Delivered to United Air Lines in 1933 as NC13340, first as a Boeing 247, converted to 247D in July 1935. To the CAA (predecessor of the FAA) in 1942 as NC18. Sold in 1947, to N18 in 1949, and served with various companies. Reregistered as N18E in 1953. Acquired by the Wings and Wheels Museum at Orlando, FL in 1977. The museum closed in Dec 1981, and the Boeing was bought by the Science Museum in a Christie's auction. An epic delivery flight then took this rare aircraft through Reykjavik, Dublin and Cardiff on 29/30 Jul 1982. The final leg to Wroughton was flown on 3 Aug 1982

The Boeing 247 at the start of the London - Melbourne race. The text below the aircraft name reads 'Col. Roscoe Turner - Aviation Adviser to Warner Bros. Studios'. Race number is 5, while 57 refers to Heinz's 57 ketchup varieties. The flamboyant 'Colonel' Turner's fantasy uniform 'afforded considerable amusement' among the British public. Photo from: Nationaal Archief (Netherlands)

Detail of an overview of then Cleveland Municipal Airport in 1936. In the background is a Stinson Model A to the right and a Curtiss Condor to the left - both types superseded by the modernity of the Boeing 247 and the DC-2. There are two more 247s in the full picture. NC13355 crashed near Burbank on 27 December 1936 and all twelve people on board were killed. Photo from: Library of Congress

Last official registration was N11 with the FAA

Lufthansa's first Boeing in front of Hangar A at Schiphol. Photo from: Amsterdam City Archives

Affluent visitors to Yellowstone NP could fly from SLC to West Yellowstone, Montana in a National Parks Airways Boeing 247. The small company was absorbed by Western Air Express in 1937. NC13354 was bought from United Airlines on 31 December 1935. It served in the USAAF as a C-73, 42-68854, from July 1942 to July1944. It spent it last few years with Wien Airlines. Photo by: Clifton Bray / Utah Department of Heritage and Arts

Delivered to Boeing Air Transport 26 April 1933. To UAL 1 May 1934. Converted to 247D September 1935. Later to Western Air Express. Impressed by USAAF as 42-68366 on 17 July 1942. To Lineas Aereas Mexicanas as XA-DIY on 15 June 1944. To XB-JEB and XA-GUW. Crashed near Mexico City on 21 February 1952. Photo by Clifton Bray / Utah Department of Heritage and Arts

Famous racing pilot 'Colonel' Roscoe Turner borrowed the first Boeing 247D from United Airlines for his participation in the MacRobertson Air Race. It is seen here over the USA already wearing race number 5. The number 57, referring to Heinz's 57 ketchup varieties, and the name Warner Bros. Comet were added to please Turner's sponsors. Photo from: San Diego Air & Space Museum

One of two Boeing 247s acquired by Germany is seen with Junkers G38 D-2500, a couple of Dresden trams and a lot of brown shirts. D-AGAR is ex NC91Y and was written off after a collision on the ground with an Air France aircraft at Nuremberg on 24 May 1935. Photo by: Walter Hahn / SLUB / Deutsche Fotothek

The Boeing 247 started a revolution in air transport, but it was overtaken by the DC-2, in the background, and only 75 examples were built. Now the DC-2 is in Boeing's patrimony and NC13711 is surrounded by Boeings in the Museum of Flight - from left to right, VC-137, 727, 747, 787, B-47 and B-29. Sorry for the shadow selfie.

Wearing joint United Air Lines and Boeing Air Transport titles. Flown by the Pacific Northwest Aviation Historical Foundation at the time, and was transferred to the Museum of Flight in 1981.

Made airworthy and flown to the Museum of Flight's facility at Boeing Field for display in April 2016.

Made airworthy and flown to the Museum of Flight's facility at Boeing Field for display in April 2016.

Made airworthy and flown to the Museum of Flight's facility at Boeing Field for display in April 2016.

Delivered to United Air Lines (via National Air Transport) in 1933 as NC13340, first as a Boeing 247, converted to 247D in July 1935. To the CAA (predecessor of the FAA) in 1942 as NC18. Sold in 1947, to N18 in 1949, and served with various companies. Reregistered as N18E in 1953. Acquired by the Wings and Wheels Museum at Orlando, FL in 1977. The museum closed in Dec 1981, and acquired by the Science Museum in a Christie's auction. An epic delivery flight then took this rare Boeing 247 through Reykjavik, Dublin and Cardiff on 29/30 Jul 1982. The final leg to Wroughton was flown on 3 Aug 1982.

A real bonus for me to see this beautiful, old plane parked outside the Restoration Center.

The Model 247 first flew on 8 February 1933 and by the end of June UAL had 30 in service. Until the advent of the Douglas DC-2, the 247's ruled US skies. Obtained from UAL 60 years ago.