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by Kevin Bonsor
Aircraft that can alter their wing configurations in mid-flight have been in development since World War II. Now technology has finally caught up with the concept, and Northrop Grumman is in the process of building an unmanned shape-shifting plane: the Switchblade. Learn about variable-wing geometry.
The gigantic, ubiquitous Boeing 747 transport symbolizes the most important aspects of progress in civil aviation: the democratization and globalization of travel. Read about the challenges and successes that Boeing had with their new 747 airplane.