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The Forgotten Tiny Boeing 737 Jet That Revolutionized Air Travel Forever!

Dec 15, 2025 | AMAH, Civilian Aircraft

The forgotten tiny Boeing jet that revolutionized air travel forever is the Boeing 737-100, a compact 1960s short-haul airliner derived from the 707/727 series with JT8D-1 engines, spacious cabin, and efficient design for regional routes. Entering Lufthansa service in 1968, it evolved into the Classic variants (737-300/400/500) with CFM56 turbofans, enhanced wings, digital cockpits, and superior fuel economy, enabling post-deregulation growth with nearly 2,000 units sold for versatile, high-volume operations.

No matter where you are across the globe, chances are that somewhere high in the skies is a Boeing airliner. For almost 70 years, Boeing’s 700 series of aircraft have proven more successful than its designers probably ever imagined.

In fact, it’s not a stretch to say that the Boeing 707 and its cousins have had a major impact on humanity – bringing fast national and international transport like never before in history. A vast number of people have had personal experience with commercial airliners, obviously far more than any military aircraft, and these aircraft and their development have touched every area of human activity on the planet.

So we thought it would be interesting to consider a largely overlooked design – the Boeing 737-100, a tiny, almost toy-like derivative of the 700 family, as well as other 737 derivatives.

The 737 still flies today in its fourth-generation iterations known as the 737 MAX, however those early generations of this important aircraft are slowly fading from public memory.  So today, we thought we’d depart from our usual military aviation videos and look at historical civilian aircraft as part of a new series. And today, it’s the tiny 737 Classic.

 

 

BACKGROUND

In the early 50s, with the dawn of the commercial jet age, many revolutionary designs emerged. Leading the charge was de Havilland, representing the best of the British jet industry at the time.

With years of independent jet engine research and development, the British were, in various ways, ahead of the US for a short period.

The culmination of the British effort was the Comet, the world’s first true jet airliner, entering BOAC service in 1952. It was groundbreaking for its time and visually more appealing than competing designs, but it had problems. The Comet would experience setbacks due to design flaws, and while these could be remedied, the time and resources required to do so essentially destroyed the program.

This market gap offered a unique opportunity for Boeing. In 1950, a group of designers from the company visited the Farnborough air show, where they saw a prototype Comet fly. Inspired by this, designers believed they could not only produce their own, but, with the knowledge they had gained developing the podded-engine B-47, they could go further.

Failing to convince airlines of the project, which was enjoying success with the Lockheed Connie, the Boeing team was thought to be out of its depth. For the most part, beyond the Connie, the commercial aviation industry was dominated by Douglas Aircraft, while Boeing had primarily been a military contractor.

As the story goes, heeding the voices of this team of designers, Boeing undertook an extreme financial risk; they would pour money into producing a prototype of such an aircraft, proving that it could be done.

And this they did. In 1952, with the Comet entering service, the Boeing team got to work conceptualising their own jet. It would differ greatly with swept wings and podded engines making it somewhat similar to the B-47.

Within two years, a working prototype was complete; the 367 “Dash 80”. Abnormal looking, it was nonetheless something special. It could seat up to five people in a row, plus the aisle, and designers planned to stretch that to six seats. It had a thick aluminum skin, safer than the Comet’s, and special doors that would further seal at higher altitudes. It had everything needed to leap from selling military planes to marketing something for passengers: space, safety, and best of all, efficiency.

To say the least, it was impressive. To the public, it would be named the Model 707.

 

 

737 DEVELOPMENT

 

By the 1970s, Boeing’s commercial airliners had achieved success beyond any expectation. In just 20 years, the 707 was everywhere, both with airlines and as a military platform. The newer 747 had become a success with the public, emblematic of a new age of jet travel with larger, more ambitious aircraft. Boeing’s 700 series just continued to expand.

One such design on the table was the 737. It had been drawn up in 1964 as an alternative to the already small 727. By 1966, after redesigns, the 737-100 was approved for production. The design that would go into production differed greatly from the original concept. It would look quite similar to the 707, albeit scaled down.

The design was promising. Powered by JT8D-1 engines and with a relatively similar overall presentation to Boeing’s other 700 series, it would be pitched in 1965 as a comfortable mimic of the 707, albeit for short-haul trips. On February 1st that year, the product was selected, and on the 19th, Lufthansa would become the launch customer.

Other airlines would sign on; United Airlines ordered 40 in April, albeit with the request that the fuselage be slightly stretched. That would become the 737-200.

 

 

 

LAUNCH OF THE PLATFORM

Then, the moment arrived; in rapid succession, the first two 737s would be put to the test. On January 17, 1967, the 737-100 would roll out for the first time, and by April, it had taken its maiden flight. The -200 followed, rolled out in July that year, and by August had taken its maiden flight. By the end of the year, the FAA had greenlit the aircraft for commercial use.

On February 10, 1968, Lufthansa would begin operating the aircraft for the first time, with its initial order of twenty one -100 models.

The true effect of the new platform was hard to gauge at first. Selling only a modest number of units in its original form, the 737 nonetheless showed great potential. Its primary competitor – the DC-9 – already filled a similar short-haul role. It was claimed that the DC-9 was more comfortable in terms of noise, vibrations, and smoothness, while some pilots said it was a superior aircraft to fly.

However, the young Boeing fleet held several advantages, which would become more evident as the nature of air travel became less about luxury; firstly, they were all relatively spacious, regardless of noise; secondly, they were becoming easier to work on and upgrade; and thirdly, perhaps most importantly in the long term, they were more efficient.

 

 

LAUNCH OF CLASSIC

 

In the early years, however, this potential for success had yet to be realized, with the 737 only scraping by on sales. A generous Air Force purchase of the T-43 (a 737 200 modified for training) alongside sales to various African airlines, kept the program afloat throughout the early 70s. Then, a change would come.

In 1978, the US would pass the Airline Deregulation Act, which slowly dissolved the Civil Aeronautics Board – a federal agency that regulated much of the American airline industry in various ways. With this deregulation came lower fares, greater accessibility to airlines for regular people, and, by proxy, a massive surge in airline activity and purchases.

In response, Boeing had begun revising the 737. They knew they had a promising design, as passenger capacity and range efficiency became more important than luxury.

The answer was a new series based on the 737 Original. This new series – today called the 737 Classic – would enter development in 1979.

It would feature an improved CFM56 turbofan, placed forward on the wing for clearance, and offering lower noise and better fuel economy. Likewise, the vertical stabiliser and wing would be redesigned, with new flaps and leading-edge slats that, while remaining visually similar to the original, would further improve aerodynamics. Internally, it was a similar story; the cockpit in particular would receive an array of newer digital and analogue tech, including an automated stabilizer controller called the Speed Trim System. On board, it would fly 149 people over 4000 kilometres.

In this, Boeing had a winner on their hands.

The first to enter service would be the 737-300, which first flew on February 24, 1984, and entered service that same year with USAir. It would sell well, in total over 1100 units.

This would be followed by the -400, announced in 1986 and entering service in 1988, slightly larger, made to fill a unique gap between the -300 and the older -200.

Finally, in 1987, the smallest of the Classic family would launch, with its first flight in 1989: the 737-500 would be a tiny 101 feet long, just longer than the original 737. Made to essentially replace the old -200, this new aircraft would offer the same advantages. Being smaller, it would carry fewer – 132 passengers – but boasted a good range of almost 4400 kilometres.

Offering several benefits to both passengers and airlines on a budget, it would see immediate success, both off the shelf and later as second-hand aircraft with budget airlines.

 

 

END OF THE CLASSIC

In retrospect, the classic would be immensely popular. Between 1980 and 2000, nearly 2000 units were delivered. In fact, its sales performance was so good that – up until the introduction of the Airbus A320 – the 737 Classic was one of the best-selling airliners of its era.

 

737 NEXT GENERATION

It would be the Airbus A320 that prompted Boeing to once again revisit the 737 platform. While the aircraft was old, the platform itself was still good; Boeing knew a third generation of the 737 was a good prospect.

The emergence of the A320 was a game-changer. Fast, efficient, with fly-by-wire controls, it could boast both great performance and affordability. What’s more, it was reported to be a great aircraft to pilot—something that has a greater effect on an aircraft’s success than one might think.

In other words, Airbus had emerged with something groundbreaking, and for their pioneering work, the A320 was a massive success, outselling all other competing aircraft.

In 1991, Boeing got to work on a new project, officially known as the 737 Next Generation. Overhauling internal systems, it sought to match the modern systems and overall experience of the A320, by both pilots and customers alike. Newer, safer flight control systems, better instruments, and a more spacious cabin.

Outwardly, redesigns would be more extensive than the leap from the Original to the Classic. The wing would be expanded—25% larger, with 30% larger fuel stores —while certain models would get overhauled stabs and new winglets to further improve handling and efficiency.

The powerplant would also change; this time, a newer CFM56, the 7B, would be fitted, offering even lower noise and better economy.

The end product was significantly better than the Classic. Thanks to these improvements, the 737 Next Gen could operate trans-continentally, thanks to a range increase of up to 1700 kilometres.

With plans drawn up, the Next Gen series would be developed from the early 1990s and produced from 1996 to 2019, with several variants rolling off the production line.

The first two would be small. The 737-600 would be a direct replacement for the tiny -500, with a similar length of 102 feet. This would be complemented by the -700, coming in at 110 feet. These two – flying 130 and 148 people respectively in typical configurations – would offer the best range in the series, capable of travelling up to 5990 kilometres.

However, the primary competitor to the A320 would be the -800; with a stretched fuselage, it could fly 184 passengers in typical setups, with a similar configuration to the Airbus. Beyond being a direct competitor, upon entering service, the -800 would find favour with airlines as a replacement for both the older Boeing 727 and other mid-sized platforms, such as the MD-90.

Finally, the -900 would emerge, albeit later, as a further extension of the -800. In its initial form, it differed little from the 800 beyond size; however, upgrades – referred to as the -900X program – saw the seating capacity expand. The end product – officially the 900 Extended Range – would emerge in 2005. Capable of carrying 215 to 220 passengers and with larger fuel stores in the cargo hold, it would directly compete with the Airbus A321.

 

 

737 MAX

By the mid-2000s, the 900ER had set a new standard. What was initially a small domestic airliner had now become capable of carrying over 200 passengers on transcontinental flights. Over 7000 units of the 737 Next Gen have been built, securing the 737 family a place among the best-selling airliners ever. Technically, the story doesn’t end there, with Boeing now going on to build the fourth generation, the 737 MAX, which diverges even further from the legacy platform, but this is a whole other story.

While many have forgotten the tiny, classic, original 737s, we can be sure that its modern derivatives will live on for years to come. What started as a bold concept for a tiny, almost toy-looking derivative of the 707 had a rocky start, facing severe economic constraints. However, as time went on, the design has proven itself, despite challenges such as the MAX groundings in 2019-2020. The 737 is arguably one of the great success stories from Boeing’s commercial airliner programs.

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