High wing Boeing 747?
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High wing Boeing 747?
Hello,
I was told that the first Boeing 747 design, the one that was proposed for the C5 program for the USAF was a high wing aircraft, like the Galaxy, which was the winner. Is this true?
Thanks...
I was told that the first Boeing 747 design, the one that was proposed for the C5 program for the USAF was a high wing aircraft, like the Galaxy, which was the winner. Is this true?
Thanks...
Iconoclast
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Got you dates switched.
To: rodquiman
I believe the B-747 was already flying prior to the bidding on the C-5A program.
Little known fact:
Douglas bid on the C-5A and like the others had to build a scale mockup in order to show the ability to load and unload cargo. Lockheed and I assume Boeing made their mockup of wood where Douglas made their mockup to a smaller scale and the outer skin was metal which gave a truer replication of the skin lines and the station lines which could be scaled off of for lofting purposes.
Because the mockup was smaller than the actual C-5A Douglas had to build smaller scale tanks and vehicle as well as any other outsized materials carried in the C-5A.
The reason for this is that if Douglas won the contract they had a mockup that was just about the size of the 747 and could be used in the lofting of the lines to build a competitor for the 747.
I believe the B-747 was already flying prior to the bidding on the C-5A program.
Little known fact:
Douglas bid on the C-5A and like the others had to build a scale mockup in order to show the ability to load and unload cargo. Lockheed and I assume Boeing made their mockup of wood where Douglas made their mockup to a smaller scale and the outer skin was metal which gave a truer replication of the skin lines and the station lines which could be scaled off of for lofting purposes.
Because the mockup was smaller than the actual C-5A Douglas had to build smaller scale tanks and vehicle as well as any other outsized materials carried in the C-5A.
The reason for this is that if Douglas won the contract they had a mockup that was just about the size of the 747 and could be used in the lofting of the lines to build a competitor for the 747.
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Lu, I distinctly remember the C5A did its maiden flight in about '67? I was on holiday on a boat in France and was desperately trying to understand the Paris Match article all about it (the trauma of that lives in my memory). I believe the 747 flew first in 1969 and entered service about 18 months later in 1971? And because BOAC had them grounded immediately (pilot dispute), BOAC made a fortune at loaning the engines to all the other airlines with oval casings!
Iconoclast
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Oldtimers disease has set in.
To: Notso Fantastic
It has gotten to the point if I want to establish in my mind what was happening at some point in the past I have to look at my resume. The part about Douglas building a subscale Class A mockup of the C5-A was correct. At that time both Boeing and Douglas were designing the 747 and the DC-10 respectively. Douglas wanted to compete with the 747, which was yet to fly. The Class A mockup would give them a leg up if Douglas got the C5-A contract.
As far as a high wing 747 I believe that Boeing had to comply with the C5-A specs which dictated a high wing design. From a commercial application it would be difficult to operate a high wing 747.
So forgive an old man who lets his alligator mouth overload his hummingbird ass. I stand corrected.
It has gotten to the point if I want to establish in my mind what was happening at some point in the past I have to look at my resume. The part about Douglas building a subscale Class A mockup of the C5-A was correct. At that time both Boeing and Douglas were designing the 747 and the DC-10 respectively. Douglas wanted to compete with the 747, which was yet to fly. The Class A mockup would give them a leg up if Douglas got the C5-A contract.
As far as a high wing 747 I believe that Boeing had to comply with the C5-A specs which dictated a high wing design. From a commercial application it would be difficult to operate a high wing 747.
So forgive an old man who lets his alligator mouth overload his hummingbird ass. I stand corrected.
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Lu, we remember events this long ago by what else we were doing at the time. I was cold and wet on that little boat in France looking at the colour pictures of that amazing aeroplane, so I think it must have been July or August '67 or '68? I think one of the engines flew off sometime around then too!
Don't worry about mixing up the memories- when you get of 'more mature years', you have so many of them in the barrel that they get intertwined with each other! Just no separating 'em!
Don't worry about mixing up the memories- when you get of 'more mature years', you have so many of them in the barrel that they get intertwined with each other! Just no separating 'em!
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I don't know the answer, but it is highly likely, isn't it?
Military transports are usually high-wing because that gets the engines higher out of the way of FOD, gets the belly, and thus the ramp, closer to the ground, and allows a rugged landing gear setup.
Military transports are usually high-wing because that gets the engines higher out of the way of FOD, gets the belly, and thus the ramp, closer to the ground, and allows a rugged landing gear setup.
