But its 45-year journey has been anything but smooth. This is the definitive story of the Boeing 747, from its milestones and triumphs to its turning points and disasters. Witness its history ...

When the first Boeing 747 rolled from the hangar in Everett ... And it was the star of any number of Hollywood disaster movies. (Who can forget Charlton Heston and Karen Black in Airport 1975?) ...

Each year, hundreds of airplanes reach the end of their lives and are crushed for scrap metal. At a facility in Arizona, a group of “undertakers” carries out this final act for a Boeing 747.