Behind the scenes with 747-8 Intercontinental (photos)

EVERETT, Wash.--On Sunday, Boeing formally unveiled its next-generation 747-8 Intercontinental at a celebration attended by some 10,000 employees, family members, media, and others. The new plane is expected to be able to fly longer and faster, and offer airlines the best fuel efficiency in the business. By Monday, the plane had been moved outside the Everett facility, and was viewable in the open for the first time in its all-new orange, red, and white livery.

The 747-8 Intercontinental, as seen at the unveiling event inside the giant Everett assembly facility in Everett, Wash., on Sunday.

In this image, the first 747-8 Intercontinental is rolled out of Boeing's giant Everett, Wash., assembly plant to its painting facility.

In this image, this 747-8 Intercontinental, which is the 1,434th 747 built, is moved to what is called slant position.

This is a view of the flight deck of the 747-8 Intercontinental.

In this image, the aft section of a 747-8 Intercontinental is moved into place inside Boeing's giant Everett, Wash., assembly facility.

In this image, the front section of a 747-8 Intercontinental is moved into place using a ceiling-based crane at the Everett, Wash., facility.

In this image, a large section of the fuselage of a 747-8 Intercontinental is moved into place for final body join.

Here, we see a 747-8 Intercontinental in final body join at the giant Everett, Wash., assembly plant.

Here, the 1,434th 747, a 747-8 Intercontinental, is moved into slant position.

Here, we see the 1,434th 747, a 747-8 Intercontinental, being rolled into place at the Everett, Wash., facility.

Here we see a General Electric GEnx-2B engine being added to the first 747-8 Intercontinental.

This is a look at the GEnx engines from the rear as they are being added to the first 747-8 Intercontinental.

This is a front view of two GEnx-2B engines being added to the first 747-8 Intercontinental.

This is a look at the business class section on the lower deck of the 747-8 Intercontinental, as seen in an interior mock-up at Boeing's Customer Experience Center in Tukwila, Wash.

For members of the public who love airplanes, a drive on the state highway that runs directly through the middle of Boeing's Everett, Wash., facility provided a view of the new 747 on Monday morning.