Boeing Renton Factory
Encyclopedia
The Boeing Company's Renton, Washington Factory is a facility where Next-Generation Boeing 737
airliners are built. Current production includes the 737-600, 737-700, 737-800, and 737-900 models.
The factory lies adjacent to Renton Municipal Airport
.
The property was then transferred by the State of Washington to the federal government at the start of World War II. The Navy Department established an aircraft factory there for production of the Boeing PBB Sea Ranger
flying boat. This order was cancelled, however, to free the factory for production of the B-29 Superfortress
, the factory being transferred to the Army in exchange for use of the North American Aviation
Kansas City
factory for production of land based B-25 Mitchell
s for the US Marine Corps as PBJ-1s.
was rolled out at the Renton plant starting a long associated with the production of the Boeing 707 line. When the first production Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker first flew in August 1956 from Renton it was named City of Renton. The first production Boeing 707 was rolled out at Renton on 28 October 1957 and production continued to the last 707 in April 1991.
three-engined airliner from 1963 into the 1980s.
a new assembly line was built at Renton and the plant is still building the Boeing 737 family. The 737 final assembly building when built was at the time the largest building in the world by volume. New aircraft perform their first flight from the adjacent Renton Municipal Airport
and are then flown to Boeing Field
for customer preparation.
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
airliners are built. Current production includes the 737-600, 737-700, 737-800, and 737-900 models.
The factory lies adjacent to Renton Municipal Airport
Renton Municipal Airport
Renton Municipal Airport is located in Renton, Washington, USA. It has a single paved runway, 16/34, which is roughly 5,400' long...
.
History
The Boeing Renton Factory is built on land reclaimed by the lowering of the level of Lake Washington in 1916. From 1916 until 1936 it belonged to the family of Pioneer Washington Coal Industrialist Charles H. Burnett for whom Burnett Avenue and Burnett Park in Renton are named. Burnett acquired the land intending to utilise it for coal storage and shipment. Amy Louise Burnett Bond, Charles Burnett's daughter, whose mother died young was raised by Mr. and Mrs. Howard Cranston Potter as the foster sister and godmother of Bertha Potter (Mrs William Boeing). The Burnett family operated the land as a hay farm. In 1936 Amy Burnett Bond transferred the property back to the state government.The property was then transferred by the State of Washington to the federal government at the start of World War II. The Navy Department established an aircraft factory there for production of the Boeing PBB Sea Ranger
XPBB Sea Ranger
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography*...
flying boat. This order was cancelled, however, to free the factory for production of the B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
, the factory being transferred to the Army in exchange for use of the North American Aviation
North American Aviation
North American Aviation was a major US aerospace manufacturer, responsible for a number of historic aircraft, including the T-6 Texan trainer, the P-51 Mustang fighter, the B-25 Mitchell bomber, the F-86 Sabre jet fighter, the X-15 rocket plane, and the XB-70, as well as Apollo Command and Service...
Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
factory for production of land based B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
s for the US Marine Corps as PBJ-1s.
Boeing C-97
At the end of the second world war the plant was closed but by 1948 it was re-opened by Boeing to build the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter for the United States Air Force. In all, 943 C-97s were built in the Renton plant.Boeing 707/KC-135
In May 1954 the prototype, of what would become the Boeing 707, Boeing 367-80Boeing 367-80
The Boeing 367-80, or "Dash 80" as it was called within Boeing, is an American prototype jet transport built to demonstrate the advantages of jet aircraft for passenger transport over piston-engine airliners....
was rolled out at the Renton plant starting a long associated with the production of the Boeing 707 line. When the first production Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker first flew in August 1956 from Renton it was named City of Renton. The first production Boeing 707 was rolled out at Renton on 28 October 1957 and production continued to the last 707 in April 1991.
Boeing 727
The Boeing 707 final assembly building was also used to produce the Boeing 727Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
three-engined airliner from 1963 into the 1980s.
Boeing 737
In order to produce the twin-engined Boeing 737Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
a new assembly line was built at Renton and the plant is still building the Boeing 737 family. The 737 final assembly building when built was at the time the largest building in the world by volume. New aircraft perform their first flight from the adjacent Renton Municipal Airport
Renton Municipal Airport
Renton Municipal Airport is located in Renton, Washington, USA. It has a single paved runway, 16/34, which is roughly 5,400' long...
and are then flown to Boeing Field
Boeing Field
Boeing Field, officially King County International Airport , is a two-runway airport owned and run by King County, Washington, USA. In promotional literature, the airport is frequently referred to as KCIA, but this is not the airport identifier. The airport has some passenger service, but is mostly...
for customer preparation.