Boeing Metamorphosis: Launching the 737 and 747, 1965-1969

by John Fredrickson, John Andrew

Overview

A unique insider look at the profound changes Boeing experienced in the 1960s as the product mix shifted from military hardware to the first generation of jet-powered airliners.

Welcome to the world of corporate decision-making, workplace gambles, and a myriad of human interactions. This is a story that affirms the traditional values of hard work, fidelity, and building the human alliances necessary for achieving enduring success. John Andrew, a retired Boeing executive, offers a unique insider perspective of the changes Boeing experienced in the 1960s.

• The requirement for more factory space was fueled by new models and a surging worldwide demand for air travel.
• Massive construction projects were launched, including a newly constructed 747-sized factory on 760 acres at Paine Field in Everett, Washington.
• These cathedrals of airframe assembly remain vital to Boeing's ongoing operations today.
• More than 130 color and black-and-white images.

Explore the amazing growth and evolution of Boeing, one of the giants of aviation.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780764361623
Publisher:	Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.
Publication date:	05/28/2021
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

John Fredrickson's work history includes 36 years at Boeing in various departments, service with the US Air Force, and 23 years as adjunct faculty at the local community college. In his fifth published aviation history book, he teams with John Andrew, a retired Boeing executive and Harvard MBA, as they explore the creation of new airplanes and factories at Boeing during a period of metamorphosis between 1965 and 1969.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 5

Prologue 9

Chapter 1 Mr. Boeing's Company 13

Chapter 2 Aluminum Overcast 21

Chapter 3 B-52 Factory 34

Chapter 4 Let's Go Fishing 47

Chapter 5 Transport Division at Renton 60

Chapter 6 Welcome to the 1960s 84

Chapter 7 Buildings 4-81 and 4-82 96

Chapter 8 Probing for New Models 108

Chapter 9 Charlie Thompson and His Tract 125

Chapter 10 Decision to Delay a Decision 133

Chapter 11 Inheriting a Firestorm 139

Chapter 12 Mr. Allen's Frustrations 143

Chapter 13 The Yardstick 155

Chapter 14 Where to Build It? 163

Chapter 15 2,000 Acres 171

Chapter 16 Mud, Sand, and Dirt 185

Chapter 17 Building Factory at Everett 201

Chapter 18 The Rearview Mirror 217

Epilogue 223

Maps 227

Endnotes 232

Sources 234

Index 235

Editorial Reviews

"Together John Fredrickson and John Andrews have put together a fascinating account of Boeing's history with special focus on the dramatic changes necessary to produce the 747."

New York Journal of Books