Creating a blank template of a Boeing 747-400 has been at the top of my to do list for quite some time now, but it’s an older-generation aircraft that has been pushed aside by my need to do the A350, A380, and 787 templates first. Once I had those out of the way, I didn’t feel as guilty for spending some time on this classic Boeing airliner.
It was a bit weird creating these illustrations after spending so long on those newer-generation aircraft. The 747 is certainly getting on in years, as she’s been flying since 1970 without any major fuselage changes. So yeah – it looks rather dated (but still very classy) when put side by side with the latest offerings from Seattle and Toulouse. The version I chose to illustrate for this post features General Electric CF6 engines, but I also have versions with the Pratt & Whitney and Rolls Royce engines as well if you need them.
Side profile illustration of a white Boeing 747-400 over a blank background with and without the landing gear deployed
Boeing 747-400 with GE (General Electric CF6 engines) technical line drawing
And yes, I did struggle on these a bit – so much so that I basically did the vector line work twice. I really messed up the forward section of the fuselage the first time, with wonky proportions that were totally wrong – which made everything else look weird as well. It wasn’t until I deleted the nose section (and the forward part of the wing) that I identified that forward section as the problem. Back to the drawing board I went to do it over and get things right…
It’s hard to believe that the days of the 747 are winding down. They’ve been the queen of the skies for nearly my entire life, and the aviation nerd in me will definitely be sad to see them go. How soon will that happen? Probably in less than five years based on all the news I’ve been reading.
So now that I’ve finished the 747-400, there aren’t any “must do” aircraft that are on the top of my list. Yes, that list of airliner templates I plan on making is long, but the fun stuff is complete and now I need to get busy and start doing the endless number of variants that will make my collection complete.
Norebbo
My name is Scott, and I started in the design industry over 20 years ago with a bachelors degree in Industrial Design from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, MI. I have an extensive background in both 2D and 3D illustration, and these days, I spend a majority of my time creating aircraft templates and airliner art. I’m basically an airplane dork.
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