Letter: In Brief

Sir: Andrew Gumbel's wide-ranging analysis of the future prospects of Boeing ("Boeing, Boeing, gone?", 1 September) is spoilt by the footnote short history of that company, particularly the statement about "dozens" (should be thousands) of B17 "fighters" (should be bombers: have the 12,731 Flying Fortresses been forgotten?). Again, the reference to the Boeing 707 being the world's first commercial jet airliner in 1958 seems to overlook the de Havilland Comet (Heathrow to Johannesburg passenger route in 1952).

MICHAEL FADIL

Horsham, West Sussex