The first Boeing 727 rolled out today, in 1962
Posted by Twitter_2006@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 92 comments
Posted by Twitter_2006@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 92 comments
Sacto1654@reddit
And it way out-sold the Hawker Siddeley Trident because it could seat more people per plane than the Trident even on the 727-100 model.
nasadowsk@reddit
The stupidity of the Trident was that it ended up being optimized for a BEA specification, rather than the original spec, which was close to the 727 design. As a result, it was so underpowered that the final versions actually had a small fourth engine in the tail.
The post-war British civil airliner story is full of this. The VC-10 was another plane that was good on paper, if you were BOAC. Nobody else needed something to fill such specific roles, which became obsolete soon after it started flying anyway.
The BAC 1-11 seems to be the only one that managed to escape that curse.
zasedok@reddit
That was the curse of the British postwar aviation industry. Their aircraft were invariably designed for the needs of a single state owned airline (whose opinion on what they actually needed changed every day). That led to aircraft that were beautiful and extremely innovative, but virtually unsellable on the open market.
Sacto1654@reddit
This was the same problem that plagued the BAC TSR-2 project. I think had the British government allowed other European countries to buy the TSR-2, it's likely the project would have kept going, mostly because the Luftwaffe would have bought 75-80 planes and the Aeronautica Militare would have bought another 75-80 planes, which would have resulted in a production run of at least 310 planes.
zasedok@reddit
The problem was not specific to the British though. At least as far as commercial airliners go, it was basically the same story in France. Although they had one (moderate) success with the Caravelle. Interestingly, the Caravelle's nose section was licensed from the Comet.
wstsidhome@reddit
I had never heard about this fourth engine in the tail before…would love to learn more about this so I’ll see what I can dig up. Thanks for bringing this detail up! 👌🤜🤛
Sacto1654@reddit
The Trident 3 models had a smaller Rolls-Royce RB. 162 engine in the tail, designed not only as an auxiliary power unit but also provided extras thrust on takeoff.
Sacto1654@reddit
Correct. Had the D.H. 121 design been built around the more power Rolls-Royce Medway engine, it's likely the plane would have sold in surprisingly large numbers. Such a larger Trident would have certainly attracted the likes of Alitalia, Air France, Iberia and Lufthansa (all of which ended up buying the 727).
Dangerous-Salad-bowl@reddit
I’d say the HS146 gave it a good shot but American engines.
Boeing367-80@reddit
It was more capable generally - longer range, etc.
There's an interesting little book on the 727, Bilion Dollar Battle by Mansfield. Very much a product of its time (the book).
One of the key issues for Boeing in that era was that American wages were very high relative to the rest of the world. Boeing was also struggling with the 707 and 720 at the time because it was far from immediately profitable.
So the 727 had to be a superior aircraft than whatever the alternatives might be in order to prosper because it was going to have to cost more. Luckily, it was a superior aircraft. The wing and the engines were key: the flap system and then Pratt bringing the JT8D to the party.
dpdxguy@reddit
At one point, the 727 was the best selling airliner in the world. It eventually lost that distinction to 737
SirHustlerEsq@reddit
It must have been a wild time that someone picked those colors for the roll-out of a plane.
tenthousandlakes@reddit
You can see this plane at the Museum of Flight in Seattle
FAJStracker@reddit
Last tri-jet from the Boeing family.
I don't count the step children, M/D-10/1.
FrankReynoldsCPA@reddit
Ironically the 727 will likely be the last trijet flying.
Just_a_Berliner@reddit
That will be the TU-154 thanks to russian air force and the last frame completed in 2013.
ItsKlobberinTime@reddit
The Dassault Falcon 900 is still in production.
Bon-Bon-Boo@reddit
And 8X
Acc3ssViolation@reddit
That new Chinese triple engined triangle thing as well, if it ever ends up in serial production
CyberSoldat21@reddit
They’re already onto the 2nd prototype so it’s likely to go into service.
Rezolution134@reddit
Got to be an FE on these for a bit right near the end of their life. Very cool plane.
virilixe@reddit
seeing one of these in person must've been incredible back in the day with that crowd.
Corduroy_Sazerac@reddit
That was 59 years after the Wright brothers roll-out and flight.
We are now 63 years from the 727 roll-out.
Mihnea2002@reddit
It's crazy to think that so many people think the world is getting worse when we've made so much progress in the last 100 years it is incomprehensible. Pessimistic bias in all its glory.
1Rab@reddit
The jump in the first half of the 1900s mechanically was intense and clearly visible. The jump in the second half digitally was intense but less physically impressive.
_HanTyumi@reddit
That’s an insane thing to think about
Enough_Law6797@reddit
I loved flying that plane, as a passenger.
jdbcn@reddit
I loved the stairs on the tail
Praise-Breesus@reddit
Look at those cute little engines. Amazing how far jet engines have come since then.
Familiar_Fee_7891@reddit
The Boeing 727 was built because of one particular runway at LaGuardia Airport in NYC.
airfryerfuntime@reddit
Oh, so it was originally piss yellow. I just assumed those old wood models had yellowed over time.
dohwhere@reddit
That was the Boeing house livery of the time. The 707 and 737 also rolled out/flight tested in yellow and brown.
jjkbill@reddit
The Australian ATPL exams are still based on the 727, I get nightmares looking at them
FluffusMaximus@reddit
One of the most beautiful planes ever built.
Coreysurfer@reddit
TWAs getting one..only logo i can read )
PFeezzy@reddit
First plane I ever flew on when I was a 10 year old kid.
Aerogaia@reddit
I have had the opportunity to fly that model in various simulators since I was little and liked aviation. Very maneuverable. And I remember that I didn't need big runways to land. In the simulator I used to use cargo versions, with FedEx livery. There are just over 20 assets left around the world. Ah… what times
Master-Start6687@reddit
Worked with some not 5 years ago on ground side. Kahlita still had a couple. Terrible to load but cool to see.
Trilock@reddit
I loaded one and all I can remember are the cans getting stuck. The ones with the tracks around the bottom edge of the uld would get stuck
gravyisjazzy@reddit
We still get leased 727s in at UPS and from what I hear theyre pretty bad to load still.
Trilock@reddit
Cool y’all still get them, I used to work at world port on the 9 & 11 ramps! Must still be the same issue.
gravyisjazzy@reddit
Oh cool man! I'm in WFF, the building just to the south of 9/11. I'm working on bidding to ramp in December.
NeonAndCigarettes@reddit
Where is it now?!
Razor_farts@reddit
Why does it look yellow like it’s actually aged?
dpdxguy@reddit
That was Boeing's livery back in the early 60s. See also the Dash-80 (707 prototype) and the prototype 737.
Dash-80
thrownjunk@reddit
Btw it is in the air and space museum by dulles airport.
dpdxguy@reddit
Yeah. I always thought it was weird that it didn't end up in the Seattle Museum of Flight at Boeing Field (where it was built).
TyVIl@reddit
It was not built at Boeing Field.
dpdxguy@reddit
TIL. I didn't think the Renton factory was that old. 😔
Hariwulf@reddit
That was Boeing's primer color at the time
InsaneInTheDrain@reddit
Everyone in the factory was smoking the whole time
Several-Eagle4141@reddit
Fantastic, true answer
BrewCityChaserV2@reddit
Because that was the color of the paint on the fuselage.
TheModernCurmudgeon@reddit
This is before factories were non-smoking
/s
HurasmusBDraggin@reddit
Damn, shit was dingy white straight off the factory floor 😂
BruinBound22@reddit
Shit I went back in time to 1962?
Raaazzle@reddit
I would have expected more hats.
I_have_questions_ppl@reddit
Needs retobrightening.
Western-Knightrider@reddit
What a great plane that was! Worked on the -200 (with -15 & -17 engines) and flew in them for over 20 years. Great memories! Company replaced them with B757/67 but those did not have the same charm.
Maldivesblue@reddit
One note, this jet SN001 is now on display at the museum of flight.
smaad@reddit
Every time I see a 727, I think about Pablo Escobar and it's fleet of 3 Boeing 727 that was taking departure from Colombia full of cocain then coming back full of cash.
dazw1988@reddit
The tridents younger sibling
buttercup612@reddit
I know it's not the same plane, but re-using the nose from the 727 until today with the Max just makes it look like one continuous model with minor updates.
Vau8@reddit
Same livery as pap-paps scalemodels he stored in his smoking-chamber.
SweBoxGuy@reddit
Was it made of white lego?
Swagger897@reddit
Curious to know what that USAF jet is on the other line. The top of the vert stab look rounded off in an odd shape I’ve never seen before.
Several-Eagle4141@reddit
The HS Trident could’ve been this if it had real engines and NASA / JPL level technology built in. The 727 simply destroyed the very end of European air manufacturing before the advent of Airbus.
m149@reddit
Looks like it came standard with nicotine stains on the outside
Texas_Kimchi@reddit
IMHO the greatest plane every built.
Python_07@reddit
Definitely my favorite 3-Holer off all time.
Jee-ne-14@reddit
This gotta be ai right now way there are so many people just standing on the tarmac
ofWildPlaces@reddit
Dude, this a famous historical photograph
TheRunnyDentist@reddit
No part of an airport is called a tarmac.
hunterwillian@reddit
Ai is doing more damage by making people doubt real things then it is creating fake things.
eire-stiop@reddit
It’s not. Rollouts generally have a lot of staff around the aircraft once it is stationary.
beaverlakenc@reddit
Colors seem mid century mod
spavolka@reddit
Weird. s/
SillySinStorm@reddit
Still being used on Ryanair to this day....
Deufuss@reddit
Is that Renton?
a_scientific_force@reddit
63 years ago...crazy.
Tuklimo@reddit
So not today
Repa24@reddit
Everywhere you look, grey coats
sidechaincompression@reddit
Just woke up and first glance at that image scared the … out of me for a second
AV8ORA330@reddit
The class is 3 holer…
HairyDog55@reddit
The 727 was my first of many jet flights! Proud it was that!
TRIChuckl@reddit
100?
TRIChuckl@reddit
Nice. The ones I worked held 117. Overhead racks no bins. I thought it was huge!
grapo2001@reddit
It came with pre faded white paint
Consistent_Day_8411@reddit
So sexy
Ignorance_Is_Boring@reddit
First airplane I flew on. LGA-TPA 1997
gxiaoyan@reddit
Wait, today is November 27 1962???
NeglectedDuty@reddit
Looks like it's already outdated in this pic lol - like it plasticized in the sun for a few years