Summary The first Boeing 747-400 ever built, Ship 6301, has retired and is displayed at the Delta Flight Museum. The museum offers an up-close experience of the iconic aircraft, allowing visitors to explore the history of the jumbo jet. Ship 6301's relocation to the museum was a challenging feat, involving multiple groups and significant preparations.
The Queen of the Skies, the Boeing 747, has become a rare site at global airports, especially in the post-pandemic era. While almost all airlines have already retired their iconic 747-400s, some remaining operators have plans to phase out their 747-400s in the coming years. Some museums are keen to preserve the jumbo jet legacy.
The Delta Flight Museum put up the first Boeing 747-400 ever built - Ship 6301 - on display at Delta's Atlanta headquarters in Hapeville, Georgia, in 2017. Visitors to the museum can walk through the aircraft, visit the upper deck, and even walk out on the wing. The decades-long history of the aircraft is presented with an up-close experience of the mighty jet.
This article explores the history of Ship 6301, its operational years, and its presence at the Delta Flight Museum. A much-deserved retirement Ship 6301 was manufactured by the Boeing Aircraft Company in 1988 and holds the honor of being the first 747-400 ever produced by the planemaker. The airframe was initially used by Pratt & Whitney for engine testing before being delivered to Northwest Airlines in December 1989 - almost two decades later, De.