Built in 1962 and first test-flown in 1963, this was the very first Boeing 727 built. After the testing and certification program, this aircraft was delivered to United Airlines, who was one of the two launch customers for the aircraft (Eastern Airlines was the other, and Eastern actually beat United to revenue service).

The 727 was enlarged and upgraded over the next two decades, and by the time production ended in 1984, 1,832 examples had been built, making the 727 the most successful jet airliner in history at the time. Even today, only Boeing's own 737, and the competing Airbus A320, have outsold the 727.

This particular aircraft remained in United service until January 1991, when it was painted back into its original 1964 livery, then retired and donated to the Museum of Flight. It's been here at the restoration center ever since. United had taken many parts from this plane for its other 727s, and parts from two other retired 727s are being used to restore this plane; the eventual goal is to fly the plane to the museum's main campus at Boeing Field in Seattle and display it there.

United continued to fly the later-model 727s through the 1990s, with planned retirement in 2005, but the post-9/11 air travel slump forced an early retirement of the fleet in late 2001.

To the left can be seen part of the tail of a de Havilland Comet 4C, which had flown for Mexicana in the 1960s; the Comet is the restoration center's key project currently, and its wing parts are on the ground.

The museum's main campus has another 727 (a -200A that flew for American Airlines), plus the very first 737 and the very first 747.

"Come fly the Friendly Skies"