The B-1 was the first aircraft designed and assembled entirely by the Boeing Airplane Company for commercial rather than military purposes. The hull was made using laminated wood veneer, and the wings were framed with Washington-grown spruce. Beginning in 1920, the plane was used on the first regularly scheduled international airmail route between Seattle and Victoria. The B-1 could carry two passengers plus mail and cargo. As an airmail delivery plane, the B-1 played an important role in the development of international trade. Mail bound for Asia arrived in Seattle by train to be loaded on ships. These vessels stopped in Victoria to pick up cargo and passengers. When trains ran late, the mail had to wait a week or more for the next trans-Pacific ship. Pilot Eddie Hubbard could fly the mail in his B-1 and meet the ship in Victoria. Mail from Asia was unloaded in Victoria and taken to Vancouver where it was brought by train to Seattle. Flying the mail from Victoria to Seattle got it here a day or two sooner, expediting cargo clearance through customs. This was worth a lot of money to importers. After flying 1,000 trips over 350,000 miles without losing even one piece of mail, the B-1 was retired from airmail service in 1927.