Advertisements

Aviation / Aerospace

Boeing Model 2707 (SST)

SuperSonic Transport Airliner Proposal [ 1971 ]

The Boeing Model 2707 was a failed American attempt at producing a viable supersonic-minded passenger transport aircraft during the Cold War period.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 04/01/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

GO TO SPECIFICATIONS [+]

Advertisements

During the 1960s, in the global race to achieve supersonic passenger flight (under the adopted title of "SuperSonic Transport" - or "SST"), the American concern of Boeing drew up plans for a 250- to 300-seat speedster under the model designation of "2707". This aircraft would have been powered by no fewer than four turbojet engines and reach cruising speeds near Mach 3 (approximately 2,300 miles-per-hour). While some development on the advanced aircraft was had during the height of the Cold War period (1947-1991), it was ultimately cancelled in full during 1971. By this time, Europe had already been flying its classic "Concorde" supersonic airliner and the Soviets delivered on their Tupolev Tu-144 (both detailed elsewhere on this site).

Lockheed, another contender for the SST competition, also cancelled their "L-2000" development in 1971. North American Aviation proposed their "NAC-60" which was based on their ultimately-abandoned / cancelled XB-70 "Valkyrie" supersonic bomber.

Supersonic airliners were on Boeing's radar as early as the early-1950s as several design studies were undertaken into the feasibility of such aircraft in the commercial sector. Momentum grew before the end of the decade and the company began to pour additional funding and engineering power into the concept which ultimately begat such internal projects as the "Model 733". The movement was aided by the political and military "race" against the East that was the "Cold War", with the primary enemy being the Soviet Union.

Three versions of what would become the "Model 2707" SST were drawn up by Boeing engineers: the original "Model 2707-100" was to feature a variable sweep ("swing-wing") wing for real-time, in-air changes to the mainplanes as needed, the "Model 2707-200" sporting canards for additional control (while retaining the swing-wings of the Model 2707-100), and the "Model 2707-300" with its more traditional fixed-wing mainplanes.

As finalized, the canard-equipped, swing-wing Model 2707-200 was to have an overall length of 306 feet, a wingspan of 180.3 feet, and a height of 46.2 feet. Empty weight was to reach 287,500lb against a Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) of 430,000lb.©MilitaryFactory.com

Advertisements

The most likely form, the Model 2707-300, showcased a slim, rounded fuselage with a very pointed nosecone at front and traditional single-finned tail unit at the rear. The nosecone would have been hinged to angle down and provide improved viewing for the piloting crew during ground maneuvering, take-off, and landing actions. The wings were of delta-wing configuration with well-swept leading edges and straight trailing edges. Under each wing member, and towards the trailing edge line, would be four podded engine nacelles each housing a single turbojet engine (two engines per wing). A tricycle undercarriage would be fitted for ground-running with the nose leg sporting twin wheels and the main legs given six wheels each (across three bogies) - such was the estimated weight of this massive aircraft.

Power was slated to come from 4 x General Electric GE4/J5P afterburning turbojet engines outputting 63,200lb of thrust each. This would have allowed for cruising speeds of 1,800 miles-per-hour, a range out to 4,250 miles, and a service ceiling of 73,000 feet.

Internally, the Model 2707 was to feature an advanced "glass" cockpit at a time when "steam" guages dominated instrument panels. The operating crew would have been at least three personnel.

Despite advancements in aviation technology, the age of the "supersonic airliner" never materialized to the levels originally envisioned so both the Concorde and Tu-144 saw only limited production numbers (20 and 16 units, respectively) and were restricted in their operational use. There proved too many issues in attempting to get passengers to their destinations in short-order: operating noises, shockwave concerns, excessive fuel burn (a common failing of early turbojets), and limited passenger seating / cargo-hauling capabilities within the slim and narrow fuselage designs. As such, air carriers eventually moved away from the concept of supersonic passenger flight in the subsequent decades and, only recently, has the topic been revisited through several upcoming, in-development designs detailed throughout this site.

Boeing managed to complete a single mock-up of its Model 2707.©MilitaryFactory.com

Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications

Service Year

1971

Origin

United States

Status

CANCELLED
Development Ended.

Crew

3

Production

0
UNITS

Boeing Company - USA

(View other Aviaton-Related Manufacturers)

United States (cancelled)

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Transport
General transport functionality to move supplies/cargo or personnel (including wounded and VIP) over range.

✓ Commercial Aviation
Used in roles serving the commercial aviation market, ferrying both passengers and goods over range.

✓ X-Plane (Developmental, Prototype, Technology Demonstrator)
Aircraft developed for the role of prototyping, technology demonstration, or research / data collection.

Length

305.9 ft
(93.25 m)

Width/Span

180.4 ft
(55.00 m)

Height

46.3 ft
(14.10 m)

Empty Wgt

287,483 lb
(130,400 kg)

MTOW

674,615 lb
(306,000 kg)

Wgt Diff

+387,132 lb
(+175,600 kg)

(Showcased structural values pertain to the Boeing Model 2707-200 production variant)

Installed: 4 x General Electric GE4/J5P turbojet engines developing 63,200 lb of thrust each.

Max Speed

1,802 mph
(2,900 kph | 1,566 kts)

Ceiling

72,178 ft
(22,000 m | 14 mi)

Range

4,890 mi
(7,870 km | 14,575 nm)

Rate-of-Climb

5,000 ft/min
(1,524 m/min)

♦ MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the Boeing Model 2707-200 production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)

None.

Supported Types

(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)

Model 2707 - Base Series / Project Designation.

Model 2707-100 - Initial design model with variable-sweep wing mainplanes.

Model 2707-200 - Canards added for broadened control zones; swing-wing capability of the -100 variant retained.

Model 2707-300 - Fixed wing mainplanes.

Military lapel ribbon for Operation Allied Force

Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Britain

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Midway

Military lapel ribbon for the Berlin Airlift

Military lapel ribbon for the Cuban Missile Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War

Military lapel ribbon for the French-Indochina War

Military lapel ribbon for the Golden Age of Flight

Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War

Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars

Military lapel ribbon for the Iran-Iraq War

Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War

Military lapel ribbon for the 1982 Lebanon War

Military lapel ribbon for the Malayan Emergency

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the attack on Pearl Harbor

Military lapel ribbon for the Six Day War

Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War

Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for the Suez Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War

Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War

Military lapel ribbon for Warsaw Pact of the Cold War-era

Military lapel ribbon for the WASP (WW2)

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War

Military lapel ribbon for experimental x-plane aircraft

Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.

Images Gallery

1 / 1

Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

Advertisements

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2023 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons.

View day-by-day actions of the American Civil War with CivilWarTimeline.net. View day-by-day actions of World War II with SecondWorldWarHistory.com.

©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)