Legend and Legacy: The Story of Boeing and Its People

New York: St. Martin's Press, c1992. First Edition. First Printing. Hardcover. Very good/Good. 25 cm. xv, [1], 480 pages. Illustrations. Index. Slight wear to DJ. This copy is inscribed on the front free endpaper by Boeing leader Bruce Gissing; the inscription reads: "March 12, 1992, Dear Vic: Legend & Legacy is the latest book describing the growth of the company. I am sure you will find some familiar names. What you have done during your term in office is to construct a legacy which will provide a foundation for the future. Good luck--Bruce Gissing." Robert Jerome Serling (March 28, 1918 - May 6, 2010) was an American novelist and aviation writer. Serling became full-time aviation editor for United Press International in 1960. He wrote at least eight novels and sixteen books of nonfiction. His novel The President's Plane Is Missing was made into a 1973 made-for-TV film starring Buddy Ebsen. He was the older brother of screenwriter and The Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling. He received the 1988 Lauren D. Lyman Award "for distinguished achievement in the field of aviation and aerospace journalism." The official history of the Boeing Company which, in addition to the aviation portion, includes Bomarc, Minuteman, Lunar Rover Vehicle, Dyna-Soar, Saturn V, and the space station. The name Boeing evokes vivid images, from the B-17 Flying Fortresses of World War II to the 707 and 747 jet transports that revolutionized air travel. Less well known: The Boeing Company built the first stage of the Saturn rocket that started men on the way to the moon, developed the Minuteman missile system, and is now designing America's space station. Behind the statistics and the awe-inspiring aircraft is a company of paradoxes, a vast organization nimble enough to take daring market risks that have kept it at the top of its industry. Legend and Legacy is Robert J. Serling's most ambitious work to date, and never in its seventy-five years has Boeing been so revealingly profiled. This book is must-reading for anyone fascinated by the history of aviation.