707 CHRONOLOGY

 

DATE
EVENT
20MAY52
Boeing commits to a 367-80 prototype.
14MAY54
Model 367-80 rolled out.
15JUL54
First flight of 367-80.
SEP54
USAF orders 29 KC-135A tanker/transports.
JUN55
Douglas commits to the DC-8.
13OCT55
Pan Am orders 20 Boeing 707 plus 25 DC-8.
28DEC55
Air France and Sabena order 707-320.
APR56
Lufthansa orders 4 Boeing 707-420.
JUN56
TWA and Delta order Convair 880.
31AUG56
First flight of KC-135A.
06SEP56
Announcement of Australian Government approval for Qantas to buy 7 short fuselage Boeing 707-138.
24OCT56
BOAC order 15 Boeing 707-420.
31JAN57
First KC-135A delivered to the USAF.
18JUN57
KC-135A operational with the USAF.
17DEC57
United orders 11 Boeing 720.
20DEC57
First production 707-120 (for Pan Am) flew at Renton.
15AUG58
Provisional Approved Type Certificate (ATC) issued to 707-120.
08SEP58
First Pan Am proving flight to London.
18SEP58
Full ATC issued to 707-120.
26OCT58
Boeing 707 enters service (New York-Paris-Rome) with Pan Am.
11JAN59
First flight by 707-320.
15JUL59
ATC issued to 707-320.
29JUL59
Boeing 707 enters service with Qantas (Sydney-Nadi-Honolulu-San Francisco)
26AUG59
Boeing 707-320 enters service (Los Angeles-San Francisco-London) with Pan Am.
05SEP59
Qantas became the third jet operator on the Atlantic after BOAC (Comets) and Pan Am (707s).
17DEC59
Pan Am operates its first 707 service to Sydney.
27MAR60
The DC-8 enters service with Pan Am.
22JUN60
First flight of the 707-120B.
05JUL60
Boeing 720 enters service with United.
06OCT60
First flight of the 720B.
FEB61
Pan Am orders 5 Boeing 707-320B.
12MAR61
The Boeing 707-120B and 720B enters service simultaneously with American Airlines.
01FEB62
First flight of the 707-320B.
APR62
Pan Am orders 2 Boeing 707-320C.
13MAY62
Full ATC issued to 707-320B.
APR64
FAA Airworthiness Directive requiring improved bonding of outer wing panels to mitigate against fuel tank explosions. Resulted from an in-flight explosion following a lightning strike on an aircraft fuelled with JP4.
65
JT3D-3B engine introduced. Water injection no longer required.
APR66
Cracks found in tailplanes of high time aircraft.
69
Rear fuselage skin of some aircraft found to be detaching.

 

Issue
Date
Remarks
1
04MAY05
Original issue