Summary

Aircraft History

The US-built Boeing 727 and 737 series of medium range jet airliners have been the most commercially successful passenger aircraft ever built. Following on from the success of the four-engine Boeing 707, the 727 featured three Pratt & Whitney JTD8D jet engines grouped in the tail. The first 727 flew on 9 February 1963 with deliveries of the 727-100 beginning in 1964. A stretched fuselage 727-200 model was offered in 1965. Australia was an early customer for the 727 with the Airlines Agreement Act (Two Airlines Agreement) specifing that Ansett-ANA and Trans Australia Airlines (TAA) must use the same aircraft and these must be delivered at the same time. The first two 727's landed at Essendon Airport, Melbourne on 16 October 1964. Ansett's VH-RME and TAA's VH-TJA began flying paying passengers on 2 November 1964. Along with the Doglas DC-9, the Boeing 727 was the main passenger aircraft used by both airlines until the acquisition of the 737 in the early 1980s. The last Ansett 727 left the fleet in April 1997.

Model History

This model is painted to represent the Boeing 727-100 prototype carrying the US civil registration 'N7001U'. The fuselage is sectioned to show the engine installation. This aircraft spent its entire service life flying with United Airlines. It is currently held by the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

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