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William E. Boeing left Yale's engineering college in 1903 to explore the growing timber industry in the Pacific Northwest. While in Washington, he took his first airplane flight with pilot Terah Maroney, which made him forget about timber and start Pacific Aero Products in 1916. The name later changed to the Boeing Company in 1917. Not long after Boeing created the Model C plane, the Navy began ordering the model for training purposes. Boeing's first customer began the extensive relationship between the Department of Defense and Boeing.
Boeing began produce additional planes for the Navy, Air Force, and the Army during WWII. From this point forward, Boeing's history began to mirror the history of the United States. A majority of Boeings new plans, and innovation to old plans took place in preparation for war. The Boeing B-17 was the first U.S. plane to fly a mission over occupied Europe. Boeing then produced planes and weapon systems for the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf War. Boeing also participated in the space race by contributing the Lunar Roving Vehicle and the vehicle to deliver space shuttles.
Boeing continues to produce planes and weapon systems for the Department of Defense as well as commercial airplanes for travel. The company has made immense contributions to the advancement of technology in the aerospace and defense industry. Many of these highlights are included in the timeline.
Boeing Timeline of Technology
1916 - William Boeing establishes and incorporated Pacific Aero Products, later known as the Boeing Company.
1916 - The Model C, Boeing's first plane, takes a flight over Lake Union in Seattle, Washington.
1917 - The Navy purchases 50 Model C seaplane trainers.
1918 - Boeing begins manufacturing HS-2Ls for the Navy.
1919 - William Boeing and pilot Eddie Hubbard deliver the first international airmail to Seattle, Washington from Vancouver, British Columbia in the Boeing C-700.
1920 - Boeing develops the Boeing BB-1 seaplane and sells it to a Canadian for its first international sale.
1923 - Boeing develops the technique know as arc-welding to equip three Havillands (DH-4s) with Steel tube fuselages.
1923 - The Boeing NB-1, a seaplane trainer, is developed by Boeing for the Army and the Navy.
1927 - Boeing builds the TB-1 bomber for the Navy for use in World War II.
1931 - Boeing Air Transport merges with National Air Transport, Varney Airlines and Pacific Air Transport to provide mail and passenger transportation across the country.
1935 - The Boeing B-17 takes its first flight in Seattle, Washington.
1942 - Boeing's "Yankee Doodle," or the B-17, leads the way in the first squadron of bombers to fly over occupied Europe.
1946 - Boeing begins to design a long-range heavy bomber, named B-52.
1951 - The First B-52 bomber is produced, and rolled out in secrecy at a Seattle airfield.
1952 - Boeing test fires its first supersonic Boeing Bomarc guided missile in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
1953 - the Boeing B-47E takes off in Wichita, Kansas with the first 18-unit jet-assisted takeoff system.
1958 - The U.S. Air Force orders several Boeing 707-120s. The planes are designated as VC-137As and later became know as Air Force One.
1966 - Boeing builds the Lunar Orbiter allowing NASA to take the first pictures of the moon and send them back to earth.
1973 - The Lunar Roving Vehicle is developed by Boeing and used by astronauts to explore the moon.
1977 - Boeing modifies the Boeing 747 and it is used by NASA as a Space Shuttle delivering vehicle.
1984 - NASA chooses Boeing Computer Services to create software for the Space Shuttle program.
1988 - Boeing builds the Avenger, an air defense system, and delivers it the U.S. Army.
1995 - NASA and Boeing begin working together to develop the International Space Station.
1999 - Boeing converts and launches the first Conventional Air-Launched Cruise Missiles (CALCM) out of its Weapons Programs facility in St. Charles, Missouri.
2002 - The Boeing X-45A unmanned Combat Air Vehicle takes its first flight.
2005 - Boeing makes an on-orbit delivery of the Boeing 702 Spaceway F1 satellite. The delivery was made for DIRECTV Inc, allowing for HDTV service across the U.S.
2007 - Boeing continues to develop the Boeing 787 Dreamliner for commercial travel.
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