Boeing has finished assembling the forward fuselage of the first 747-8 freighter.

The 27.2m fuselage section on the airplane’s upper deck was moved from the final assembly line for sealing and testing before systems installation begins.

The 747-8 has a stretched fuselage 5.6m longer than the 747-400, offering 16% more cargo volume than the predecessor.

It also offers space for four more main deck pallets and three more pallets in the lower hold.

Much of the stretch, about 4.1m, is located in the forward fuselage. The remaining 1.5m is located aft of the wing.