When I was 9 years old, I saw a photo of a Boeing 747 model in Boys Life magazine and was immediately drawn to the sleek design of the airplane. When I was 17, I boarded a real 747 for the first time, flying from San Francisco all the way to Tokyo to visit an exchange student who had stayed with our family the year before.
Fast forward more than three decades and all those memories were recently coming right back. As a Creative Director at Boeing, I don’t often go to the assembly lines where aircraft are built, but when I learned that production of the iconic “Queen of the Skies” jumbo jet would end forever in 2022, my love for sketching took over. Working after hours over a span of several months, I documented the production and delivery of the 1,574th and final 747 ever to be built.
Inside the factory
Many aircraft parts are nondescript pieces of metal that might belong to any type of airplane. But the 747 comes with many instantly recognizable features: the wings with mounts for four giant engines, the exhaust port on its beautiful tail, and that signature hump that holds the extra level on the flight deck.
I made sure to be at the factory on the day that huge cranes brought the front and center sections of the aircraft together for what is called the mid-body join. My drawing spot to capture this view couldn’t have been any better. I sketched from one of the elevated walkways overlooking the factory floor.
As the plane was coming together, huge supports and scaffolding were placed around the giant fuselage. These structures feel like buildings themselves. They call them “tools.†These tools are not only filled with equipment, computer workstations and parts bins, they’re also filled with dedicated, skilled people.
Many workers took interest in my sketching and shared their stories about working on the 747 assembly line. Here are some memorable quotes:
“I’ve been working on this plane for 30 years.”
“I came from across the country to work on the 747.”
“My dad worked on this plane and now I do.”
I also got some wise advice:
“You can’t sit here while this crane goes over.”
The final rollout
On December 6, 2022, I witnessed the final rollout.
Hundreds of employees showed up to watch the historic moment marking the end of an era. Local, national and international press representatives were also in attendance.
Getting the jumbo jet through gigantic factory doors as big as a football field is a big production. Workers moved quickly into orchestrated positions. Safety lights began to flash. Loud horns began to blast, signaling that the huge factory doors were about to open. I kept drawing as the doors opened and a blast of cold air filled the giant hangar. Then a large towing vehicle brought the aircraft into motion. A safety director came over to me and said, “It’s time to move.â€
I hurried to add my last few lines of ink and rushed out of the way just before the huge 747 wing went directly over my head.
The final “Queen of the Skies†was now headed to the flight line to prepare for its first flight and a trip to Oregon, where it would be painted with the customer’s colors and logo.
End of an era
The next time I saw the plane, it had transformed. The protective green aluminum coat had been replaced by a crisp and shiny livery. The 1,574th and final 747 quietly sat alone and posed for one more sketch before it would be delivered to the customer.
On February 1, the day of the farewell, I secured a spot on the rooftop of the nearby Future of Flight museum along with a big crowd of media and special guests. From this vantage point we watched the sun rise over the airfield.
Takeoff time arrived and I sketched quickly in pencil as she took off, flew almost out of sight, and turned around for one last low-altitude flyby to let the Boeing world say farewell. I felt I could almost touch her as she roared past so close and dipped her wings in a final salute.
The Boeing 747 is proof that when you gather the right people with the right vision, it’s possible to do the impossible. Although the last-built 747 belongs to Atlas Air, and to the thousands of men and women who built her, I feel like the drawing process has made her mine too.
