[Central Scrutiniser]

My airline had the last 737-100 in commercial service in America. It was ancient when we got it, we leased it out, got it back again. I got bumped many times because of mechanicals! I hope Boeing preserves the first one off the line.

[Paleo Conservative]

I hope Boeing preserves the first one off the line.

Wasn't the first one off the line the prototype? I thought NASA had already sent it to the Smithsonian.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

To bad they can't put the first 737 at the AIR& SPACE museum or any other indoors museum to keep it out of the weather, just like they did with the original DASH-80.
When Boeing was developing and building the 777, they actually used the prototype 747 for a flying testbed of the first P&W engine that first went on the 777.
Needless to say on one of those test, the 777 engine backfired ( engine surge ) from continual testing and abuse from testing.
I saw on Airliners.net that someone showed pictures of the original 747 prototype, and it was just sitting in the desert, and some of the paint on it was just fading away ( a sad sight to see ) Boeing gave it to some air museum, but, it looks like they are not taking care of it.
I just wish they had room at the AIR&SPACE museum in Washington D.C. to keep these great airplanes.
I know the AIR&SPACE museum would take good care of these planes.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

I was wondering something ?
How come they can't reuse the aluminum from old airplanes, melt down the old aluminum and reuse it ?
I know they use aluminum from old airplanes for other uses, but, I am not sure they use old aluminum from old airplanes for new airplanes.,,,,,,,,, but,, then again ? if they are going to use composites, then, that is a mute point then.