Boeing will begin production of its 1,000th 767 jetliner next Tuesday at its Everett plant.

The twinjet is being replaced by Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner, which is nearly three years behind schedule for its first delivery.

Orders for the 767, first delivered in 1982, continue to trickle in. Boeing has received three orders for the plane this year. Overall, airlines have ordered 1,044 of the aircraft.

Boeing hopes to keep the 767 production line going for several more years if the Air Force buys a 767-based tanker to replace the 40-year-old airborne refuelers now in its inventory.

A decision whether Boeing or its European rival, EADS, gets the tanker contract is to be made this fall. The initial contract is for 179 aircraft. EADS will base its tanker on the Airbus A-330 jet.

If Boeing wins the contract, it could ultimately produce several hundred more 767s for the Air Force and foreign governments.

At 1,044 orders, the 767 has surpassed the Boeing 707 (1,010 orders) in popularity. Boeing had built 1,049 examples of its 757 when it was discontinued production several years ago.

The 767 has been more popular than several models from Boeing’s American rival, McDonnell Douglas. That company sold 556 DC-8s, 446 DC-10s and 976 DC-9s. Boeing and McDonnell Douglas merged in 1997.