Boeing 707

707 (Peter Frei) click for larger picture

Although Boeing were not the first to build a commercial jet it proved to be an advantage - they learned from the fatal mistakes of others.
A direct descendant from America's first ever jet transport (Model 367-80 nicknamed 'Dash 80'), the Model 707-100 made its maiden flight on 20th December 1957 and was the first US Jet transport to enter service. In its day it was to become the worlds most successful jetliner fighting off competition from Douglas (DC-8) and Consolidated Vultee (Convairliners family), overtaking DeHaviland’s Comet and established Boeing as a major player in the new age of transport.

Boeing ultimately gambled the entire company’s net worth on the development of a commercial jet airliner. The first estimate’s suggested a jet airliner's development would cost approximately $16 million, a figure which at the time represented twenty percent of the company's entire value. But by the time development of the 707 actually concluded, costs had surpassed $185 million.
Boeing’s original plans were to spread the risk by designing the plane to cater for both the military tanker role and civil transport market but in the end it fell short of both targets; each type of customer wanting a larger and larger again plane respectively. Boeing responded to the challenge and made both variants but with maximum commonality between them - a philosophy that was maintained throughout the development of the 727, 737 and 757, with each successive generation sharing parts and even sections of fuselage.

United States of America

Model 367-80 - 15 July 1954

Boeing 707 - 20 December 1957

Boeing 720 - 23 November 1959

Boeing 707 - 26th October 1958 Pan Am

Boeing 720 - 5th July 1960 United

Aircraft Model

Total Built

B367-80

1

B707-100

138

B707-200

5

B707-300

578

B707-400

37

VC-137B(-100)

3

VC-137C(-300)

2

E-3A/C(-300)

68

E-6A(-300)

17

KE-3A(-300)

8

B720

154

KC/C-135

820

720B: Four 17,000 lb st (7,718 kgp) Pratt & Whitney JT3D-1 or 18,000 lb st (8,165 kgp) Pratt & Whitney JT3D-3 turbofans

707-320C: Four 18,000 lb st (8,165 kgp) Pratt & Whitney JT3D-3 or 19,000 lb st (8,618 kgp) Pratt & Whitney JT3D-7 turbofans

720B: Maximum cruising speed at 25,000ft (7620m) 608 mph (978 kph); best economy cruise 533 mph (858 km/h); range with max payload (no reserve fuel) 4,155 miles (6,690 km); maximum range (with no reserves) 5,720 miles (9,205 km)

707-320C: Maximum cruising speed at 25,000ft (7620m) 605 mph (973 kph); best economy cruise 550 mph (886 km/h); range with max passenger payload (no reserve fuel) 4,300 miles (6,690 km); range with max fuel and 147 passengers (with no reserves) 5,755 miles (9,265 km)

720B: Operating empty 52,163kg (115,000lb), max takeoff 106,140kg (234,000lb); max landing 79,380kg (175,000 lb)

720B: span 39.87m (130ft 10in); length 41.68m (136ft 9in); height 12.67m (41ft 7in); wing area 234.2m² (2,5210 sq ft)

B707-320C: span 44.42m (145ft 9in); length 46.61m (152ft 11in); height 12.93m (45ft 5in); wing area 283.4m² (3,050 sq ft)

720B: 3 or 4 flightdeck; max seating 167 six-abreast with central aisle

B707-320C: 3 or 4 flightdeck; typically seating 150 six-abreast with central aisle (max 219)

http://www.airliners.net

http://www.707sim.com/

http://www.boeing.com/

707-100 Pan Am was the launch customer ordering 15 and history was made when the first commercial trans-atlantic service started on 26th October 1958 between New York and Paris. The -100 series seated 187 at maximum capacity but a 137 seat configuration was more usual.The -100B used the more efficient JT3D turbofan as opposed to the earlier use of the JT3C turbojet both by Pratt & Whitney. This increased the range to 6000nm and reduced both fuel consumption and noise.

The -138B was made exclusively for Quantas who needed a long-range aircraft. 12 of this variant was built by removing a 10ft section of fuselage aft of the wings to reduce the weight. The fuel capacity was also increased.

The -200 series was made for Braniff who required a 'hot and high' variant to use in Latin America. Very similar to the -100 with only five examples made, the main change was the JT4A turbojets.

The next development was the stretched 707 naturally enough called the -300. This also featured JT4A's and first flew in January 1959. This was soon to be supplanted by the -300B which used JT3D turbofans with redesigned wings (curved tips plus increased span and area), flaps and bigger fuel tanks which allowed the 707 to carry 141 passengers over a range in excess of 4000 miles making it truly intercontinental.

Boeing tried a version of the 300 fitted out with Rolls-Royce Conway 508's and this became known as the -400 series.

Boeing 707-320C was a cargo/passenger (Combi) variant with a large cargo door fitted to the forward port fuselage. 337 of these were made up until 1979 when the last civil 707 was delivered to TAROM.

When Boeing closed the production lines at the end of May 1991 they had made 1,010 707's of all type's plus over 800 military variations.

Boeing also developed the model 720, another 707 variant, a shorter bodied aircraft seating 130 passengers for short- to medium-range flights.

Military uses included the KC/C-135 refueling tanker (formerly the model 717), the E-3 AWACS Sentry, and E6 for the US Navy.

The original 'Airforce One' was the VC-137. Five model 707's were given this designation and used by high government officials before being replaced by two 747's more than 30 years later.

There are currently about 200 707's still in use today mostly as freighters. Comtran produce hushkits to Stage2/Chapter2 noise regulations and stage3 hushkits are manufactured by QTV and Burbank Aeronautical who also offer winglets. There are also several companies offering re-engining programme's to meet the more restrictive noise regulations.

Boeing 707-200 Cyprus Airways - click to enlarge

UKWC 707 “Colosuss”

UKDirect operate a single Boeing 707, which we named Colosuss.

Colosuss' life began in 1967 and first flew 29th May that year. Then she left the Boeing factory and was delivered to Trans World Airlines (TWA) serving them for 11 years before leasing to Aer Lingus via Guiness Peat Aviation. It was repeatedly leased and sub-leased over many years to numerous companies, carrying millions of passengers and tons of cargo. After 2 years of storage in Miami it was eventually consigned to be 'parted out'. Saved from the breakers yard and purchased by Cyprus Airways Colosuss flew for another 3 years ferrying passengers and cargo between Europe and Africa before arriving at UKWorld Cargo for a sum of around $1.1m. After fitting with Comtran stage two hush-kits and semi-permanant fitting for cargo Colosuss is based at Manston, UK and flies regular scheduled cargo runs into Israel, Cyprus, Turkey and Egypt with a weekly jaunt across Northern Europe. Although it is a Combi and could therefore carry passengers it would be prohibitively expensive to fit out and Colosuss will probably never carry passengers again.