One has to wonder whether there is more to this out-sized 744 than meets the eye. It is hard to believe that Boeing anticipates 787 production rates will be such that three of these planes are needed simply to ferry fuselage tubes about.
Interesting that most of the design work will be by Boeing's Russian partner Ilyushin, and the mods will be done in Taipei. And a question to ponder is whether the new design would allow for a pressurized fuselage at some future date.
The girth looks to be greater than an Antonov 225.