Boeing 747-100 1970-1981

The Northern 747-100 was officially delivered in the start of 1970. Northern received the fifth airframe produced at the Washington Everett factory. Tail number N005NO or “Queen of Chicago” had her inaugural passenger flight flying from Chicago to San Francisco. The plane was dubbed the new flagship in the Northern fleet. In the end of 1970 Northerns original founder Luke Vercetti passed. Causing the airline to paint their next new 747-100 N245NO with a spade featured behind the flight deck windows. N245NO or “Spirit of Lucky Luke Vercetti” is still intact and featured in the Chicago Museum of Science.

The same time frame saw the 747-200 also enter service for Northern. The 747-200

In the same era of the Flagship 747 Northern also introduced the Douglas DC-10 into mainline operations. The Northern DC-10 or the “Executive Liner” provided high tier service to many passengers. The class name came from the business class offered for the first time on Northern plains. These Trijets would be a Domestic and International powerhouse in the Northern fleet serving through the 1990’s.