Boeing 377 in 1950 and the first order for the 707 in 1955, Boeing was shut out of the commercial aircraft market. In the mid-1950s technology had advanced significantly, which gave Boeing the opportunity to develop and manufacture new products. One of the first was the guided short-range missile used to intercept enemy aircraft. By that time the Cold War had become a fact of life, and Boeing used its short-range missile technology to develop and build an intercontinental missile. In 1958, Boeing began delivery of its 707, the United States' first commercial jet airliner, in response to the British De
Boeing Commercial Airplanes 61, would step down immediately and be replaced. Kevin G. McAllister was named president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA). For all models sold beginning with the Boeing 707 in 1957, except the 720, Boeing's naming system for commercial airliners has taken the form of 7X7 (X representing a number). All model designations from 707 through 787 have been assigned, leaving 797 as the only 7X7 model name not assigned to a product. For model numbers in the 707 to 777 range, the model number consists of an airplane's model number, for example 707 or 747, followed by a