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Boeing 7-Series

Boeing 707

707 Seven Series

The Boeing 707, a four-engine jet, was the United States' first commercial jet airliner. The 707-120, designed for transcontinental routes, was the first series of airplanes, followed by several variants developed for special use. Boeing then developed the 707-320 Intercontinental series, a stretched version of the original 707 model with increased range--making it a true intercontinental jet.

Boeing introduced jet transport to the United States on July 15, 1954, when the Boeing 707 prototype, called the Dash 80, made its maiden flight from Renton Field, south of Seattle.

Boeing approved production of the Dash 80 on Aug. 30, 1952, as a $16 million investment and rolled out the airplane on May 14, 1954. After its maiden flight, the airplane served as a flying test laboratory.

The Dash 80 set new speed records each time it flew and established structural and aerodynamic features for future jetliners. The 707 prototype also flew special landing-approach studies at Moffett Field, Calif., for NASA.

Although never entering commercial service, the Dash 80 launched the 707 series of jetliners and changed the face of international travel.

707 family

After World War II, Boeing primarily was a military airplane company. The company began to expand back into commercial airplanes and pursue new fields of missiles and spacecraft. The engineering department divided model numbers into blocks of 100 for each of the new product areas: 300s and 400s continued to represent aircraft; 500s would be used on turbine engines; 600s for rockets and missiles; and 700s for jet transport aircraft.

For the first airplane, the marketing department decided that "Model 700" wasn't catchy enough, so they picked Model 707 to start.

On Oct. 28, 1957, Boeing rolled out the first production 707-120 in Renton, Wash.

In 1955, Pan American World Airways was the first airline to order the Boeing 707. On Aug. 15, 1958, Pan Am took delivery of the United States' first commercial jet airliner, a Boeing 707-120.

History was made on Oct. 26, 1958, when Pan Am flew its first transatlantic jet flight from New York to Paris.

On Jan. 25, 1959, American Airlines started Boeing 707 service from New York to Los Angeles for the first transcontinental jetliner route.

Production of the 707 ended in May 1991. Boeing produced 1,010 707s.

Air Force One

On May 15, 1958, the U.S. Air Force ordered three 707-120s for use by the president and other high-ranking officials. Designated VC-137A, the call sign "Air Force One" would be used when the president is aboard. Boeing delivered the first VC-137 to the Air Force on May 5, 1959. On Aug. 26, 1959, the presidential VC-137A made its debut with President Dwight D. Eisenhower aboard.

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy ordered a Boeing jet, a VC-137C, a version of the 707-320 airplane. It was delivered in October 1962. Although the "Air Force One" call sign was first used in the 1950s, President Kennedy's plane was the first aircraft to be specifically configured as Air Force One.

For more information on the Boeing 707 family, visit: www.boeing.com/commercial/707family/index.html