Boeing lined up one of each of their airliner models at Boeing Field. Photo by Boeing.
The other day I had an interesting conversation with @JetCityStar via Twitter about aircraft and museums. It turned into us asking each other if we could have one type of each aircraft Boeing made, which ones would we want. Yes, we are both airline nerds and proud of it.
Although the conversation is a bit on the nerdier side, I felt the conversation was worthy of a larger audience and was interested in what other people thought about which aircraft best represented a certain type. So I put the question to you. If you were a museum and could one of each Boeing airliner made, which would you choose?
Please put your answers in the comments. Here are mine:
Boeing 707: Test aircraft that Tex Johnson did a barrel roll in.
Boeing 717: Eh.
Boeing 727: Very first Boeing 727-100 made (which is being restored at Museum of Flight)
Boeing 737: Don’t ask me why, but I would really want a USAir 737-200.
Boeing 747: First Boeing 747 that was delivered to Pan Am. I just love the Pan Am livery on the 747, it just seems right at home.
Boeing 757: Probably one that was for the Vice President.
Boeing 767: The Spirit of Delta, which is housed in Atlanta.
Boeing 777: I am not even sure.
Boeing 787: ZA001 in her livery. Entering a new era or airliner.
WHICH ONES WOULD YOU CHOOSE?
707 – John Travolta’s private plane sounds like it would draw a crowd.
717 – Forget about it.
727 – Cannot think of one better than yours, David.
737 – Southwest Air first “Shamu”
747 – First 747 delivered to TWA. Always a fan of that old livery.
757 – Can they be pried away from FEDEX?…. if so, one of them.
767 – Hold a contest with patrons suggestions. Then buy it.
777 – 777-200 in Aeromexico livery… great for margarita night!
787 – Whichever one my son sat in…. ZA003 I think it was.
Nice dreams to have. Thanks David.
For a museum collection I would have the following:
Boeing 707: For obvious reasons
Boeing 737: For its legacy and for its future
Boeing 747: For its innovation, its legacy and its future
Boeing 777-200 Worldliner: For innovation and a glimpse into the future of air travel
Boeing 7X7: Maybe a 787 nose and fuselage section with all kinds of cool, futuristic designs and technology demos
Boeing B-17G – no explanation needed
Boeing 314 – (“Pan Am Clipper”) no surviving airframes, but what a centerpiece of a golden age
Boeing 707 – Original Boeing livery, ideally the Tex Johnson one
Boeing 737-200 and a 900ER just to show the evolution
Boeing 747SP – United’s Friendship One – old around the world speed record, classic livery
Boeing VC-25 – (747-200B)
Boeing 757 – the Boeing JSF testbed, first one made, again, unique utilization
Boeing 767 – Gimli Glider
Boeing 777 – showcase the GE90
Others:
KC/RC-135 – an aircraft with an ongoing pivotal military role
C-17 – not truly “Boeing” but an amazing aircraft
A full scale mock up of the 314 would be possible.
The 367-80 (the barrel roll airplane) is at the Smithsonian I believe, and it was the prototype for both the KC135 (717) and the 707. There was no prototype for the 707.
Boeing 707-120 series. (123 in American orange “Astrojet” markings)
Boeing 707-138 (John Travolta’s plane)to show the flexibility of the 707 design.
Boeing 707-020 (720) since it wasnt just a version of the 707, it was a completely new airplane.
Boeing 707-320 or Rolls powered 420
Boeing 727-025 in Eastern colors (first customer)
Boeing 727-200 in Northeast “Yellowbird” colors (also first customer) and pretty.
Boeing 737-200 in United (the 100 was made for Lufthansa)
Boeing 747-121 in Pan American
Boeing 747-200 in British Airways “Speedbird” colors
Boeing 747-SP in South African (to mark the nonstop Seattle/Jo-Berg flight)
Boeing 757-225 in Eastern (launch customer)
Boeing 767-200 in United (launch customer)
Boeing 777-200 in any color
Boeing 707: Test aircraft that Tex Johnson did a barrel roll in.
Boeing 717: No real preference
Boeing 727: 727 that DB Cooper jumped out of.
Boeing 737: The first 737-200 for Lufthansa.
Boeing 747: Hard to argue with Pan Am. I’d go for VC-25, or for when the President in on the aircraft, Air Force One.
Boeing 757: The Boeing C-32, or when the VP is on, Air Force Two.
Boeing 767: Agreed on Spirit of Delta.
Boeing 777: The original, now flying for Cathay Pacific.
Boeing 787: ZA001 in her livery.
Boeing 707: I’ll take a KC-135Q, the ones used to refuel the SR-71
Boeing 727: Any Mexicana with a colorful tail scheme
Boeing 737: -900 variant in House colors
Boeing 747: the same, the first Pan Am delivered
Boeing 757: American colors
Boeing 767: Continental -400ER
Boeing 777: -200LR probably in House colors too
Boeing 787: ZA001
707 – Pan Am, not Pan American, just Pan Am
717 – Doesn’t exist in my mind
727-200 – Northeast Yellowbird colors
737-200 – United Friendship
747-100 – Pan Am
757-200 – Northwest Orient
767-200 – American Airlines
777-200 – Continental
Boeing 707: give me another 737 instead
Boeing 717: no way
Boeing 727:eh ill take another 777 instead
Boeing 737: a -800ER and -900ER in Southwest Airlines colors
Boeing 747: a -8i in Iberia Livery
Boeing 757:-200 with Winglets and PW engines in Delta Airlines Livery
Boeing 767: Continental -400ER
Boeing 777: a -300ER in Qatar Airways Livery and a -200LR in British Airways Livery
Boeing 787: ZA005 in Turkish Airlines Livery
707: American Airlines Astrojet Livery
717: AirTran Airways N982AT. I had a storied personal history with this bird as a ramper for FL.
727: Champion Air’s Blue & White just looked spectacular.
737: Southwest Airlines’ N711HK. Original livery on a B73G.
747: QANTAS…or the aircraft sometimes better known as “Air Force One”.
757: I have many fond memories on United B752’s.
767: Any CO -400 will do. However, a -200 with winglets would be nice. I just love that aircraft.
777: Delta B772LR. My favorite flight, so far was in first class on this magnificent bird.
787: I believe the Virgin Atlantic would be visually stunning on this one.
777:
Boeing 707: Prototype
Boeing 717: Midwest Airlines (doesn’t matter which one)
Boeing 727: The D.B. Cooper plane
Boeing 737: Could I have a combined -300/-700 split down the middle to show how it has evolved
Boeing 747: Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (w/Shuttle), if not Air Force One
Boeing 757: A Delta Air Lines Aircraft (Just a good jet, no real good ones)
Boeing 767: The Spirit of Delta or the Gimli Glider
Boeing 777: N777UA, the first one in service
Boeing 787: ZA001 in Full Boeing Colors
I’ll have one of each plz.Especially the Alpha and Omega.Boeing 377 Stratocruiser and the Boeing 367-80 “Dash 80″(barrel roll AC)the KC-135 prototype AKA 707 prototype. Although diff fuselage width between Dash 80 and actual production 707. A little before my time…the Boeing 40A,80,247,720. I can skip the 1st 721,732 and 777 as I’ve already spent a lot of time on those. Probably be pass riding a lot on the 787 when we get it. Wouldn’t mind a smattering of Boeing fighters/bombers like the Peashooter B-17,B-29,B-47,B-52.A SST mockup for the past and X-37 and CST-100 spacecraft for the future.Boeing Baby!!!!
I vote for the 707 that was rolled – these are great airplanes.
My son flies on a 767 and wears a hat and shirt that say “If it’s not Boeing I’m not going!”
Great airplanes!
The Boeing Stearman & the Model 247.
Boeing 777: The first -300ER – as it was painted on November 13, 2002.
Boeing 747: The first -8 – see above.
Of the 7-series jets, I’d pick the following:
707/c-135 series: Dash 80 and N707JT
727: D.B. Cooper’s flight
737: One of the originals that were at the genesis of Southwest Airlines
747: First JAL 747, with restored lounge of course.
747SP: SOFIA
The rest are so widespread in service so it’s hard to really choose one that stands out to me.
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