William Edward Boeing, born in 1881, was the founder of the aircraft company that bears his name. After his father's death, Boeing moved to the Pacific Northwest and established a lumber business in 1903. His interest in aviation was sparked at the 1910 Los Angeles air show, leading him to build his own airplane with friend Conrad Westervelt. In 1916, he incorporated the Pacific Aero Products Company, which later became the Boeing Airplane Company. The company's growth was fueled by contracts during World War I. Despite setbacks after the war, Boeing persevered, branching into furniture and speedboats, before returning to aviation with contracts for bombers and fighters. The company's reputation for building durable planes was established with the B-17 bomber, and it later expanded into commercial aviation.
Born on October 1, 1881, in Detroit, Michigan, William Edward Boeing was the son of a wealthy timber and mining magnate. This privileged background allowed him to receive an education in Switzerland and attend Yale University. However, tragedy struck during Boeing's freshman year when his father passed away. Disagreements with his stepfather led Boeing to drop out of Yale and move to the Pacific Northwest. In 1903, coincidentally the same year the Wright brothers achieved their first flight, Boeing started a lumber business in the Pacific Northwest. It was during an air show in Los Angeles in 1910 that Boeing's fascination with aviation was sparked. He took his first flight in 1915 but was unimpressed with the performance of a Curtiss seaplane. This dissatisfaction led Boeing, along with his friend Conrad Westervelt, a naval officer, to decide to create a superior aircraft. Acquiring a Martin seaplane, Boeing, with his financial backing and piloting skills, teamed up with Westervelt's design expertise and Herb Munter's mechanical skills to embark on their project. On July 15, 1916, Boeing founded the Pacific Aero Products Company and assumed the role of its president. The company's timing was impeccable as the U.S. Navy soon placed an order for 50 of Boeing's seaplanes for World War I, propelling the firm into the aviation spotlight. Despite facing post-war challenges with contract cancellations, the company managed to stay afloat by diversifying into furniture and speedboat manufacturing. However, it was the military contracts for bombers and fighters that allowed the company to bounce back. By 1921, Boeing's engineers were crafting their own designs, including the robust PW-9 biplane.
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