The Boeing Milestone Series

Since that historical event at Kitty Hawk on the Outer Banks of North Carolina 100 years ago, powered flight --- and the aviation industry as a whole -- has experienced an amazing evolution. Through these years The Boeing Company and its heritage companies have played a vital role in the development and progression of powered flight as we know it today.

To commemorate this milestone centennial, Boeing created The Boeing Milestone Series to pay tribute to the various aircraft -- from companies that are the heritage of Boeing -- whose creation and production made a significant impact on the evolution of powered flight. Aircraft for The Boeing Milestone Series were selected for their unique contribution to aviation and their historical relevance. The series is broken out into three time periods -- the Beginning and Early Years, the War Years, and the Post War & Jet Age -- with examples of both commercial and military aircraft represented.

Flight Miniatures is one of the companies selected by Boeing to produce models of the aircraft identified for this series. We would have loved to offer all the models identified for the Series; however, due to the availability of tooling and the project time frame, as the actual 100-year anniversary is approaching soon, we were able to produce only a select few.

The following are The Boeing Milestone Series models available from Flight Miniatures: 

Beginning and Early Years

Douglas DC-3
in original Douglas demo colors
Scale 1:100; DC-00300C-008

The DC-3 was first delivered in 1936, it began with a request from American Airlines for a stretched and widened DC-2 that could include Pullman-type berths for transcontinental "sleeper" services. The Douglas Skysleeper Transport (DST) version of the DC-3 first flew on December 17, 1935, the 32nd anniversary of the Wright brothers’ first flight. The day-plane version of the DC-3 revolutionized the aircraft industry. With two seats per row on one side of the aisle and one per row on the other side, the DC-3 made air transportation more affordable for passengers and more profitable for airlines.

Post War & Jet Age

Boeing 727-200
in original Boeing rollout colors
Scale 1:200; BO-72720H-040

Originally, Boeing planned to build 250 of the 727 planes. However, after being shown to the world, the 727 proved so popular (especially after the larger 727-200 model carrying up to 189 passengers was introduced) that a total of 1,832 were produced at the Renton, WA, plant. Variants of the plane included a convertible passenger-cargo model with a Quick Change (QC) option — seats and galleys attached to removable pallets.
 

Boeing 747-100
in original Boeing rollout colors
Scale 1:200; BO-74710H-001

During the late 1960s, some 50,000 Boeing people belonged to a group called "The Incredibles." These were the construction workers, mechanics, engineers, secretaries and administrators who made aviation history by building the 747 — the largest civilian airplane in the world — in less than 16 months.
 

Boeing 777-200
in original Boeing rollout colors
Scale 1:200; BO-77720H-027

The 777, the first entirely new Boeing airplane in more than a decade, was the first jetliner to be 100 percent digitally designed using three-dimensional computer graphics. Throughout the design process, the airplane was "preassembled" on the computer, eliminating the need for a costly, full-scale mock-up.

 
 
100 Years of Powered Flight

Party Continues From Coast To Coast!

The Wright Brothers' short journey was a flight with no defined destination yet with history-making consequences. It is a trip we're still on!
 
If you feel in the mood to join the party, here are some of the celebrations, events, and air shows commemorating the 100th anniversary of powered flight you can attend, participate in, or just watch.
 

  NBAA (National Business Aviation Association) 2003 Convention celebrates 100 Years of Flight. Exhibitors showcasing products and services at the Orlando/Orange County Convention Center; business aircraft on display at the Orlando Executive Airport;seminars on business related aircraft issues
 

  National Air and Space Museum exhibit presents the original Wright Flyer on the ground, for the first time, providing visitors a unique opportunity to view its details up close. Also featured will be rarely seen photographs and interactive exhibits, and rarely seen artifacts from the Wright brothers personal lives.
 

  Celebrating 100 Years Over the 100th Meridian. This 12 day event takes place in Cozad, Nebraska, which sits on the 100th Meridian.
 

  A Century of Air Powered Leadership: Past, Present, Future. Presented by US Air Force History and Museums Program and the George Bush School of Government and Public Service as part of the international celebration marking the centennial of powered flight.
 

  Tom Crouch presents the History of the Wright Flyer. Dr. Crouch, Wright Brothers historian and curator at the Smithsonian Institution's Air & Space Museum, presents a brief history of man’s early attempts to fly and details the Wright brothers as inventors and visionaries.
 

  100 Years of Flight. Features will include aircraft and exhibits from the 1903 Wright Flyer through the space age.
 

  United States Air Force Academy Celebration of Flight, Past, Present, Future. An event presented to teachers, students and citizens from all across Colorado. Teachers will be presented with educational material they can take back to the classroom and students will be able to participate in exhibits, demonstrations and other special events. The public is invited on Saturday to the events, exhibits and air show.
 

  Wings and Waves. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University celebrates the Centennial of Flight with an air and sea show. The university has invited the US Air Force Thunderbirds and others to fly over the ocean at Daytona Beach.
 

  Wings to Lift the World. The 2003 Lindbergh Symposium celebrates the 100th anniversary of powered flight with speakers such as Sergei Sikorsky, the historian Richard Hallion, and author Reeve Lindbergh, daughter of Charles and Anne Lindbergh. The subject matter will draw on themes from the century of flight and show how the issues that interested the Lindberghs still impact our lives today.
 

  Right Place, Right Time, Wright Brothers. This musical theater production from Thirst n’Howl Productions celebrates the Centennial of Flight by telling the story of the Wright Brothers, inviting audience participation.
 

  Centennial of Flight Festival. Festival and street fair with hands on science activities, performing arts on the theme of flight, flight-themed story telling and tours of the new Air & Space Gallery.
 

  First Family of Aviation. Betty Darst, as Katherine Wright, presents a living biography. Betty became acquainted with the Wright brothers through their sister and will tell a very personal account of their story.
 

  Bishop Wright: Man of Faith – Man of Flight. History of flight and church will be explored using both video and visual aids.
 

  Celebrating 100 Years of Flight. An exhibit of Wright Brothers memorabilia.
 

   "Born of Dreams – Inspired by Freedom" Network TV Special. Third Millennium Entertainment will produce and air this 2-hour international network television special, celebrating the outstanding aviation events of the last century.
 

  The National Air and Space Museum. Opening of its companion facility at Washington Dulles International Airport in Northern Virginia. The Center will eventually hold 80% of the national collection not currently displayed at the museum’s building on the National Mall in Washington, DC.
 

  Aerospace Technology Symposium. Centennial of Flight Symposium will be held with a bus ride to the Outer Banks on December 17, 2003.
 

  Centennial of Flight Celebration. Museum of Flight visitors will enjoy a free day of celebration and educational programs.
 

  Centennial of Flight Celebration. The War Eagles Air Museum will be offering free admission and will fly the Museum’s oldest flying Piper Cub, the J-3.
 
 

  First Flight Centennial Celebration.
The National Park Service, along with partner organizations, will be hosting a multitude of activities throughout the 5-day celebration at the Wright Brothers National Memorial to celebrate the First Flight Centennial.
 
The schedule will include speaker presentations, daily flyovers, static aircraft displays, flight-related activities and musical entertainment. The Centennial Exhibit Pavilion, on the parks grounds, will feature special exhibits and activities for the five days.
 

There will be a formal commemorative centennial ceremony on the morning of the 17th, followed by a re-creation of the Wright brothers’ first flight in the Experimental Aircraft Association’s 1903 Wright Flyer reproduction at 10:35 am. Northrup-Grumman is supporting the training of four pilots for this historic re-creation. For more information on the flight re-creation visit www.countdowntokittyhawk.com.
 
General Chuck Yeager, the first pilot to fly faster than the speed of sound, will fly the Experimental Aircraft Association’s (EAA) one-millionth Young Eagle participant over Kitty Hawk to honor the Wright Brothers. The EAA’s Young Eagle program is focused on introducing young people between the ages of 8 and 17 to aviation.
 
Note that tickets are required for access to the Memorial and the Park. Tickets are currently available online at www.wrightbrothers.reserveworld.com or by calling 800-973-7327, or 301-722-1257 for callers outside of the United States.
 
 

 
New Arrivals

        Now Available
 

Air Austral 777-200
Scale 1:200 • BO-77720H-026

Air Austral, based in Réunion Island (in the Indian Ocean), was founded in 1974 and has added two 777-200s to serve its route between Paris and Réunion Island. To celebrate the expanded service the carrier revealed a new livery for the 777-200s. Air Austral also flies passengers to Comoros Islands, Seychelles, Madagascar, Mauritius and South Africa.
 
 

Air Bourbon A340-200
Scale 1:200 • AB-34020H-002

Air Bourbon was created to provide non-stop service between La Réunion Inland in the Indian Ocean and Paris and Lyon, France. The airline is based in Saint-Denis with an administrative office in Lyon-Bron, France. Air Bourdon’s A340-200 carries 286 passengers in a comfortable two-class configuration and took its first flight on June 7, 2003. In a scale of 1:200, the aircraft model measures 11.75" in length, with a 12" wingspan.
 
 

AirTran Jet Connect CRJ 200
Scale 1:100 • CA-20000C-008

AirTran Jet Connect is operated by Air Wisconsin Airlines Corporation and provides regional jet service for AirTran Airways. Service of AirTran Jet Connect was initiated on November 15, 2002. The 50-seat CRJ-200 regional jet, powered by two General Electric CF-34-3B turbo fan engines, has an operating range of up to 2,005 nautical miles, with a 41,000 ft service ceiling and maximum speed of 0.81 mach (550 mph).
 
 

Boeing Demo Colors 777-200
Boeing Milestone Series
Scale 1:200 • BO-77720H-027
(Available early October)

Every aircraft in The Boeing Milestone Series represents a unique contribution to the progression of powered flight. This is the fourth Flight Miniatures model in the Boeing Milestone Series.
 

Development of the Boeing 777-200 aircraft started in October 1990 with an order from United Airlines. United Airlines took delivery in May 1995 and made its first revenue flight in June.
 
The Boeing 777-200 was the first jetliner to be 100% digitally designed using three-dimensional computer technology. As well, the Boeing 777-200 became the first airplane in aviation history to earn U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval to fly 180-minutes extended range twin-engine operations (ETOPS) at service entry. In 1996, the technically advanced jetliner was awarded the Collier Trophy for top aeronautical achievement.
 
The particular aircraft for which this model is made represents the first ever Boeing 777 in its original Boeing Demo Colors rollout livery. After its use by Boeing for testing and certification of the aircraft type, the aircraft was delivered to Cathay Pacific Airways where it now serves, registered as B-HNL. The 1:200 scale model has a length of 12.5" and a wingspan of 12".
 
 

DHL (NC) 757-200
Scale 1:200 • BO-75720H-054

DHL was started in 1969, providing air express delivery of documents. The first route was established between San Francisco and Honolulu. The company expanded westward into the Far East and Pacific Rim at a rapid pace, and in just four years the service was extended into the Middle East, Africa and Europe.
 

In 1977, the company began delivering packages as well as documents. In 1982 DHL added 30 countries (in just one year!) to their routes and now operates in over 220 countries.
 
Now sporting a bright yellow body and red logo with red stripes, the new DHL colors give the aircraft a completely different look. You would surely spot this change in any airport around the world.
 

El Al 747-400
Scale 1:200 • BO-74740H-011

El Al Israel Airlines was established as the national airline of Israel in 1948. Today El Al is an international airline with flights to destinations all over the world, even a 7,000-mile, 13-hour, non-stop flight from Tel Aviv to Los Angeles. The average cruising speed of the Boeing 747-400 is 575 mph, using four Pratt and Whitney engines. The overall length of the aircraft is 231' 11", with a wingspan of 213' 0". This Flight Miniatures model is in a scale of 1:200, with a length of 13-1/2". and a wingspan of 13".
 
 

Free Bird Airlines MD-83
Scale 1:130 • MD-08000D-004

Free Bird Airlines started its operations in April 2001 with three MD-83s and, in July 2002, Free Bird Airlines has been operating with a fleet of four MD-83s. Free Bird flies tourists from 68 points between Turkey and Europe.
 
 

Japan Airlines (NC) 747-400
Scale 1:250 • BO-74740I-036

According to a recent press release by JAL Group, the Japan Airlines new logo represents “the arc of the sun.” The arc, the path of the sun as it rises in the sky, embodies two concepts: the strength of the new JAL’s skyward dreams and the feeling of joy experienced by satisfied passengers. This is our first model in the new livery

Japan Asia Airways (NC) 747-300
Scale 1:250 • BO-74730I-010

Japan Asia Airways was set up in 1975 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Japan Airlines to operate between Japan and Taiwan (Republic of China). Today JAA operates daily morning and afternoon flights to Taipei and Kaohsiung, in Taiwan, and six flights a week to Denpasar and Jakarta, in Indonesia, for a total of 20 flights a week. This aircraft model features the new colors with the new JAA logo.
 
 

Introducing a new airline to our fleet --
all six models at the same time!
 

MyTravel is a wholly owned subsidiary of MyTravel Group. MyTravel Group began in 1972 with the purchase of Pendle Travel Services, a travel agency. MyTravel Group is in the business of developing travel packages for an exceptional price. The Group’s in-house airline began as Airtours International and Premiair until 2002, when the name "MyTravel" was adopted. The livery features the bright orange and blue MyTravel colors.
 
 

Southwest Airlines 737-300
“Shamu” (NC)
Scale 1:200 • BO-73730H-405

In 1988 Southwest Airlines became the “Official Airline” of Sea World and created Shamu One, a Boeing 737-300 painted to look like Shamu the killer whale. In 1990, Southwest added two 737-500s also painted in Shamu colors –Shamu Two and Shamu Three.

In 2002 Shamu One (N334SW) became the first Shamu plane to be repainted incorporating the new Southwest Airlines “Canyon Blue” color scheme.
 
 

US Airways Express ERJ-145
Scale 1:100 • EM-14500C-011

US Airways Express is a network of 10 regional airlines operating under a code-share and service agreement with US Airways. The US Airways Express fleet operates 70 Embraer RJ145 regional jets. The Embraer RJ145, a 50-seat regional jet, is powered by two AE 3007A1 Rolls-Royce turbofans and has an operating range of 1,590 nautical miles, with a 37,000 feet service ceiling. Embraer delivered the first RJ145 in December 1996.
 
 

VARIG 777-200
Scale 1:200 • BO-77720H-025

Founded in 1927, VARIG was the first commercial airline of Brazil. Together with Rio Sul and Nordeste, VARIG operates the largest and most complete network of routes in Brazil, serving 110 cities. VARIG also has direct international service to 18 countries, and is a member of the Star Alliance.
 

In September 1998, VARIG became the first carrier in Latin America to order the 777 aircraft. VARIG took delivery of their first Boeing 777-200 on November 2, 2001. The 777-200 is a long-range wide body twinjet with a seating capacity of 305-328 passengers in three classes. The 777 is the most advanced jetliner in production today, featuring fly-by-wire technology and advanced, digitally controlled engines, offering passengers an unmatched level of comfort and speed. It was also the first jetliner to be entirely designed using three-dimensional computer graphics.