DUBAI -- It's Saturday morning here in Dubai and I'm just seeing the photos from Thursday night's 747-8F roll-out for the first time. The aircraft departed the 747 line (Building 40-22) and made the quick trip over the Boeing Freeway for Paint Hangar 45-02. 45-02 was part of the original layout for Boeing's Everett factory in the 1960s. RC501, the first 747-8F, should spend at least the next week or so in the paint hangar before moving to the fuel dock for first APU runs followed by a formal move to the flight line for gauntlet testing and pre-flight preparations.
More photos below the fold.
Photos Credit AirShowFan (1,3,6) Boeing (2,4,5) & Liz Matzelle (7)
More photos below the fold.
Photos Credit AirShowFan (1,3,6) Boeing (2,4,5) & Liz Matzelle (7)
on November 14, 2009 4:06 AM | Reply
Great pictures, it seems lady fortune is smiling again at Boeing
on November 14, 2009 9:03 AM | Reply
Such a beautiful aircraft! Can't wait to see her lifting off on her maiden voyage...
on November 14, 2009 10:52 AM | Reply
And now the 747F has crossed the bridge too!.... I only hope that this one won't have to re-cross it like it's smaller, plastic brother had to do.
Now I can't wait 2 c the 747I, especially when it gets it's Lufthansa colors! Meanwhile, this one (747F) should look pretty good on it's Cargolux colors.
All hail 747F!
ps: are those engines the sexiest looking things or what! can't wait 2 c it in person!
on November 14, 2009 1:40 PM | Reply
......*+*+*TRULY A WORK OF ART*+*+*
on November 15, 2009 12:46 AM | Reply
She's a beautiful aircraft and a credit to the processes that has made Boeing an industry standard for 93 years.
Congratulations to the Puget Sound IAM workers that put out another innovative product like they have been doing consistently since 1935.
Kudos to SPEEA employees for bringing the -8 concept from paper to airframe, structure, and powerplant.
I'm looking forward to the first flight and further confirmation that despite meddling from the old guard of McDonnell-Douglas, the original Boeing Company is still able to overcome those hurdles and endure.
Look at those engines!!!
on November 15, 2009 2:34 AM | Reply
¤Royalty Baby!¤
Beautiful, beautiful aircraft! Awesome engines - and nice rework of the engine pylons. Looking good. Star-struck by this one
on November 16, 2009 6:56 AM | Reply
Am I missing something here ? Aren't these pictures of a stretched 40 year old plane ? Hardly innovative. Yes, the engines and pylons look impressive, but it's still mutton dressed up as lamb.
on November 16, 2009 3:02 PM | Reply
I am an engineer at Vought in Dallas who worked on ships 1420 (RC501) and subsequent aircraft through 1431 on almost every piece of the empennage.
I can say that not only were the engines redesigned and fuselage stretched, but the wing was a new clean sheet design (along with a majority of the empennage).
Adding the new wing tip extensions, a totally redesigned upper and lower rudder tab (notice the lower rudder is 2 pieces) and the same avionics and systems as the 787 gets you far more than just a "mutton dressed up as lamb".
Boeing also worked with the FAA so that pilots could fly the -8 on the same type certificate as the -400 (with additional training of course).
The dirty little secret is that Boeing totally owns the Large Freighter market with the 747-8F and 777F. Once airlines see the savings of the 747-8F, they will join Lufthansa for the Intercontinental (see Korean Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and possibly Air China to start out).
on November 16, 2009 3:08 PM | Reply
I am an engineer at Vought in Dallas who worked on ships 1420 (RC501) and subsequent aircraft through 1431 on almost every piece of the empennage.
I can say that not only were the engines redesigned and fuselage stretched, but the wing was a new clean sheet design (along with a majority of the empennage).
Adding the new wing tip extensions, a totally redesigned upper and lower rudder tab (notice the lower rudder is 2 pieces) and the same avionics and systems as the 787 gets you far more than just a "mutton dressed up as lamb".
Boeing also worked with the FAA so that pilots could fly the -8 on the same type certificate as the -400 (with additional training of course).
The dirty little secret is that Boeing totally owns the Large Freighter market with the 747-8F and 777F. Once airlines see the savings of the 747-8F, they will join Lufthansa for the Intercontinental (see Korean Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and possibly Air China to start out).
on November 16, 2009 3:10 PM | Reply
I am an engineer at Vought in Dallas who worked on ships 1420 (RC501) and subsequent aircraft through 1431 on almost every piece of the empennage.
I can say that not only were the engines redesigned and fuselage stretched, but the wing was a new clean sheet design (along with a majority of the empennage).
Adding the new wing tip extensions, a totally redesigned upper and lower rudder tab (notice the lower rudder is 2 pieces) and the same avionics and systems as the 787 gets you far more than just a "mutton dressed up as lamb".
Boeing also worked with the FAA so that pilots could fly the -8 on the same type certificate as the -400 (with additional training of course).
The dirty little secret is that Boeing totally owns the Large Freighter market with the 747-8F and 777F. Once airlines see the savings of the 747-8F, they will join Lufthansa for the Intercontinental (see Korean Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and possibly Air China to start out).
on November 16, 2009 3:14 PM | Reply
I am an engineer at Vought in Dallas who worked on ships 1420 (RC501) and subsequent aircraft through 1431 on almost every piece of the empennage.
I can say that not only were the engines redesigned and fuselage stretched, but the wing was a new clean sheet design (along with a majority of the empennage).
Adding the new wing tip extensions, a totally redesigned upper and lower rudder tab (notice the lower rudder is 2 pieces) and the same avionics and systems as the 787 gets you far more than just a "mutton dressed up as lamb".
Boeing also worked with the FAA so that pilots could fly the -8 on the same type certificate as the -400 (with additional training of course).
The dirty little secret is that Boeing totally owns the Large Freighter market with the 747-8F and 777F. Once airlines see the savings of the 747-8F, they will join Lufthansa for the Intercontinental (see Korean Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and possibly Air China to start out).
on November 16, 2009 3:17 PM | Reply
I am an engineer at Vought in Dallas who worked on ship 1420 (RC501) and subsequent aircraft through 1431 on almost every piece of the empennage.
I can say that not only were the engines redesigned and fuselage stretched, but the wing was a new clean sheet design (along with a majority of the empennage).
Adding the new wing tip extensions, a totally redesigned upper and lower rudder tab (notice the lower rudder is 2 pieces) and the same avionics and systems as the 787 gets you far more than just a "mutton dressed up as lamb".
Boeing also worked with the FAA so that pilots could fly the -8 on the same type certificate as the -400 (with additional training of course).
The dirty little secret is that Boeing totally owns the Large Freighter market with the 747-8F and 777F. Once airlines see the savings of the 747-8F, they will join Lufthansa for the Intercontinental (see Korean Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and possibly Air China to start out).
on November 16, 2009 3:24 PM | Reply
I am an engineer at Vought in Dallas who worked on ships 1420 (RC501) and subsequent aircraft through 1431 on almost every piece of the empennage.
I can say that not only were the engines redesigned and fuselage stretched, but the wing was a new clean sheet design (along with a majority of the empennage).
Adding the new wing tip extensions, a totally redesigned upper and lower rudder tab (notice the lower rudder is 2 pieces) and the same avionics and systems as the 787 gets you far more than just a "mutton dressed up as lamb".
on November 16, 2009 3:26 PM | Reply
As someone who works with this closely, I can say that not only were the engines redesigned and fuselage stretched, but the wing was a new clean sheet design (along with a majority of the empennage).
Adding the new wing tip extensions, a totally redesigned upper and lower rudder tab (notice the lower rudder is 2 pieces) and the same avionics and systems as the 787 gets you far more than just a "mutton dressed up as lamb".
on November 16, 2009 4:33 PM | Reply
I'm with ACGuy on this one. The news release says that "approximately 70 percent of the airplane's total weight is made up of new materials and components". I'd say that's a substantial amount! Only 1/3 of the 747-400 survived untouched into the 747-8.
The 737 is even older, and no one disputes the remarkable efficiency and reliability of the 737NG. So, same thing here.
on November 16, 2009 4:37 PM | Reply
And Jon, where the heck did you find that picture taken from under the right wing? Like everyone else, I think it's beautiful, especially how it shows the new engines. And the sunset in the background... Very nice. I looked around for publicly-released Boeing photos and only found that one you show right after the photo credits. So, where did the under-wing one come from?
on November 17, 2009 10:47 PM | Reply
They just finished painting the thing. It's sitting outside. That was fast!
It looks great. Pictures soon :]
on November 18, 2009 9:46 PM | Reply
And your point is what exactly? I'll take that mutton over the supposedly high-end foie gras being touted by a mouthy British stooge. Forty years of production and service in aerospace is hardly something to look down upon. If it were, then all the Nimrods, Hercules, and of course, the B737NG have no business being in the skies. You could easily argue the A380 is more "innovative", but you'll likely be drinking very flat champagne by the time that program finally reaches break-even.
on November 19, 2009 4:56 PM | Reply
Darth, personal comments aside, the Nimrods clearly had no business being in the sky for ariel refueling.
on December 11, 2009 4:26 AM | Reply
My grandfather William Rolling designed the 747 wing