Boeing 707 Group: A History

by Graham M. Simons

A definitive look at the plane that revolutionized air travel and its place in aviation history from the author of Comet! The World’s First Jet Airliner.   The Boeing 707 family—that includes the forerunner Model 367-80, the KC-135 series of military transports and the slightly smaller Model 720—was the pioneer of the sweptback wing, incorporating podded engines borrowed from the B-47 military bomber. It was the aircraft that many regard as the design that really ushered in the Jet-Age.   This book from the established aviation historian Graham Simons examines the entire course of the Boeing 707’s history, charting an impressive design evolution and illustrating the many ways in which the 707’s legacy continues to be felt to this day. In laying the foundation for Boeing’s preeminence on the world’s jetliner market during the 1980s and 90s, the 707 paved the way for future innovations in both civilian and military fields and Graham Simons has put together an image-packed history that records the historic and landmark milestones of this iconic aircraft type.   “The book is well worth the price and will provide many hours of intriguing reading and research support. It is a good addition to one’s aviation bookshelf.”—Air Power History   “An impressive volume that is well-written, and easy to read. Its research is of a high standard. It will, of course, appeal to Boeing 707/C-135 ‘enthusiasts’ and as such could well become a ‘Standard Reference Work’ on its subject.”—NZ Crown Mines

Genres: Aviation

811 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 30, 2018

Reviews

[Vic Lauterbach · Rating 4 out of 5]

This very thorough study of 707 development and its service history is interesting and informative, but includes so much peripheral material, such as a large section devoted to a complete rundown of all KC-135 variants, that it becomes a reference work. Some of the side tracks are worthwhile, but not all. How Boeing sold the USAF on the KC-135 was integral to the 707 story, but the myriad uses to which that airframe was put over the next 30 years were not. While the 707 was the airplane that triggered the era of global air travel, its impact is arguably less than Boeing's next huge gamble, the jumbo jet. Sales of the 707 were in decline when the 747 was introduced in 1970, but the introduction of its huge cousin signaled a seismic shift from government subsidized carriers to profitable airlines that needed cost effective aircraft like the 727, 737 and 747. For a jet that was born as a military tanker, it's fitting that the last one to roll out was an E-3C AWACS, yet another offspring of the 707 that became famous in it own right. The strength of this book is how well it conveys the fundamental strength of Boeing's design. Every part of the plane could be and was upgraded, improved or replaced essentially letting the 707 keep evolving into a new aircraft for 33 years. The main weakness of this book is that Mr. Simons conveys, perhaps unintentionally, a dislike of Boeing which gives his narrative an odd tone. That said, anyone interested in the plane that epitomized the dawning jet age will find that story told here and much more. Recommended to readers in that category.

[Stuart W. Ball · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing

As much as he decries pro-Boeing sentiment, the British author never misses an opportunity to criticize the company, as well as the American airlines of the 50s and 60s. There's too much editorial content and personal opinion for a supposedly objective review of the 707's history.

[B Mart · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t understand why the author wrote this book. He spends the first two chapters talking about how the KC-135 isn’t a Boeing 707, then spends half the book talking about the KC-135.

Unfortunately, the author also fails to remain objective. His dislike of Boeing is hard to miss.

I think going forward I’ll avoid his books about Boeing models.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The development, commercial bacground, technical and operational history of all versions, everything is there. The explanations are clear and complete. Excellent research on this most important piece of aviation history. Only issue is a few typos that should have been edited.