Aircraft fitted with a Coffrin-Pike aerial advertising lighting array under the wings at the time of the photo. NC229M was one of the Boeing 80s acquired by Reeve Aleutian Airways. Written off at Anchorage on March 21, 1943. Also reported to have been written off at Sterling, Illinois, in July 1932. The FAA cancelled the registration in 1948 which would seem to confirm the 1943 accident. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution

Boeing 777-300 returning from a test flight out over W-291

Early Boeing 80. Location given as Mather Field which was supposedly dormant in 1929. Photo from: San Diego Air & Space Museum

The Boeing 80A that survives in the Museum of Flight, photographed before the addition of finlets on the tailplane. Photo by: Joseph Haase / San Diego Air & Space Museum

The Boeing 80 was Boeing's first real airliner, first flown in 1928. Its biplane configuration was quite conservative.

Newly built Boeing 80A in flight over Seattle. 12 examples of this 3-crew 18-passenger trimotor airliner were built. Most, including this example, were quickly modified to Model 80A-1 standard with a finlet added to each tailplane. From Boeing 60 years ago.

Boeing 80A wearing United Air Lines markings. From UAL 60 years ago.

Boeing designed the Model 40 in 1927 and the four-seat 40B-4 derivative was used on the 1,918 mile air mail route from San Francisco to Chicago. The rugged aircraft had a 525 h.p. P&W Hornet powerplant. Obtained from United Airlines 60 years ago.

This was the first Boeing Model 40A which made its maiden flight on 20 May 1927. Delivered to Boeing Air Transport for operation on their airmail routes. Two passengers sat in the enclosed cabin in front of the pilot. Powered by a P&W R-1340 Wasp of 420 h.p. From Boeing 60 years ago.