Flying an Air Race in the First Modern Airliner | “Transformational Technologies” Episode 7

The Boeing 247 is considered the first modern airliner and it revolutionized air transportation when it entered service with United Air Lines in 1933. That’s significant enough to land a place in Air and Space, but the Museum’s 247-D has an even bigger story to tell: its role in the 1934 England-to-Australia International Air Derby, better known as the MacRobertson Race.

In the “Transformational Technologies” video series, the National Air and Space Museum explores artifacts in its collection that changed our lives, transformed the way we viewed the world, or looked at an existing problem in a new way. All artifacts featured are now on display in the eight new galleries at the National Air and Space Museum in DC. “Transformational Technologies” is made possible by the support of Lockheed Martin.