Story of the Incredible and the "Queen of the Skies" farewell.

Boeing released a video today highlighting a brief history of the iconic 747 and the team of 50,000 "incredibles", that helped put the 747 on the world map and made it one of the most identifiable aircraft ever built.



With the drawing down and the inevitable closure of the 747 production line I've also thrown in a couple 747 tributes and farewells to the aircraft that they have grown with and come to love.

The Boeing 747 is Headed to Retirement





To me aircraft are more than just a hunk of metal hurtling through the sky propelled by the laws of physics. To me, each have their own life, personality, aura if you will. Anthropomorphism to it's finest degree. I've been fortunate enough to have flown on the 747 on more than one occasion and have been able to see them being built in the facility special constructed for them. When they are gone they will be missed and I think the skies will be a lesser place for it but time marches on and everything must come to an end.

PAL farewell tribute to it's last 747:

a reply to: Sammamishman

United announced they'll retire their last 747 by sometime in 2018.

As for Anthropomorphism , I've been around enough aircraft to recognize that they do have a personality. We had three EC-135s that rolled off the line back to back to back. One was the best flying aircraft we had for many years, one just did its job, and the third was a serious pain in the ass that seemed like it always had something wrong with it.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Seems strange it was only announced in January the contract for the 747-8 air force one model why did they go with the model near end of retirement ?

I saw Russia announced their ugly version of Air Force One last December too

a reply to: Zaphod58

I feel the same way. Most of the machines I work on are more human than most of the humans I know.

a reply to: Discotech

I think they wanted to stay with the 747 for a number of reasons, least of which is internal volume for the gear they have to carry, and got the order in before they went away for good. The 747 is an American icon and instantly identifiable as what it is and that fits like a glove for what the presidency want to convey.

a reply to: Discotech

Secret Service requirements played a big role. There will still be enough parts commonality and availability for them to get parts for years. They're still building the -8 for a few more years.

a reply to Discotech

I did 5 years of Presidential Security from 1999-2004. The U.S. Secret Service has very little input with anything dealing with the U.S. Air Force VC-25. We, i.e. U.S. Air Force Security Forces, protect this bird on the ground and in the air. Unless anyone has a Top Secret "Yankee White" clearance, they don't have a clue what's going on. Anyone with this clearance wouldn't go into details regardless. Quit throwing out random "facts"... stick to conspiracy banter that no one can call you on.

a reply to: IridescentPhoenix

Funny, all the times that I went on board the different aircraft it was Secret Service that escorted us and were most of the guys around the aircraft.

But what was being talked about was aircraft selection. So you were in those meetings over 10 years before you said you were involved to know what input the Secret Service had? They have very little in day to day operations but they have input on aircraft selection.