On 12 January 1970, the Boeing 747 aircraft landed at London's Heathrow airport, completing its first transatlantic flight from New York City, USA. The first aircraft to seat as many as 500 passengers.

What is the Boeing 747?

The Boeing 747 is a widebody commercial airliner.

What is the Boeing 747 more widely known as?

The Boeing 747 is commonly referred to by the nickname "Jumbo Jet".

When was the first Boeing 747 launched?

The prototype 747 was rolled out of the Everett, Washington factory, on 30 September 1968.

How fast does the Boeing 747 fly?

The 747-400, the latest version in service, is among the fastest airliners in service with a high-subsonic cruise speed of Mach 0.85 (567 mph or 913 km/h).

How much fuel does the Boeing 747 carry?

The 747-400 can carry more than 63,500 gallons of fuel (240,370 L), making it possible to fly extremely long routes, such as Los Angeles to Melbourne, Australia.

In 1989 a Qantas 747-400 flew non-stop from London to Sydney, a distance of 11,185 miles, in 20hrs 9min

Also on this day .....

12 January 1879: The British Zulu War began.

12 January 1895: The National Trust was founded by three Victorian philanthropists - Miss Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley.

12 January 1950: The British submarine Truculent collided with a Swedish ship in the Thames, resulting in its sinking, and the deaths of 65 people.

12 January 1954: The Queen opened New Zealand’s parliament, the first time in that country’s history that a reigning monarch had done so.