A Brief Boeing Company History

Boeing was incorporated in Seattle, Washington by William E. Boeing on July 15, 1916, as “Pacific Aero Products Co.” following the June 15, 1916 maiden flight of one of the two seaplanes built with the assistance of George Conrad Westervelt, a U.S. Navy engineer. On May 9, 1917, the company became the “Boeing Airplane Company”.

In 1927, Boeing created an airline, named Boeing Air Transport (BAT). A year later, BAT, as well as Pacific Air Transport and Boeing Airplane Company merged into a single corporation. The company changed its name to United Aircraft And Transport Corporation in 1929 and acquired Pratt & Whitney, Hamilton Standard Propeller Company, and Chance Vought. United Aircraft then purchased National Air Transport in 1930. The Air Mail Act of 1934 prohibited airlines and manufacturers from being under the same corporate umbrella, so the company split into three smaller companies - Boeing Airplane Company, United Airlines, and United Aircraft Corporation, the precursor to United Technologies. As a result, William Boeing sold off his shares.

Visit The Boeing website for an in depth history of this remarkable company.

The Boeing Model 40's

The first Model 40 was built for a 1925 U.S. Post Office competition as a replacement for the converted military de Havillands that had carried the airmail since 1918.

A.T.C. #27,the Boeing Model 40B was the next modification in the Boeing "40A" series of aircraft which came about under A.T.C. #2 in 1927.

Like it's earlier counterpart, the Model 40A, the "B" was a rather large biplane carrying a combination payload of mail, cargo, and two passengers. The passengers were seated in an enclosed cabin and the pilot was seated behind, in an open cockpit. Because the cabin section was isolated from the pilot, some ingeneous pilots had devised a speaking tube system to enable them to talk to their passengers and explain the unfolding scenery far down below.

The Model 40A was powered with the Pratt & Whitney Wasp radial engine of 400-410 hp. The updated model 40B was powered with the larger, 9 cylinder Pratt & Whitney Hornet engine of 500 hp.

Boeing updated 19 of their existing 40A's to the new P&W Hornet engine.

A Few Interesting Specs For The Model 40B

A friend, Addison Pemberton, and his sons are restoring a Boeing Model 40B. This is an extremely rare aircraft which will be the only one flying. A second is in the Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. Below are some images showing their progress.

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