The world was a much different place when William Boeing started to build aeroplanes in a small boathouse along the shore of Seattle’s Lake Union in 1916. Flying machines were still a novelty. Most aviation records, such as altitude, distance and speed, were held by European aircraft manufacturers and pilots.
The most advanced aircraft were made in France and Germany. The fledgling American industry was led by Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Co. and Wright-Martin.