Boeing 377 in 1950 and the first order for the 707 in 1955, Boeing was shut out of the commercial aircraft market. In the mid-1950s technology had advanced significantly, which gave Boeing the opportunity to develop and manufacture new products. One of the first was the guided short-range missile used to intercept enemy aircraft. By that time the Cold War had become a fact of life, and Boeing used its short-range missile technology to develop and build an intercontinental missile. In 1958, Boeing began delivery of its 707, the United States' first commercial jet airliner, in response to the British De
Boeing 707 thus, when Pan American purchased the 747-100, it had the model number 747-121. In the 1980s, the USAF acquired around 250 used 707s to provide replacement turbofan engines for the KC-135E Stratotanker program. The 707 is no longer operated by major airlines. American actor John Travolta owned an ex-Qantas 707-138B, with the registration "N707JT." In May 2017, he donated the plane to the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society near Wollongong, Australia. The plane will be flown to Illawarra Regional Airport, where HARS is based, once repairs to ensure safe flying condition have been completed. Boeing As of September 2015, the 707