Why does this Boeing 707-386C stand here in Riyadh? It is a silent sentinel of aviation history. This particular Boeing 707-386C with registration HZ-HM1, a VIP aircraft for the Saudi Air Force, is preserved at the Saudi Air Force Museum. Let me tell you about the Boeing 707.
The Boeing 707 is an early American long-range narrow-body airliner. Boeing Commercial Airplanes developed it. It was their first jetliner. The Boeing 367-80 prototype, first flown in 1954, fathered the 707. The initial 707-120 first flew on December 20, 1957. Pan Am started regular 707 service on October 26, 1958. Production lasted until 1979. The Boeing 707 is a swept-wing quadjet with podded engines. Its larger fuselage cross-section allowed six-abreast economy seating. Later 720, 727, 737, and 757 models retained this feature.
The Boeing 707 wasn’t the first commercial jetliner in service. But it was the first to be widespread. It is often credited with beginning the Jet Age. The 707 dominated passenger air transport in the 1960s. It remained common through the 1970s. It flew domestic, transcontinental, and transatlantic routes. It also saw cargo and military applications. The Boeing 707 established Boeing as a dominant airliner manufacturer with its 7×7 series.
The initial 707-120 was 145 feet long. It used Pratt & Whitney JT3C turbojet engines. Shortened, long-range 707-138s and more powerful 707-220s entered service in 1959. The longer-range, heavier 707-300/400 series had larger wings. It stretched slightly by 8 feet. Powered by Pratt & Whitney JT4A turbojets, the 707-320 entered service in 1959. The 707-420 used Rolls-Royce Conway turbofans in 1960.
A lighter short-range variant, the 720, came in 1960. Powered by Pratt & Whitney JT3D turbofans, the 707-120B debuted in 1961. The 707-320B arrived in 1962. The 707-120B typically flew 137 passengers in two classes over 3,600 nautical miles. It could accommodate 174 in one class. With 141 passengers in two classes, the 707-320/420 could fly 3,750 nautical miles. The 707-320B could reach 5,000 nautical miles. The 707-320C convertible passenger-freighter model entered service in 1963. Passenger 707s have been converted to freighter configurations. Military derivatives include the E-3 Sentry and the C-137 Stratoliner. In total, 865 Boeing 707s were produced and delivered. This excludes 154 Boeing 720s.
Boeing built 1,010 707s for civilian use between 1958 and 1978. Many later served in the military. The 707 production line stayed open for military variants until 1991. The last new-build 707 airframes became E-3 and E-6 aircraft.
Notice the swept-back wings. The 707’s wings are swept back at 35 degrees. This design is similar to the B-47 and B-52. This gave it an undesirable Dutch roll. Boeing had experience with this. They developed the yaw damper system on the B-47. They applied it to the 707.
This Boeing 707-386C here served as a VIP transport. It is a reminder of a bygone era of luxury air travel. It also highlights Saudi Arabia’s aviation history. Take a moment to appreciate this Boeing 707-386C. It bridged continents and shrunk the world.