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| Is this Tex Johnson, famous Boeing test pilot? In the cockpit of N7470, the first 747, probably some time in 1968 |
I don't know for certain who the man holding the column is, but he bears a resemblance to 'Tex' Johnson, famous Boeing test pilot who flew many earlier aeroplanes including the B 52 bomber and the 707 (more on the 707 in the near future). Is this Tex? I like to think so, but when I found the picture in an antique shop in northern Washington, it was uncaptioned. Johnson left Boeing in 1968 and never flew the 747 (as far as I know). He died in 1998.
This is a picture of Don Knutson. Don was captain of the crew that flew #4 747 prototype (N731PA) to the Paris Airshow in 1969 along with fellow crewmembers Pat DeRoberts (my father) and Lew Wallick.
ReplyDeleteAt the time, the aircraft was very much unproven and plauged with major engine issues along with the delema that long range performance data did not yet exist. Despite these problems, Boeing senior management very much wanted to showcase it's new "Queen Of The Skies" at the 1969 Paris Airshow. The crew agreed to make a "trial run" from Seattle non-stop around the the Empire State Building in New York and back to Seattle again, roughly the equivalent distance of Seattle to Paris, to gather required performance data and to also see if the aircraft was capable of sustained long range flight. It sounds crazy in this day and age but experimental flight test in the 1960's was very different from what we know today.
With data gathered the flight took off from SeaTac airport due to it's longer runway vs Boeing Field at the time. Just after takeoff all 4 engines went into overheat. Ever so slowly however the crew was able to get the get the engines stabilized and made the decision to press on to Paris where the aircraft would ultimately land at Le Bourget airport to great fanfare.
This flight was the first oceanic crossing of a 747 in what would eventually become a common occurrence.
In the late 1960's the 747 was a huge financial gamble for the Boeing Company but that bet would eventually pay itself off not only financially but also in developing what would arguably become one of the most iconic aircraft to ever fly.