The dawn of the jet age brought with it a range of new aircraft designed for a variety of missions. From short-haul narrowbodies to hopes of building airplanes that could carry more passengers and travel further and faster than ever before, the arrival of jet-powered passenger aircraft opened the floodgates to discovery, innovation, and modern design.   

Boeing had led the way with the development of its early jetliners – the Boeing 707, 720 and tri-jet 727. However, when airlines worldwide called for a smaller twinjet version of the 727, the illustrious 737 family was born, with the first flight of this game-changing aircraft taking place in 1967. The 737 has since become the most popular commercial jet aircraft ever produced. Around 17,000 have been built and it is still in production today.  

Other manufacturers saw what was happening with the 737 and tried to compete by designing and building their own narrowbody twinjets. Some were successful to a degree, the Douglas DC-9 family being probably the most notable example. Others, including the Sud Aviation Caravelle and the British Aircraft Corporation One-Eleven, were also launched but ultimately fell short of the 737’s soaring success.   

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