After more than half a century, Boeing is set to roll its last 747 out of a Washington state factory on Tuesday. The jumbo jet — which has taken on numerous roles as a cargo plane, a commercial aircraft capable of carrying nearly 500 passengers and as the Air Force One presidential aircraft — debuted in 1969. It was the largest commercial aircraft in the world and the first with two aisles, and it still towers over most other planes. The 747's design included a second deck extending from the cockpit back over the first third of the plane, giving it a distinctive hump that made the plane instantly recognizable and inspired a nickname, the Whale. More elegantly, the 747 became known as the Queen of the Skies. It took more than 50,000 Boeing employees less than 16 months to churn out the first 747. The company has completed 1,573 more since then. But over the past 15 years or so, Boeing and its European rival Airbus released new widebody planes with two engines instead of the 747’s four. They were more fuel-efficient and profitable. Read the full story here: https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/aerospace/boeing/boeing-last-747-8-freighter-jet/281-8c8b101f-a355-4c7e-9bc7-6033bf4fe4fb