707 vs. DC-8
Just interested in the subject of Boeing vs. Douglas and how the 707 gained the advantage over the dc-8. I know Pan Am bought initial equal batches, and the DC-8 was a great aircraft which was able to be stretched considerably over the years. Pan Am's traditional ties had been to Douglas, and their performance was fairly similar, although the DC-8's capacity was lower. They even went as far as cancelling six of their initial order with Douglas they were so enraptured with Boeing.
What factors were behind this decision, and has any 'behind the scenes' information come out? Although Pan Am was obviously a market leader in terms of aircraft decisions I'm sure other airlines were making important fleet decisions at the same time. I'd be interested in any insights into other Boeing vs. Douglas decisions at the same time and the reasons behind them.
From Pan Am: An Airline & Its Aircraft by R.E.G. Davies
"Often forgotten is that the order was for 25 Douglas DC-8s and 20 Boeing 707s. This suggested that Pan American was prepared to support the company which had supplied it with so many reliable aircraft during the postwar years, but was also warning it that its product had to be good and that tradition and sentiment would not guarantee a continued market. In the event, Boeing proved that its determination not to let this chance slip was matched by its actions. It assembled a production and marketing team that out-produced and out-sold the experienced Douglas. More important, Pan American switched to Boeing as its main supplier. And at this time, when Pan American sneezed, the rest of the aviation world felt a severe draught and most of it caught cold or worse." page 66