the world's largest aircraft manufacturer and number one corporate exporter, located in Seattle, Wash.; founded by William Boeing in 1916 as Pacific Aero Products Company; he also started small airlines to fly mail routes, eventually merging them into what is now United Airlines; Congress forced separation of aircraft manufacture from airline business in 1934; made such well-known war planes as B-17, B-47, and B-25 during World War II, and the B-52 Stratofortress after World War II; commercial planes include Boeing 707, 727, and 747; also active in national aerospace program with cruise missile and rocket launchers