The first 747 rolls out of the Everett factory on Sept. 30, 1968.

747-Fuselage-Mock-up

The mid-1960s saw the development and introduction of many new jetliners. None, however, has matched the dramatic impact of the 747. Increasingly crowded skies and the availability of large-thrust engines added to the incentive for creating the giant 747. It all began with the 747-100, the first in the 747 Classics series, which also includes the -200 and -300 models.

An aerial view of Boeing's Everett, WA factory where the 747 was manufactured. Construction on this facility began in 1966. It remains the world's largest building by volume.

The first 747 takes off on its first flight Feb. 9, 1969.

Attendees line up to see inside the 747 during its public debut at the Paris Air Show in 1969.

On Jan. 22, 1970, the first 747 entered service on Pan Am Airlines’ New York–London route.

A Boeing 747-100SP is in front and a Boeing 747-100 is in back. Boeing's 747-100SP (special performance), had a shortened fuselage and was designed to fly higher, faster and farther nonstop than any 747 model of its time.

The 500th Boeing 747 rolled out of the factory in 1980. It was delivered to Scandinavian Airlines.

A new Air Force One, a modified Boeing 747-200B, was delivered to the Air Force and President George H.W. Bush on August, 23, 1990.

A Boeing 747-400 Freighter takes off in this photo. The first 747-400 Freighter rolled out of the factory on March, 8, 1993.

1,000th Boeing 747, delivered to Singapore Airline in 1993.

A 747 being built inside Boeing’s Everett factory.

In 1999, the United States Postal Service unveiled the 747 Jumbo Jet stamp as part of its "Celebrate The Century." Over two years, millions of Americans voted, singling out the 747 as one of the most significant technological achievements of the 20th century.

The Boeing Dreamlifter takes off for its first flight, on September 9, 2006.

The first Boeing 747-8 Freighter took to the skies on February 8, 2010. The airplane followed a route over Western Washington, where it underwent tests for basic handling qualities and engine performance. The airplane reached a cruising altitude of 17,000 feet (5,181 m) and a speed of up to 230 knots, or about 264 miles (426 km) per hour.

A 747 being built inside Boeing’s Everett factory.

The 747-8i was unveiled Feb. 13, 2011 at the “Incredible, Again” ceremony. It was painted in a new sunrise livery of red-orange that only appeared on the first 747-8 Intercontinental. A significant departure from Boeing’s standard blue, this color palette honors Boeing customers whose cultures recognize these colors as symbols of prosperity and good.

On June 20, 2011, a Boeing 747-8 Freighter lands at Paris-Le Bourget airport after completing the first translatlantic flight of a large commercial airplane powered on all engines by a sustainable aviation jet fuel – a blend of 15 percent carmelina-based biofuel mixed with 85 percent traditional kerosene Jet A fuel.

The 747-8 Intercontinental began its flight test program March 20, 2011, taking off from Paine Field in Everett, WA. It landed four hours and 25 minutes later at Boeing Field in Renton.

A 747 being built inside Boeing’s Everett factory.

On May 1, 2012, the first 747-8i departed Paine Field in Everett, WA bound for Frankfurt, Germany after being delivered to Lufthansa.

The 787 Dreamliner (ZA001) and 747-8 Intercontinental (RC001) test airplanes fly side-by-side over Washington state. By working together with customers and applying the innovative new technologies of the 787 Dreamliner, Boeing was able to create the 747-8 family. In fact, the designation 747-8 was chosen to show the technology connection between the 787 and the new 747.

On January 29, 2014, Boeing revealed a 747-8 Freighter painted in the livery of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks to commemorate the team’s upcoming Super Bowl appearance.

On December 6, 2022, the final 'Queen of the Skies' ever to be built rolled out of Boeing's Everett factory, ending its historic 54-year production run.