ANCHORAGE: Where “Queen Of The Jumbos” Boeing 747s Still Reign

For the past 17 years this author has predominantly been embedded in the warbird community with occasional, albeit rare forays into sport or vintage aviation. During that period a majority of my photography was for the purpose of writing articles, so I had never been a into Spotter photography. So, when I signed up for the Centre for Aviation Photography (COAP) trip to Alaska in September 2024, I welcomed the opportunity to engage in a different style of photography with subjects that were completely new to me.

Though I welcomed this opportunity, I found myself a bit ambivalent on the first day as we headed out to one of the many prime viewing spots that overlooks Runway 15-33 at Ted Stevens International Airport (ANC) in Anchorage, Alaska. I mean, how exciting can jetliners be when you’ve done air-to-air photography with Corsairs, Wildcats, TBMs, and Stearmans, among other warbirds? Well, that lack of excitement lasted until that first 747 appeared from behind the trees on short final for One Five. Wow! What a beautiful aircraft! Prior to this trip, I had only photographed a handful of 747s over the years, from a Flying Tigers aircraft at Dover AFB, Delaware and a variety of military variants at Andrews AFB, Maryland during my Air National Guard days.

On that first day, we were treated to more than the 747s. Much more. Over the course of about three-and-a-half hours we were treated to Alaska Airlines 737s, both passenger and cargo variants 757s and MD-11s from FedEx, DC-6s and MD-80s from Everts Air Cargo, a DesertAir DC-3, and a half dozen other smaller aircraft. But no aircraft held my fascination more than that “Queen of the Jumbos”, the Boeing 747.

There are still quite a few airports where you can spot 747s, but arguably the best place is Anchorage, Alaska. Not only for the sheer number of aircraft but the amazing variety of carriers. In our three days of shooting, which totaled about 12 hours, at ANC I captured 747s from eleven different cargo outfits. What makes ANC the realm of the Queen? It’s all about geography.

During the Cold War the Soviet Union’s airspace was closed to outside airlines which made it difficult for airlines to fly between Europe and Asia. When SAS pioneered polar air routes it shortened the distance and Anchorage quickly became a crucial stop for aircraft flying between Europe and Asia. In the wake of the Perestroika Reforms in Russia began to allow a limited number of airlines to over fly their territory, mostly Siberia, but they charged the airlines astonishing sums for the privilege. Current day, since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the airspace has closed once again.

While overflights of Russian airspace don’t necessarily affect carriers flying between Asia and the U.S., they do benefit from the development of ANC as a stopover over a half-century ago. While UPS and FedEx conduct time-critical non-stop flights between their respective hubs in Louisville and Memphis to Tokyo, most carriers carry the maximum amount of cargo and enough fuel to safely land at ANC, staying long enough to take on more fuel and change flight crews. For a more in-depth look at life at ANC, visit the Anchorage Cargo Hub on aerosavvy.com. The remainder of this article brings you the sights and sounds of the Queen of the Jumbos in Anchorage on September 9-11 & 13, 2024.