65 years ago

Agree! The airplane is nothing like the original. The wing is the last test config for what was eventually to be the C117. It still has the steel flap tracks and other titanium structure that required 2000 pounds of blast in the nose to balance the airplane. The wing also has the fillet extensions ( yehudi) from other test configs, The color of the original was brown instead of silver and it did have brown JT3 nacelles. It would take umpteen million dollars and huge man hours to return it to the original configuration. Extensive corrosion in the wings that necessitated a delicate flight back to D.C. I will always remember the beauty of it when it was rolled out even after watching it being built in the corner of the old assembly building. When ever I drive down Marginal Way I can't quite believe that Plant Two , the Camo building, and the art deco administration building are gone. I started there in 1950. For me, Boeing Ain't Boeing anymore.Several times I saw Bill Allen drive up to the entrance of the Admin. building in his blue '55-56 Ford and I was able to chat with him in '78 when he was at the east side of the field to watch Lew Wallick make the first flight of the P-12. He was a fine gentleman and made Boeing what it is today. We need more men like him!