Boeing 747-100
The original Jumbo Jet — the one that started it all · First flight 1969 · In service 1970
The 747-100 is where the Jumbo story begins. The prototype, N7470 "City of Everett", flew for the first time on 9 February 1969, and Pan Am opened service on 22 January 1970 on its New York–London route — flown by Clipper Victor (N736PA) after the scheduled aircraft's engine overheated and delayed the departure by more than six hours.
Early -100s had just three windows per side on the upper deck, because the hump was meant as a lounge; when airlines started selling seats up there, Boeing switched to ten windows. The -100 flew only with Pratt & Whitney JT9D engines, and its range was marginal for the longest routes — which is why the heavier -200 followed almost at once.
168 standard -100s were built, including the prototype, alongside 29 short-range 747SRs for Japanese domestic routes and nine 747-100Bs. Japan Air Lines, the biggest 747 operator of all time, operated 20 aircraft of the -100 series, and Iran Air retired the last passenger -100 (a -100B, EP-IAM) in 2014.
