Developing aircraft requires huge expenditure. One company has on a number of occasions bet more than it's entire net worth. The company was Boeing and its gambles have paid off making it an aviation giant. In 1952 Boeing developed a prototype transport plane. They invested 15 million dollars, which well exceeded the company's net worth - if the plane failed - it would have sunk the Company. The prototype was to become one of the greatest planes of the century - the Boeing 707