Recently, and after much anticipation and delay, Inflight200 released its new 747SP mold in three initial liveries. Braniff International, QANTAS, and South African were first out of the gate, with TWA and American to come in a few months. I purchased the Braniff International version and will note the highlights in this blog.

For those who may not have known, the SP was born out of a need for Pan Am to reach Tokyo from New York, as well as operate a payload greater than the DC-10 but smaller than the 747-100. The final design of the SP is 48 feet and four inches shorter than a full size 747, which is similar in length to today's 767-300, with fuselage sections being removed from in front of and behind the wings, and a redesigned center section. It typically carried 280 passengers. Apart from the length, there were many other differences between the SP and -100/-200. The -100/-200 had triple slotted flaps, while the SP used single slot flaps, eliminating the need for the 8 under wing canoes that housed the triple slot mechanisms. Other differences were ten more feet of span in the horizontal stabilizer, a slightly taller vertical stabilizer, a double hinged rudder, and a tapering of the upper fuselage into the empenage. All in all, an empty SP weighed roughly 45,000 pounds less than an empty 747-200. The SP was also the first, and until the introduction of the 777-200LR, the only Boeing widebody with a wingspan greater than the length of the fuselage. But for all differences, the SP was able to retain a 90% commonality of components with the -100 and -200 series. Pan Am launched the 747SP into service, March 1976, but it never sold as well as Boeing hoped. Increased fuel prices in the mid 1970s to the early 1980s, the SP's heavy wings, expensive cost, reduced capacity, and the increased ranges of forthcoming airliners contributed to its lack of success. Only 45 were made.

The Braniff aircraft, which Inflight200 chose for its release, was N603BN. 21785/405 serial number was the 27th 747SP made and it was delivered in October 1979. Braniff's SPs had 4 PW JT9D-7J power-plants, as all but 6 747SPs did.

Side view showing the short length:

Shot of the empenage, with the larger tail, wider horizontal stabilizers, double rudder, and fuselage tapering:

The PW JT9D-7J power-plant Braniff used with the nicely painted housing with white and gold rings. To tell the difference between this and QANTAS' Rolls Royce engines, the Rolls engines were one large housing with an open exhaust, while the P&W's have the shorter housing and the pointed exhaust cone.

From behind:

1/4 angle showing the shortened fuselage length in front of the wings:

Notice the clearly wider horizontal stabilizers:

From above:

Other side:

Nice angle:

Close-up:

This one shows the debated nose wheel which in comparing to the -100s, and -400s I have is fine, and does not appear to be a problem to the naked eye:

Belly shot. While a relatively basic livery, Braniff's "Ultra" livery made use of some nice gold striping noticeable here, as well as around the engine housings and tail:

The larger SP tail to the left:

The size difference between a 747SP and 747-400, the model to the right, an Inflight200 Northwest 747-451:

Surprisingly, the SP balanced quite well on top of its younger brother, in this case Inflight200 United Airlines 747-400 "shades of blue":

Finally, another fine 747 release from Inflight200. In my opinion, the 747 is Inflight200's best work. After many delays to get the mold correct, the end result is very nice and worthy of the rest of the Inflight 747 line. I am really looking forward to seeing this great model in TWA and American colors, and somewhere down the line Pan Am and United. If you are a QANTAS fan, buy with confidence, the mold is terrific and the details on that release are excellent, from the Rolls Royce engines to the polished belly and the "SP" logos. For more pics of my Braniff 747SP, please check out my album "Braniff 747SP" to view those. Enjoy!