Unbuilt, experimental and unusual Boeing 747s

Boeing 747 "Double Decker" early proposed design Model - mid-to-late 1960's located in the Boeing Archives Bellevue, Washington.

The Double Deck 747 was detested by "Father of 747" Joe Sutter. When he arrived to the program, the Double Decker with a six-abreast seating was considered a fait accompli. It was basically considered two 707s stacked on top of one another. He called these "turkeys", detesting them for their poor use as cargo aircraft, emergency evacuations, and even poor aesthetics. When the cross section was widened to around 20 feet (double of the 707), seating would go from 6 abreast to 10 abreast with twin aisles as well as twin cargo containers no more than 8 X 8 feet placed side by side. This new wide body configuration alleviated the need for a full double deck fuselage.

Source:
http://airchive.com/html/museums/boeing-archives-bellevue-washington-usa/boeing-747-double-decker-early-proposed-design-model-mid-to-late-1960s/19089

http://airchive.com/html/museums/boeing-archives-bellevue-washington-usa/boeing-747-double-decker-early-proposed-design-model-mid-to-late-1960s/19090

http://airchive.com/html/museums/boeing-archives-bellevue-washington-usa/boeing-747-double-decker-early-proposed-design-model-mid-to-late-1960s/19091
 

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Model of close to final Boeing 747 concept located in the Boeing Archives Bellevue, Washington.

This 747, sans the upper deck windows, seen in Boeing's in-house livery bares a similar look to what became the Boeing 747. The windows were reportedly added when Juan Trippe insisted on a lounge in the upper deck since there was additional space behind the flight deck. The flight deck was on top out of the way of the passenger deck to allow the nose to swing up for freighter configurations. At first the 747 as considered a stop gap measure until the 1970s anticipated entry into service of the SST's. Many believed that most 747s would be relegated to freighter service, replaced in passenger status by the SST thus the flight deck had to be clear of the main cargo deck

Source:
http://airchive.com/html/museums/boeing-archives-bellevue-washington-usa/boeing-747-close-to-final-designs-model-late-1960s/19092

http://airchive.com/html/museums/boeing-archives-bellevue-washington-usa/boeing-747-early-proposed-designs-models-mid-to-late-1960s/19086

http://airchive.com/html/museums/boeing-archives-bellevue-washington-usa/boeing-747-early-proposed-designs-models-mid-to-late-1960s/19093
 

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Model of Boeing 747-600X located at the Boeing Archives Bellevue, Washington.

Boeing announced the 747-500X and 600X at the 1996 Farnborough Airshow. The proposed models would have combined the 747's fuselage with a new 251 ft span wing derived from the 777. Other changes included adding more powerful engines and increasing the number of tires from two to four on the nose landing gear and from 16 to 20 on the main landing gear. The 747-500X concept featured an increased fuselage length of 18 ft to 250 ft long, and the aircraft was to carry 462 passengers over a range up to 8,700 nautical miles. The 747-600X concept featured a greater stretch to 279 ft with seating for 548 passengers and a range of up to 7,700 nmi. A third study concept, the 747-700X, would have combined the wing of the 747-600X with a widened fuselage, allowing it to carry 650 passengers over the same range as a 747-400.The cost of the changes from previous 747 models, in particular the new wing for the 747-500X and −600X, was estimated to be more than US$5 billion. During this time, Boeing also studied a full double decked version that looks very similar to an Airbus A380. Boeing was not able to attract enough interest to launch the aircraft and abandoned it shortly after the merger with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. This left the Airbus A3XX, which eventually became the A380, alone in the NLA (New Large Airliner) category until 2005 when the 747-8 was launched. The 747-8 is most similar in size to the Dash 500. Its fuselage was lengthened from 232 to 251. It has surpassed the Airbus A340-600 as the world's longest airliner. The 747-8 is equipped with General Electric GEnx-2B67 engines. The 747-8 Freighter version or 747-8F is derived from the 747-400ERF. The 747-8F can accommodate 154 tons of cargo. To aid loading and unloading, it features an overhead nose-door. It has 16 percent more payload capacity than the 747-400F and can hold seven additional standard air cargo containers. The 747-8 Freighter made its maiden flight on February 8, 2010. Deliveries of the 747-8F began in October, 2011 to Cargolux The passenger version, named 747-8 Intercontinental or 747-8I, will be able to carry up to 467 passengers in a 3-class configuration and fly more than 8,000 nmi at Mach 0.855. As a derivative of the already common 747-400, the 747-8 has the economic benefit of similar training and interchangeable parts, but it features a new cabin interior and avionics. The 747-8I is to begin deliveries in early 2012 to Lufthansa. The first test flight was on March 20, 2011 after a February, 2011 rollout. The 747-8 has received 126 total orders with 76 for the −8F, and 50 for the −8I as of June 2011. Some source material from: Wikipedia

Source
http://airchive.com/html/museums/boeing-archives-bellevue-washington-usa/boeing-747-600-model-mid-1990s/19096
 

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Model of Boeing 747 Advanced located at the Boeing Archives Bellevue, Washington.

As Airbus progressed with its A3XX study, Boeing in 2000 offered the market a 747 derivative as an alternative. This was a more modest proposal than the previous −500X and −600X that would retain the 747's overall wing design and add a segment at the root, increasing the span to 229 ft (69.8 m). Power would have been supplied by either the Engine Alliance GP7172 or the Rolls-Royce Trent 600, which were also proposed for the 767-400ERX. A new flight deck based on the 777's would be used. The 747X aircraft was to carry 430 passengers over ranges of up to 8,700 nmi. The 747X Stretch would be extended to 263 ft long, allowing it to carry 500 passengers over ranges of up to 7,800 nmi. Both would feature an interior based on the 777's signature architecture. The 747-400ER was derived from the 747-400X study. Like its predecessor, the 747X family was unable to garner enough interest to justify production, and it was shelved along with the 767-400ERX in March 2001, when Boeing announced the Sonic Cruiser concept. Though the 747X design was less costly than the 747-500X and −600X, it was criticized for not offering a sufficient advance from the existing 747-400. The 747X did not make it beyond the drawing board, but the 747-400X being developed concurrently moved into production to become the 747-400ER. Courtesy: Wikipedia

Source:
http://airchive.com/html/museums/boeing-archives-bellevue-washington-usa/boeing-747x-advanced-model-2000/19079

http://airchive.com/html/museums/boeing-archives-bellevue-washington-usa/boeing-747x-advanced-model-2000/19080
 

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Triton said:
Model of Boeing 747 "ant-eater" or "droop nose" located at the Boeing Archives Bellevue, Washington.
This unlikely Boeing 747 model nicknamed the "ant eater" actually led to the final configuration of the 747. At first the 747 as considered a stop gap measure until the 1970s anticipated entry into service of the SST's. Many believed that most 747s would be relegated to freighter service, replaced in passenger status by the SST thus the flight deck had to be clear of the main cargo deck. On this design, the flight deck below the passenger cabin was moved up and away above the passenger cabin.

Source:
http://airchive.com/html/museums/boeing-archives-bellevue-washington-usa/boeing-747-anteater-early-proposed-designs-model-mid-to-late-1960s/19087
This is why nothing should ever be considered a stopgap. That's just asking for it to end up as your flagship for vastly longer than anyone involved ever intended. ;D
 
dannydale said:
This is why nothing should ever be considered a stopgap. That's just asking for it to end up as your flagship for vastly longer than anyone involved ever intended. ;D

Did the world change while the American SST project was in development? Or was the commercial aviation industry so fixated on supersonic speed that they never stopped to consider if it was something that air passengers actually wanted or if society would pay the price due to increased noise and property damage caused by sonic booms? It seems to me that the aviation industry was totally blind-sided by the environmental objections to supersonic air travel.
 
Triton said:
Did the world change while the American SST project was in development? Or was the commercial aviation industry so fixated on supersonic speed that they never stopped to consider if it was something that air passengers actually wanted or if society would pay the price due to increased noise and property damage caused by sonic booms? It seems to me that the aviation industry was totally blind-sided by the environmental objections to supersonic air travel.

Very true. If the industry and the governments had paid attention to all those who complained about the sound of jets in the late 1940s, there would only be turbo-props the world over!! Remember also that after the SST program was canceled in America, the US made forcible efforts to keep the only operational supersonic airliner in existence off the limits of its territory. Today, things would be different, with the blooming Asian market, but at that time, if you didn't have America as a destination, your commercial prospects on SST were suddenly pretty limited...
 
The world did change. Aircraft noise emerged as a huge problem (the pre-jet volume of air traffic was so low that it was barely an issue in the 1950s except in NY or London). However, the bigger issue was a huge economic shift to mass-market air travel.

Meanwhile, Concorde was not economically viable, as great of a technological feat as it was. The development and production costs were written off and BA and AF paid only nominal prices for their aircraft (and spares, I believe). This made it possible for them to break even, but the only routes that had enough premium traffic to support the aircraft, and that were operationally suitable (overwater and within range) were London and Paris to NY and DC.
 
Triton said:
Model of Boeing 747-600X located at the Boeing Archives Bellevue, Washington.

Interestingly, that's an intermediate version of the -600X. The final version had a slightly wider wingspan (from 251 to 255 feet), and the L1/R2, L2/R2, and L3/R3 doors were all repositioned. I'm pretty sure it's the only 747 derivative that moved the L1 door.
 
Here's a clean Boeing 747 model (1/20 scale -- about 12-ft. long) with or without winglets. Made by Pacific Miniatures, it comes with its original carrying crate, visible in the background.

This is what collectors refer to as a "divorce model" because of what happens when you try to put it in the living room, where it belongs.
 

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Looks like an engine demonstrator for the new engine destined for the MRJ. Single sided canard configuration?
 

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Is that a 747SP? The fuselage looks a little short for a standard 747.
 
Boeing 747-XL

Recent aerospace industry interest in developing a subsonic commercial transport airplane with a 50% greater passenger capacity than the largest existing aircraft in this category (the Boeing 747-400 with approximately 400-450 seats) has generated a range of proposals based largely on the configuration paradigm established nearly 50 years ago with the Boeing B-47 bomber.

Source:
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19970003675_1996099552.pdf

Note: Updated as the link to the image on Photobucket is broken.
 

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ouroboros said:
Looks like an engine demonstrator for the new engine destined for the MRJ. Single sided canard configuration?

Why they choose so weird configuration? Isn't it easier and cheaper to choose a smaller four engined plane and replace one of its engines?
 
They chose that configuration so that they can test any kind of engine including turboprops. For larger engines they would still replace one of its engine.
This Aviation Week article has a lot of info about these two testbeds: http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/AW_05_07_2012_p42-452087.xml&p=1
It says that the 747SP is certified to 47000ft which makes it also suitable as business jet engine testbed, interesting I didn't know it could fly that high.
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1977-Boeing-747-Incl-Cruise-missile-Press-Photo-/190704274250?pt=Art_Photo_Images&hash=item2c66dc4b4a#ht_3292wt_1397


Cruise missiles in 747 This cutaway model shows how from 70 to 90 cruise missiles could be carried in a missiles-carrier version of the versatile Boeing 747 freighter. The model shows Boeing-designed Air Launched Cruise Missiles mounted eight each on rotary launchers in the cargo hold. Launching would be through a side door at the rear of the fuselage. Boeing has offered the Air Force the use of a company owned 747 for an airborne demonstration to establish the feasibility of using an available commercial wide-body aircraft as a cruise missile platform.
 

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Artist's impression of Boeing 747 variant with high bypass engines. 747-500?

Source:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2012-Boeing-747-Press-Photo-/190704742643?pt=Art_Photo_Images&hash=item2c66e370f3
 

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Boeing MC747 concept photo circa 1974 found on ebay.

Source:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1974-Boeing-747-Incl-launching-a-ballistic-missile-Press-Photo-/200794115136?pt=Art_Photo_Images&hash=item2ec0430c40
 

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Need help locating a picture I saw on this forum of a 747 adapted for air launch of missiles. It had a fuselage mounted rocket engine (to assist in imparting some extra velocity in a climb launch, i presume). Anyone know what I'm talking about? i am using the search engine but there are a lot of 747 pages!!! If I find it I will put a link here.
 
This one?
index.php


Or this one?
index.php

More to be found here, here and here

Two different designs, I'm not sure about v-tailed 747 carrier having a rocket engine. <edit> It didn't </edit>
 
Yes, the black and white one! thanks Arjen.
The reason i'm interested in it is because the solution might resurface soon enough. Can't say more about it, unfortunately.
 
AeroFranz said:
I thought Iranian KC-135s had the wingtip boom...anyone got good pictures?

Areno,

Iran never had KC-135s.. if you are referring to the KC-707 with wingtips here is the photo
 

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AeroFranz said:
Yes, the black and white one! thanks Arjen.
The reason i'm interested in it is because the solution might resurface soon enough. Can't say more about it, unfortunately.

It already has, multiple times. There was a report produced earlier this year, joint NASA-DARPA (and I think USAF) study that looked into air-launching rockets off the top of a 747. You can find that in the space section. I think the proposal was to use one of the leftover Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.

I did a bunch of articles on the vehicle in the image above that you're interested in:

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1608/1

There's even an AIAA paper on the Rockwell proposal. They initially considered a Space Shuttle Main Engine in the tail of the 747, then switched (if I remember correctly) to multiple RL-10s, which gave them more ability to throttle. It's all in those articles.
 
Ardavan.K said:
AeroFranz said:
I thought Iranian KC-135s had the wingtip boom...anyone got good pictures?

Areno,

Iran never had KC-135s.. if you are referring to the KC-707 with wingtips here is the photo

But that appears to be offset booms for otherwise conventional probe&drogue lines, rather than an example of a true wingtip mounted solid flying refueling boom.
 
Hi,


http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19740024319_1974024319.pdf
 

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Hi,


http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1992/1992%20-%200875.html
 

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I didn't see mention of the Boeing Microfighter concept in this thread:
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,8711.0.html

See posts #13 and #28 ;)
 
Model of Air Koryo Boeing 747-400.

1/100th Pacmin 747-400 Air Koryo c. 1997

A proposal model of the 747-400 to Air Koryo, the flag carrier of North Korea. Probably one of a kind, or there might be one sitting on Kim Jong-Il’s desk in Pyonyang. It is more interesting how Boeing even ordered this model given the UN embargo on North Korea


Source:
http://www.doraplane.com/index_files/Page1209.htm
 

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And how exactly did Boeing expect North Korea to fund this? Or was this part of yet another harebrained scheme from Foggy Bottom, aka the US State Department?
 
Interesting, I have heard that there also exists a model (or models) of a Boeing 747 in the QANTAS 'V-Jet' (707) colour scheme that dates from around the time that QANTAS was looking into purchasing 747s.
 
From "Boeing 747" by Jens Flottau and Dietmar Plath, an early design for the B 747, already with the
characteristical hump, but with two full decks, besides the partial deck behind the cockpit.
 

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Jemiba said:
From "Boeing 747" by Jens Flottau and Dietmar Plath, an early design for the B 747, already with the
characteristical hump, but with two full decks, besides the partial deck behind the cockpit.


That's new one for me,thank you Jens.
 
Jemiba said:
From "Boeing 747" by Jens Flottau and Dietmar Plath, an early design for the B 747, already with the
characteristical hump, but with two full decks, besides the partial deck behind the cockpit.

The high wing and overall shape of the fuselage are identical to the Boeing Model 750 (C-5A), including the main gear fairings. Not much room left for passenger luggage in this design, however.
 
circle-5 said:
Jemiba said:
From "Boeing 747" by Jens Flottau and Dietmar Plath, an early design for the B 747, already with the
characteristical hump, but with two full decks, besides the partial deck behind the cockpit.

The high wing and overall shape of the fuselage are identical to the Boeing Model 750 (C-5A), including the main gear fairings. Not much room left for passenger luggage in this design, however.

All carry-on luggage only? Sounds like Ryan Air would love that...
 
Model of Boeing 747-300 tri-jet concept.

Source:
http://airchive.com/html/museums/boeing-archives-bellevue-washington-usa/boeing-747-300-tri-jet-proposed-design-model-1970s/19094
 

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And what about this fighter model next to the 747-300, looks like a F-86 but is an F-86 or not?
 

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