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Started by Alistair Grant (@captain_al) ·

the 747 has a hump because everyone thought it would be obsolete

Short version: in the 60s everyone assumed supersonic jets would take over passenger travel, so the 747 was designed to end up as a freighter. Cockpit goes upstairs so the whole nose can swing open for cargo.

5 sources · 19 min down the hole

How I got here

Started with
“why does the 747 have a hump”
Ended at
Pan Am

The Trail

  1. “why does the 747 have a hump” (google.com)
  2. Boeing 747 (en.wikipedia.org)
  3. Supersonic transport (en.wikipedia.org)
  4. Boeing 2707 (en.wikipedia.org)

    the SST that was supposed to replace it. cancelled in 1971

  5. Pan Am (en.wikipedia.org)

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