Paint your own Dreamliner

December 2, 2011 11:33 AM

Boeing's got a new web app up that allows you to paint your own Dreamliner. They've also got a pretty cool gallery up of all the pretty (and not so pretty) 787s people have dreamed (sigh) up.
posted by kjars (20 comments total)

Um, are the wings supposed to curve up that much?
posted by polymodus at 11:41 AM on December 2, 2011

If I were more talented I'd totally mock one up in WWI style razzle dazzle camouflage.
posted by 2bucksplus at 11:43 AM on December 2, 2011

They've also got a pretty cool gallery up of all the pretty (and not so pretty) 787s people have dreamed (sigh) up.

Some look sorta plane.
posted by hal9k at 11:54 AM on December 2, 2011 [2 favorites]

Um, are the wings supposed to curve up that much?

Yes -- raked wingtips.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 11:56 AM on December 2, 2011

Wait, I've got that wrong, it's not raked wingtips you're asking about. But yes, they do curve upward quite a bit.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 11:58 AM on December 2, 2011

This is how much the wings are not supposed to curve up.
posted by smcameron at 12:00 PM on December 2, 2011 [1 favorite]

I mean, it's got quite a bit of positive dihedral.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 12:00 PM on December 2, 2011

Um, are the wings supposed to curve up that much?

Cantilevered wings like that flex quite a bit in flight. The lift from the wings not only pulls the whole aircraft aloft, but also bends the wings up. Totally normal.

Next time you fly, you can get a window seat over the wing and watch it bounce up and down as the airplane hits turbulence.
posted by backseatpilot at 12:02 PM on December 2, 2011

This is a sure-fire way to generate sales!
posted by mazola at 12:05 PM on December 2, 2011 [1 favorite]

Not a single flying cock on the first few pages? Internet, I am disappoint. I expected so much less from you.
posted by pyrex at 12:12 PM on December 2, 2011 [1 favorite]

Not a single flying cock on the first few pages? Internet, I am disappoint. I expected so much less from you.

The user agreement forbids writing offensive things on your Dreamliner. I'm guessing a flying cock would qualify as offensive. Awesome, but offensive.
posted by kjars at 12:16 PM on December 2, 2011

This is a sure-fire way to generate sales!

"It wasn't really in our family budget to buy a Dreamliner this year. The family minivan was still trucking and I just replaced the oil filters. Once Betsy saw how affordable the 787 is to maintain and little Aildan painted it just how we wanted we tightened our belts and bought American. These new Boeings get much better mpgs than they used to, we can go tens of thousands of miles on a single tank of gas. Let's see your Prius match that. And don't get me started on all the cargo space."

Boeing. For Families.
posted by 2bucksplus at 12:17 PM on December 2, 2011 [2 favorites]

via Boeing Boeing?
posted by Kabanos at 12:36 PM on December 2, 2011 [3 favorites]

Slight derail: I was at the Boeing plant in Everett recently and saw quite a few unfamiliar paint schemes on the partly-finished aircraft. The 787 is being marketed as extremely cost-effective so a lot of smaller airlines are buying them. Inside the factory the aircraft under construction get a banner slapped on 'em proudly announcing their new owners, like Ethiopian Airlines, which may be the only time I'll ever see one of their planes.

Unfortunately with the delays in the 787 development program (despite having delivered some aircraft a few weeks ago, Boeing is still working out bugs), many 787s belonging to these smaller customers are still sitting outside, waiting for parts, bright tropical livery shivering forlornly under the cold rainy skies.
posted by Quietgal at 12:52 PM on December 2, 2011

The interesting thing about that destructive test is that it is just the wing box, not the entire wing in the test jig. I've been told by people directly involved that the entire wing will flex almost until the tips touch above the aircraft before failing. Apparently Boeing received a waiver from the FAA to avoid having to destructively test the entire wing. I've never had this confirmed by anyone else, but it was a pretty good source.
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 12:57 PM on December 2, 2011

Yeah, Boeing (which is a huge defense contractor) has great PR. Ever notice how many ads they run on cable TV news shows? They don't want you to buy a plane or a seat. They want you, American citizen, not to question how much of our tax funding is spent on things they make that we surely don't need.

And while they've just signed a deal with their machinists, the company is in a position of strength to eventually do what the machinists were opposing, which is move a major production facility from union-friendly Washington to union-hating South Carolina. Not to mention all the work they outsource to China that used to get done in the US by union workers, but hey, it's still an American made product, just gotta get those wages down to rock bottom to compete.

Pretty airplanes, though. This was fun.
posted by spitbull at 1:48 PM on December 2, 2011

Not a single flying cock on the first few pages?

I'll see your cock and raise you a Wang.
posted by crapmatic at 2:02 PM on December 2, 2011

Boeing: Did you paint this plane you see streaking through the air, for FREE on the internet when your guard was down and we surreptitiously attacked suckers to your brain because you thought that would be an "enjoyable" use of your time? Aw, don't feel used, you never would have found a way to masochistically fellate the contacts in your industry to get paid for it anyway!
posted by gorgor_balabala at 6:09 PM on December 2, 2011

I call it the Wet Dreamliner. Unfortunately, I doubt it will make the cut.
posted by Ice Cream Socialist at 8:38 PM on December 2, 2011

Too bad you can't design one that's comfortable and affordable to fly in. And has a soundproof area for crying babies/nasty people with attitudes.
posted by kinnakeet at 8:29 AM on December 3, 2011