Boeing 737

Boeing: Historic snapshot: and 737 Commercial transport

This first 737 was the last new aircraft to be produced at Factory 2 on Boeing Field in Seattle, with a manufacturing run that featured the iconic B-17 Flying Fortress, B-52 Stratofortress and the world's first large swing-wing XB-47 Stratojet. Whereas the old erection structure in Plant 2 looked like a cave, it was still not high enough for the rear of the 737, which was fixed to the car park with a boom.

It was then taken to a factory near by called Thompson Site, where Boeing had built the first 737-line. The first 737 in the wide range of the word was presented at a ceremonial inside the Thompson site on January 17, 1967. During the celebrations, the 17 airline companies that had ordered the new aircraft were christened by cabin crews.

In order to reduce manufacturing times and bring the aircraft to commercial as quickly as possible, Boeing gave the 737 the same hull as the 707 and 727 so that the same freighters could be used on the top decks for all three aircraft. Later the 737 took over the cabriolet characteristics of the 727, which made it possible to change the cabin from 737-200 passengers to freight.

These new technologies made the aircraft engineer's location superfluous; the two-person 737 aircraft's flying decks became the airlines' standards. Lufthansa received the first 737-100 serial aircraft at a Boeing field celebration on 28 December 1967. Next morning, United Airlines, the first inland carrier to order the 737, received the first 737-200.

Last 737-200 was shipped on August 8, 1988. Until 1987, the 737 was the most ordered aircraft in trade histories. By January 1991, 2,887 737 had been ordered and the 737-300, -400 and -500 series were in use. The first three next-generation Boeing aircraft have been certificated and shipped in less than a year.

Founded in 1996 as a Boeing and General Electric Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) JV, developed for enterprise and personal aviation use, the Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) is a powerful evolution of the 737-700. BBJ 2, which was heralded in October 1999, is 737-800 powered and has 25 per cent more cab room and twice the load capacity of the BBJ.

Navy C-40A Clipper is certificated to run in an all-passenger constellation, an all-cargo version or as a "station wagon" capable of carrying both freight and occupants on the primary platform. Boeing's newest aircraft is the 737 MAX, a range of aircraft built for the 737. 737 MAX 7, 737 MAX 8 and 737 MAX 9 The range has also introduced the 737 MAX 200, a new version of the 737 MAX 8. The 737 MAX's more effective structure, reduced motor shear and reduced service requirements are intended to provide significant customer benefits.

Until 2014, Boeing built 42. 700-series in its Renton, Wash. 1974 the aircraft turned its Boeing corporate colour into darkgreen and creme for the NASA sports colours whites and blues. Over the next two centuries, the aircraft was stationed at the NASA Langley Research Center in Virginia and had an excellent flight record.

Today, the aircraft is in the Museum of Flight in Seattle, encircled by its larger early 7-series families, and parks just a few hundred yards from where it first took to the skies 40 years ago.