Aircraft

The first unofficial photographs of the specially-modified Boeing 747-400 Large Cargo Freighter (LCF) have emerged, showing its roll-out after undergoing structural work at Evergreen Aviation Technologies in Taiwan.

The 747 LCF is one of three destined to carry large structural parts for the 787 programme from suppliers in Japan, Italy and the USA to Boeing's 787 final assembly line in Everett, near Seattle. 

The aircraft incorporates an extended "bubble" fuselage, similar to that of the Airbus A300-600 Beluga, to enable it to accommodate outsize cargo. It was rolled out of an EVA Air hangar in Taipei earlier this week. Evergreen Aviation Technologies is a joint venture between EVA Air and General Electric.

The volume of the LCF's main deck is 1,845m³ (65,000ft³), three times the volume as the standard 747-400 freighter.

The official roll-out is planned for later this month.