Some Boeing Aircraft Designs Were Never Built
Some Boeing aircraft never made it beyond the drawing board. But, their sleek lines inspired generations. In fact, some old designs still look futuristic today.
Model 326
The Model 326 was a pressurized double-deck flying boat capable of making a nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean in the late 1930s.
Turbine commercial transport helicopter
This turbine commercial transport helicopter taking off from a futuristic airport was proposed by Boeing’s Vertol division in the 1960s.
The 759-159
The 759-159 “distributed load freighter” was a six-engine aircraft proposed in the 1970s for transporting containerized loads. The payload would have been carried in two pods, one on each wing, each 26 feet in diameter and 150 feet long.
The MD-12
The MD-12 proposed in the early 1990s featured a double-deck cabin that could seat more than 500 people.
The Model 733 was a supersonic transport proposed in the early 1960s.
When the Sonic Cruiser design was proposed in 2002, it received widespread publicity. Illustration courtesy Boeing
The Model 754 Husky freighter featured 33,000 cubic feet of cargo space. The unbuilt aircraft was 162 feet long with a 210-foot wingspan.
The Super Clipper design was an updated version of Boeing’s famous Model 314 from the late 1930s. It would have featured three fuselages capable of transporting more than 1,000 passengers.
The "797" featured a blended-wing body. If built, the aircraft would have been able to transport up to 1,000 passengers on long overseas
The 2707 supersonic transport captivated public imagination before the project was canceled in 1971. At the time, Boeing had 115 orders from 25 airlines, including Pan Am.
The Pelican would have been the largest aircraft in history. The cargo plane was intended to fly as low as 20 feet above the sea, taking advantage of an aerodynamic phenomenon that would reduce drag and fuel burn.
This double-deck version of the 747 never made it off the drawing board.