Boeing delivers final 747 jetliner, ending more than 5 decades of production

Boeing on Tuesday will deliver the last 747 airliner it will ever make, ending the storied craft's more-than-five-decade run as arguably the most iconic plane ever made. 

The company had delivered its final passenger version of the 747 in 2017; Tuesday's craft was made for cargo carrier Atlas Air. 

The 747 first entered service in 1969 and has been a mainstay of air travel around the world, having been dubbed a "jumbo jet" upon its release as the first wide-bodied aircraft available to the public. 

More than 1,500 747s have been manufactured in the years since its introduction. Just several dozen still remain in use for passenger service. 

Competing aircraft greatly cut into the 747's dominance in the decades since its release, most notably from European manufacturer Airbus.