US airlines wanted a plane they could fly from airports with shorter runways, and smaller than a Boeing 707.
The Boeing 727-100 and 727-200 became some of Boeing's best-selling aircraft during their production run between 1962 and 1984. Yet, as technology advanced, the jets lost their appeal. Here, we take a look at the Boeing 727 and describe how it came to be, what aircraft eventually replaced it, and why.