WB Models has recreated one of cinema’s most recognisable jumbo jets: the Columbia Airlines Boeing 747-100 N9675 from Airport 1975, now available as an impressive 1:200 scale collector’s model.

The Film Story Behind the Model

Airport 1975 was released in 1974, during the golden age of the Hollywood disaster movie. It followed the success of the original Airport and placed the then-new Boeing 747 at the centre of a dramatic airborne emergency.

In the film, Columbia Airlines Flight 409 is operating an overnight service from Washington Dulles to Los Angeles. Bad weather forces the flight to divert towards Salt Lake City, but the journey takes a terrifying turn when a light aircraft collides with the 747’s cockpit.

The impact leaves the flight crew unable to control the aircraft. Senior cabin attendant Nancy Pryor, played by Karen Black, must take the controls while Captain Alan Murdock, played by Charlton Heston, attempts to guide her from the ground.

With the damaged 747 flying towards the mountains, the rescuers devise an extraordinary plan: lower a replacement pilot from a helicopter into the open cockpit while the aircraft is still in flight. It is spectacular, wonderfully dramatic 1970s cinema and helped make the silver Columbia Airlines jumbo unforgettable.

A Cast Filled with Famous Names

The film brought together an impressive collection of Hollywood stars and familiar faces:

• Charlton Heston as Captain Alan Murdock
• Karen Black as senior cabin attendant Nancy Pryor
• George Kennedy as Joe Patroni
• Efrem Zimbalist Jr. as Captain Stacy
• Linda Blair as Janice Abbott
• Helen Reddy as Sister Ruth
• Myrna Loy as Mrs Devaney
• Gloria Swanson appearing as herself

George Kennedy returned as aviation troubleshooter Joe Patroni, the character he had first played in the original Airport. Gloria Swanson’s appearance was particularly notable, as it became her final feature-film role.

N9675 — The Real Boeing 747 Behind the Film

One of the most fascinating details for aviation enthusiasts is that N9675 was not simply a registration invented for the screen. The aircraft used during filming was a real Boeing 747-123 carrying that registration.

The jumbo was hired from American Airlines and temporarily repainted in the fictional Columbia Airlines colour scheme. Scenes were filmed around Washington Dulles and Salt Lake City, with the Wasatch Mountains providing the dramatic backdrop for Flight 409’s battle to remain airborne.

After its brief career as a movie star, the real N9675 returned to airline service. It was later converted into a freighter and eventually flew for UPS, remaining in service for many years before retirement.

WB Models recreates the film’s Columbia Airlines Boeing 747 and its genuine N9675 registration.

The WB Models 1:200 Scale Collector’s Edition

The WB Models release brings this famous film aircraft from the cinema screen to the display cabinet. The model captures the unmistakable shape of the early Boeing 747, complete with the Columbia Airlines titles, blue cheatline, red tail emblem and N9675 registration.

Produced in solid resin and supplied with a display stand, it has real presence in 1:200 scale. It is an unusual crossover collectable that should appeal equally to Boeing 747 enthusiasts, classic-airliner collectors and fans of memorable aviation films.

Airport 1975, its characters and the fictional Columbia Airlines identity are referenced for historical and collector information. Airspotters is not affiliated with the film studio.