Livery of the Week: Lufthansa’s 747 Retro Jet

Editor’s Note: AirlineGeeks is excited to launch our ‘Livery of the Week’ series. Every Friday, a team member will share an airline livery, which can be from the past, present, or even a special scheme. Some airline liveries are works of art. The complexity associated with painting around critical flight components and the added weight requires outside-the-box thinking from designers. The average airliner can cost upwards of $200,000 to repaint, creating a separate aircraft repainting industry as a result. 

Have an idea for a livery that we should highlight? Drop us a line. 

Lufthansa, the German flag carrier, dons a touch of nostalgia on one of its Boeing 747-8i aircraft. This special livery harkened back to a bygone era of aviation, honoring the airline’s long-standing history.

The Boeing 747-8i, registration D-ABYT, sports a design reminiscent of Lufthansa’s earlier 747 aircraft. The aircraft featured a prominent crane, the airline’s symbol, on a dark blue tail. The fuselage displayed the airline’s name in a bold, classic typeface.

Lufthansa’s 747-8i in a retro livery (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Noah Escobar)

This retro design wasn’t an exact replica though. Modern aircraft construction utilizes composite materials, making a true bare metal finish – a common feature in older liveries – impractical. To compensate, Lufthansa opted for a painted grey underbelly, offering a close homage to the original look.

A Lufthansa 747-8i lands at Washington Dulles International Airport (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Craig Fischer)

Other Retro Liveries

The Boeing 747-8i with the retro livery wasn’t Lufthansa’s first foray into the past. In 2005, to celebrate its 50th anniversary since postwar operations, the airline introduced a retro design on an Airbus A321. This particular A321, registration D-AIDV, continues to fly in the commemorative livery.

First unveiled in 2015, the retro Boeing 747-8i served as a reminder of Lufthansa’s long and storied journey in the airline industry. The carrier has a long history with the Queen of the Skies, too, operating the 747-100, 747-200, 747-400, and 747-8i series.

Looking for a new airplane model? Head over to our friends at the Midwest Model Store for a wide selection of airlines and liveries.

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Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com back in February 2013 and has amassed considerable experience in the aviation sector. His work has been featured in several publications and news outlets, including CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. During his time in the industry, he's worked in roles pertaining to airport/airline operations while holding a B.S. in Air Transportation Management from Arizona State University along with an MBA. Ryan has experience in several facets of the industry from behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing airline industry executives. Ryan works for AirlineGeeks' owner FLYING Media, spearheading coverage in the commercial aviation space.

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