Japan’s domestic flight network has always been in strong demand. As such, wide-body airliners have routinely been used to make the most out of each airport slot on key trunk routes between the country’s major cities.
When the Boeing 747 appeared on the scene, Japan’s two main carriers – Japan Air Lines and All Nippon Airways – worked with Boeing to introduce special versions of the Jumbo Jet that were capable of carrying extra passengers and removed the capacity to fly longer distances.
First came the 747-SR, based on the original 747-100 model. SR was an abbreviation of Short Range.
A JAL 747-100BSR with Stretched Upper Deck
Later, SR versions of the 747-300 emerged. Some of the earlier -100 models also received a stretched upper deck, like in this photo.
A JAL Boeing 747-400D
Finally, when the Boeing 747-400 entered service, a special -400D model was developed for the Japanese market; D indicated ‘Domestic’, and a way to tell these models from regular -400s was the lack of winglets. It could carry almost 570 passengers.
ANA 747-400D
Japan’s carriers have now retired all of their Boeing 747 fleets, both domestic and international. Here’s a look at what happened to the 40+ short range models built… surprisingly a few of them can still be seen.
20781/221 SR-46 JA8117 JAL N911NA WFU Palmdale AFB, CA (Shuttle Carrier)
20782/229 SR-46 JA8118 JAL Scrapped. Fuselage portion in London Science Museum
20783/230 SR-46 JA8119 JAL Written Off
Vertir Airlines 747 SR-81 EK-74711. Photo (c) Mehrad Watson
20784/231 SR-46 JA8120 JAL N477EV WFU Marana Pinal Airpark, AZ
20923/234 SR-46 JA8121 JAL Scrapped
21032/249 SR-46 JA8124 JAL WFU Oscoda Wurtsmith AFB, MI
21033/254 SR-46 JA8126 JAL WFU Marana Pinal Airpark, AZ
21606/360 SR-81 JA8135 ANA Scrapped
21922/393 SR-81 JA8136 ANA Scrapped
21923/395 SR-81 JA8137 ANA Scrapped
21924/420 SR-81 JA8138 ANA N1924N WFU Wichita Mid Continent, MS
21925/422 SR-81 JA8139 ANA Scrapped
22291/453 SR-81 JA8145 ANA N215BA WFU Tel Aviv Ben Gurion, Israel
22292/456 SR-81 JA8146 ANA Scrapped
Former ANA 747-SR N291BA is a prop at Universal Studios in Los Angeles.
22293/477 SR-81 JA8147 ANA N219BA Used as film set, Universal Studios, Los Angeles, CA
22294/481 SR-81 JA8148 ANA N243BA WFU Marana Pinal Airpark, AZ
22594/511 SR-81 JA8152 ANA Scrapped
22595/516 SR-81 JA8153 ANA N245BA WFU Marana Pinal Airpark, AZ
22709/541 SR-81 JA8156 ANA Scrapped
22710/544 SR-81 JA8157 ANA N288BA WFU Mojave, CA
22711/559 SR-81 JA8158 ANA EK74711 Vertir Airlines
22712/572 SR-81 JA8159 ANA Scrapped
23150/601 146B(SR) JA8164 JAL 5U-ACF Stored Johannesburg, South Africa
23390/636 346B(SR) JA8170 JAL Scrapped
23637/655 146B(SR) JA8176 JAL Scrapped
25213/844 446D JA8083 JAL N894DB WFU Walnut Ridge, AR
25214/879 446D JA8084 JAL Scrapped
25292/891 481D JA8099 ANA WFU Tupelo, MS
25639/914 481D JA8955 ANA Written Off
25640/920 481D JA8956 ANA WFU Tupelo, MS (Pokemon cs)
25642/927 481D JA8957 ANA WFU Tupelo, MS (Pikachu cs)
25643/972 481D JA8960 ANA WFU Tupelo, MS
25644/975 481D JA8961 ANA WFU Tupelo, MS (cockpit removed)
25646/952 481D JA8959 ANA WFU Tupelo, MS
29647/991 481D JA8963 ANA WFU Tupelo, MS
26345/935 446D JA8903 JAL N895DB WFU Walnut Ridge, AR
26347/907 446D JA8090 JAL N347AS WFU Roswell, NM
26348/941 446D JA8904 JAL N263AS WFU Roswell, NM
26349/948 446D JA8905 JAL N892DB WFU Walnut Ridge, AR
26351/963 446D JA8907 JAL N893DB WFU Walnut Ridge, AR
26352/978 446D JA8908 JAL N896DB WFU Walnut Ridge, AR
27163/996 481D JA8964 ANA WFU Tupelo, MS
27436/1060 481D JA8965 ANA WFU Tupelo, MS
27442/1066 481D JA8966 ANA WFU Tupelo, MS
