Ed Force One Lives On: Iron Maiden’s Boeing 747 Reborn as Collectible Tags

While the Boeing 747 remains in service with several airlines worldwide, its legendary status in aviation history makes it a worthy topic for Vintage Aviation News. You can explore our previous articles on the aircraft HERE.

Recently, we came across news about Iron Maiden’s iconic Boeing 747-400 tour plane, “Ed Force One,” being repurposed into limited-edition aviation tags by German upcycling company Aviationtag. Given lead singer Bruce Dickinson’s passion for vintage aviation and the uniqueness of the aircraft, we decided to take a closer look.

The aircraft, which carried the band during their 2016 “Book of Souls” tour, has been transformed into collectible keychains crafted from its white fuselage and blue tail fin, which featured their mascot, Eddie. Each tag measures 1.5 by 3.5 inches (35 by 88 mm) and sells for €66.66 ($73) in homage to “The Number of the Beast.” Though the plane could yield up to 100,000 tags, Aviationtag prefers small-batch, exclusive editions. Some tags even feature rare gold paint discovered beneath layers of color. You can buy yours at this LINK.

Originally delivered to Air France in 2003 as F-GITH, the aircraft later served Air Atlanta Icelandic in 2015 as TF-AAK and briefly flew for Saudi Arabia Airlines before being retired in 2022 and dismantled at Cotswold Airport in 2024.

Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden’s frontman, is deeply connected to aviation, particularly vintage aircraft. Coming from a family with RAF ties, he became a commercial pilot and captained Ed Force One himself. He has also flown numerous warbirds, including the Spitfire and DC-3, and has supported organizations such as the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome and the Commemorative Air Force.

Iron Maiden has long celebrated British aviation history, from Spitfire models gracing their stage to their iconic song “Aces High,” which tells the story of an RAF pilot in the Battle of Britain, the first major military campaign fought entirely in the air.