HiI have come across some references to a Boeing 747-300 Trijet which Boeing apparently considered back in the 70's. Would have been the same S-duct design as the 727. Apparently the wings would have required a major rework and the hump interfered with the airflow into what would have been the rear center engine...Anyone perhaps know how true, or not, this is? I cannot find any reference to it on Boeing's website.A picture of the proposed 747-300 Trijet:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/194252.jpgWeird looking thing!Konrad

Hey Konrad:Love it. Would be interested to know also if that's real or a fake. Shall have a crack at some extensive googling and see if i can find anything....CheersPaul

Hi PaulWikipedia mentions it (as I am sure you will see) though finding something "official" seems a bit harder.Can't imagine why Boeing would want to hush something like this if it does turn out to be real.From a pure thrust point of view the 747-300 trijet would have been totally possible. Maintanence of trijets is a headache though seeing how high off the ground the rear center engine is - this one would have been even higher!My understanding is that Boeing was looking at better competing with the DC-10 and Tristar which had lower trip costs on comparable routes...Konrad

the "official" name was 747-3 was developped in 1968. never saw a mention about 747-300 for the tri-jet ...!!!three engines.200 ft long 175 ft span tow 490 000 lbs room for 301 pax and range 2650nm.then Boeing went to SB for Short Body became SP or Special Perfomances but with 4 engines ...hope this help a little.phil

It's real alright. It never got past the model stage though. At one point, the Boeing engineers were so desperate to get creative, they designed a 747 model withe 3 engines on one side, and 2 on the other. Obviously that was thrown out, but it just goes to show that anything, and everything could be out there.

"they designed a 747 model withe 3 engines on one side, and 2 on the other" Hi Sir,I really have a hard time believing that any aircraft design engineer would consider using such configuration.If you can prove any of this, I wil stand corrected without any problem...Best Regards,Bert Van Bulck

There has been at least one asymmetric aircraft to make it off drawing board. The Blohm und Voss BV-141.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bv-141Kevin

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/635769/L/Not asymmetric thrust, but it is a 3 on the left, 2 on the right kind of deal.Or go for the 2 on the left, 1 on the right config.http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0224038/L/

>"they designed a 747 model withe 3 engines on one side, and 2>on the other" >>Hi Sir,>>I really have a hard time believing that any aircraft design>engineer would consider using such configuration.>>If you can prove any of this, I wil stand corrected without>any problem...LOL. A reasonable request :)Unfortunately, I can't give you anything more than my word. Some time ago, I read a book that dealt with the history of Boeing, and gave some details about the non-engineering/political side of the design process.It was in the 747 chapter that I recall the story of the 5-engined 747. If I remember correctly, when the engineers submitted the drawing to their supervisor, he threw it back to them and said "you guys are drawing cartoons".The book is fairly old, as it pre-dated the 777, and I THINK the 744 was just about to enter service.I'll try and see if I can get the name. It's a really interesting read (it even contains the secret to why the 767 landing gear was designed the way it was).

>(it even contains the secret to why the 767>landing gear was designed the way it was).Okay, i'm curious now.Why? :)CheersPaul

it even contains the secret to why the 767>>landing gear was designed the way it was).>>Okay, i'm curious now.>>Why? :)>>Cheers>>Paul>Well if I just told you right here, it wouldn't be much of a secret would it? ;)The answer is out there...somewhere...Paul

The 5 engines 747 is a reality ...if you check on the net you ll find some : this is a spare engine carriage option nothing else ... some 744s are fitted for too ...i think i ve seen the more powered 747 in YUL with the GE 747 around 10 or 11 engines but that s a testbed ...

>The 5 engines 747 is a reality ...>>if you check on the net you ll find some : this is a spare>engine carriage option nothing else ... some 744s are fitted>for too ...>>i think i ve seen the more powered 747 in YUL with the GE 747>around 10 or 11 engines but that s a testbed ...That's not we are discussing. The 5th engine in that case is simply external cargo.

Never seen any drawings or studies on it nor heard in companies i worked for and there are some that using 747s since the beginning ..!!!

So, The Blohm thing is really a 1-engine arcraft with a displaced cockpit.The 747 is carrying a spare engine for another aircraft. It's not a working engine. The fan-blades were removed for transport.Thanks for the pictures anyway; I hadn't seen it before.Best Regards,Bert Van Bulck