). No freighter version of this model was developed, but many 747-100s were converted into freighters known as the 747-100SF. Responding to requests from Japanese airlines for a high-capacity, shorter-range aircraft to serve domestic routes between major Japanese cities, Boeing developed the 747-100SR as a short-range version of the 747-100 with lower fuel capacity and greater payload capability.
Boeing 747-100SR/BSR
The 747-100SR had all-economy class seating of up to almost 500 passengers in early versions and up to 550 in later models. The first orders for the 747-100SR were placed in 1972 and it entered service in 1973 with JAL; this variant’s only customer. Only seven 747-100SRs were built. However, Boeing also developed the 747-100BSR which was a 747-100SR variant with an increased MTOW.
The 747-100BSR first delivery was to ANA in December 1978. A total of 20 747-100BSRs were produced for ANA and JAL. ANA operated these aircraft on domestic Japanese routes with around 450 passengers until retiring its last aircraft in 2006.
In 1986, two 747-100BSR aircraft featuring a stretched upper deck (SUD) were produced for JAL. The first delivery took place in March 1986, and the second one followed in September 1986; this aircraft was the final 747-100 ever to be delivered. JAL operated its 747-100BSR SUDs with around 560 seats on domestic routes until their retirement in 2006. In total, 29 747 short-range variants were built.
Boeing 747SP
At around 15m shorter than the 747-100, the 747SP (Special Performance) is one of the most distinctive 747 variants.
This variant was developed in response to airline requests (specifically Pan Am and Iran Air) for a longer-range, high-capacity aircraft that could transport a high number of passengers between the US East Coast and the Middle East. The 747SP first flew commercially in 1976.
A total of 45 747SPs were built, with the penultimate 747SP delivered in August 1982. In 1987, Boeing re-opened the 747SP production line after five years to build one last 747SP for an order placed by the United Arab Emirates government.
Boeing 747-100B
The 747-100B was developed with increased fuel capacity compared to the original 747-100 and a range of 5,000nmi (9,300km). This aircraft was developed in small numbers and first flew commercially in 1979.
The first 747-100B order, by Iran Air, took place in June 1978 and was delivered in August 1979. Nine 747-100Bs were built, one for Iran Air and eight for Saudi Arabian Airlines. The last 747-100B was retired by Iran Air in 2014, the last commercial operator of the 747-100 and 747-100B.
A total of 250 747-100 aircraft were delivered by Boeing.
Boeing 747-200 Series
Demand for longer-range aircraft with increased payload quickly led to the development of the 747-200, which featured more powerful engines, increased MTOW, and greater range compared to the 747-100.
The 747-200 was launched in 1968 and took its first commercial flight in 1971. The 747-200 was produced in passenger (747-200B), freighter (747-200F), convertible (747-200C), and combi (747-200M) versions.
The 747-200B range with a full passenger load was up to 6,000nmi (11,000km). The freighter model, the 747-200F, had a capacity of 95 tonnes and an MTOW of up to 378t, entering service in 1972 with Lufthansa. The convertible version, the 747-200C followed quickly in 1973, and could be converted between a passenger and a freighter or used in mixed configurations. The 747-200M combi could carry up to 238 passengers in a three-class configuration with cargo carried in the rear section of the main deck.
A total of 393 747-200s had been built when production ended in 1991. Of these, most (225) were the 747-200B variant. Iran Air retired the last passenger 747-200 in May 2016, 36 years after it was delivered.
Boeing 747-300 Series
The 747-300 was launched in 1980 and was the first 747 variant to have an extended upper deck (over 7m longer than the 747-200), offering increased seating capacity. Besides the passenger version of the 747-300, Boeing also produced a 747-300 combi (747-300M) and short-range (747-300SR). The 747-300SR had a high seating capacity of almost 600 passengers. Similar to the 747-100SR, the 747-300SR was produced for Japanese domestic markets.
Swissair placed the first order for the 747-300 in June 1980 and the first delivery was in March 1983.
The 747-300M combi features cargo capacity in the rear portion of the main deck, similar to the 747-200M. No production freighter version of the 747-300 was built, but Boeing did modify used passenger 747-300 models into freighters.
A total of 81 747-300 aircraft were delivered, 56 of which were for passenger use. In 1985, just two years after the 747-300 entered service, the type was superseded by the announcement of the more advanced 747-400. The last 747-300 was delivered to Sabena in September 1990.
Boeing 747-400 Series
In 1985, the development of the 747-400 began. This variant had a longer range, a new ‘glass cockpit’ for an aircrew of two, new engines, lighter construction materials, wingtip extensions and winglets, and a redesigned interior. The 747-400 entered service in February 1989 with Northwest Airlines.
The 747-400 was offered in passenger (747-400), freighter (747-400F), combi (747-400M), domestic (747-400D), extended-range passenger (747-400ER), and extended-range freighter (-400ERF) versions. The 747-400D was built for short-range operations with maximum seating for more than 600 passengers; visually, its main distinction was the lack of winglets compared to the other variants.
The longer-range 747-400ER went into service in late 2000 with Qantas; the only 747-400ER customer. The 747-400ER is the same size as the 747-400 but has a slightly longer range with an auxiliary fuel tank in the forward cargo hold and an option for a second tank.
The combi version entered service in September 1989 with KLM, while the freighter version entered service in November 1993 with Cargolux. The 747-400ERF entered service with Air France in October 2002.
In January 2004, Boeing and Cathay Pacific launched the Boeing 747 Converted Freighter (BCF), to modify passenger 747-400s for cargo use. The first 747-400BCF was delivered in December 2005. The last passenger version of the 747-400 was delivered in April 2005 to China Airlines, whilst the last 747-400F and 747-400ERF aircraft were delivered in 2009.
A total of 694 747-400 series aircraft were delivered, making the 747-400 series the most popular of all of the 747 series.
Boeing 747-8
In November 2005, Boeing announced it was launching the 747-8 – the stretched fuselage and longer wingspan 747-8 Intercontinental (747-8I) passenger aircraft and the 747-8 Freighter (747-8F). The 747-8 was designed to be quieter, more economical, and more environmentally friendly than comparable aircraft.
The 747-8 incorporates innovative technologies from the 787 Dreamliner, including GEnx-2B engines, raked wingtips, a reduced noise footprint, reduced carbon emissions, lower weight, less fuel consumption, fewer parts, and less maintenance.
The 747-8F made its maiden flight in February 2010 and the first delivery went to Cargolux in October 2011. At 76.3m long, the 747-8F is 5.6m longer than the 747-400F, allowing it to carry an additional seven cargo pallets, or 16% more payload than its predecessor, with a maximum payload capacity of 140 tonnes.
The 747-8I (Intercontinental) is designed to carry up to 467 passengers in a 3-class configuration with a range of more than 8,000nmi (15,000km). The first 747-8I took its maiden flight in March 2011 and the first customer delivery was in early 2012 to Lufthansa. It can accommodate 51 additional seats and 26% more cargo volume than the 747-400. Passenger comfort in the cabin is enhanced by sculpted ceilings, bigger overhead compartments, a redesigned staircase, and dynamic LED lighting.
A total of 154 B747-8s were delivered by Boeing. The final 747-8F was delivered to Atlas Air on January 31, 2023.
For more information, you might also want to read about how the 747-400 and 747-8 compare.
Renowned Boeing 747s
Apart from the more standard 747 variants, there have been some rather special, and famous, 747 models including the following:
- The original Space Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, modified by NASA from 747-100s
- The Dreamlifter — a specially modified 747-400 that transports large cargoes, such as fuselage sections of the 787 Dreamliner which first flew in 2006
- In 1990, two 747-200s were modified to serve as Air Force One
- One 747SP was modified for the NASA/German Aerospace Center (SOFIA)
Boeing 747 Customers and Orders
Boeing delivered 1,572 747s over a 53-year period. The most popular 747 series has been the 747-400s, of which there were 694 deliveries, including, passenger, combi, and freight versions, or 44% of the total 747 deliveries. Approximately two-thirds of 747 orders have been for passenger versions and one-third for freighter and combi versions.
The top 747 customer was Japan Airlines which received a total of 108 aircraft, followed by British Airways which received 94 aircraft, and Singapore Airlines with 93 747s. United Airlines was the top US 747 customer with 68 deliveries.
Let’s take a closer look at the 154 B747-8’s that Boeing has delivered:
- For the 747-8I/747-8BBJ there have been 48 deliveries. The biggest customer is Lufthansa accounting for 40% of all 747-8I orders. Interestingly, Boeing delivered eight B747-8 Business Jets for business jet/VIP customers.
- For the 747-8F Boeing delivered 106 aircraft to a variety of customers, the biggest being UPS which received 28 aircraft.
- The last ever 747 delivery was a 747-8F which took place in November 2022 to Atlas Air.
Summary
The 747 ‘Queen of the Skies’ was born as the age of mass travel began in the 1970s and this iconic aircraft has evolved and developed over a production period lasting more than 50 years.
It was produced in many different variants to meet specific airline customer needs and has demonstrated its flexibility and versatility as an airline product by serving a variety of markets ranging from short-haul domestic routes in Japan to some of the world’s most popular long-haul intercontinental routes.
Many aviation enthusiasts were sad to see the last 747 roll out of the Boeing assembly plant in November 2022. However, in its last guise as the 747-8, the 747 will be present in our skies for many more years to come.
If you enjoyed this article, you might also enjoy reading about how the Boeing 747 compares with Boeing 777, 787, Airbus A380, and Concorde. In case you want to know more technical details about each of the variants, make sure to check our Boeing 747 specs article.
