Why 7*7 with Boeing?

[Pax-man]

I just wondered if there's a story behind Boeing naming their aircraft 7*7s? Or did they just like the sound of it?

While I'm on, was there a 717 first time around? What happened there?

[Dan Winterland]

No idea about why 7?7.

But I think the original 717 was the 707 tanker, which became the KC135 in service.

[SFly]

The seven-hundred and seventh design for the Boeing 367-80 "dash-80" ended up as the 707 program. For the next project they decided to keep with their "family" concept and therefore made the next aircraft's name similar, namely the 727. But why did they skip from 707 to 727? Well, it was all in sales. There was a major airline contract (I can't remember which, but it could have been TWA), and the owner of the company at the time was opposed to the "7*7" name group. He insisted that the name be changed, so Boeing developed the derivative as the 720 to make the sale. Because the 720 was originally supposed to be the 717, Boeing erased that name to ease confusion within the company (or some other reason). After more successes (727, 747 etc), Boeing attributed the lost 717 name to (I think) the 707 tanker version, the KC-135. After that changed name, the name was unearthed again, but this time permanentley, as the present 717 "MD/Boeing" aircraft.

From memory . . . not bad! ;)
SFly

[This message has been edited by SFly (edited 05 May 2001).]

[JB007]

Even some of Boeings earliest A/c, sort of have a "7" in the name :

B-52 - 5+2=7 !!!!


007

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Hear All...See All...Say Now't.

[David H]

I may be wrong, but I don't think the 720 was originally supposed to be the 717. Nor do I believe the C-135 was retro-named the 717. The 717 was, as others have said, the first designation for what became the C-135. The 720 was originally designated the 707-020.

[little red train]

the 7 is Boings commercial aircraft designation, military were 2, 3 or 4. 5 was pilotles a/c and 6 missiles.

7 on each end, rather than 700, 740 was a marketing idea. no-body knows where the 717 went, again probably marketing, now its the re-vamped MD-80.

not a spotter, Just read 21st century jet, very good book on the 777.

[David H]

Strictly speaking, the 717 is the designation just for the MD-95, not the MD-80 series, which Boeing junked when they took over McDonnell Douglas (along with the much under-appreciated MD-90).

I have my doubts that 7 was originally a commercial designation. After all, the 707 was originally the 367, or 367-80, while the Stratocruiser was the 377. Remember also that Boeing's major pre-WW2 airliner was the 247.

[JP Justice]

I seem to recall that the classic Porsche 911 was originally going to be the 901 until lawyers acting for Peugeot stepped in and said that their clients had the right to 3 digit numbers with a zero in the middle.

[PaperTiger]

[SFly]
The airline was United.
During a prior spat with Boeing, United's CEO (forgetisname) had stated he would never order 707s. Which is how UA ended up with a lot of DC-8s. But when he found he *did* need 707-020s for the high country, Boeing agreed to call them 720s to save face.
True story ? I have no idea.