The John L. Bailey Boeing Collection contains textual and visual materials that primarily pertain to John L. Bailey's work as an engineer at the Boeing Company in Seattle, Washington. Most materials date from 1948 to 1982. The collection has been divided into two series: Military materials and Professional materials.

Military materials is the first and smallest series. It touches upon Bailey's United States Air Force service during World War II. His training in Winslow, Arizona is represented by six black-and-white photographs, four of which include unidentified military aircraft in flight and on the tarmac. One print is an aerial view of Winslow, Arizona and another print depicts a large meteor crater, presumably near Winslow. Of interest are thirteen prints that depict military personnel and aircraft engaged in a malaria survey in Brazil in 1945.

The second series, Professional materials are materials collected and used by Bailey in his work on various projects within the Boeing Company. This series makes up the bulk of the collection and has been further divided into two subseries; Photographs and concept art and Engineering work and technical drawings.

Photographs and concept art includes 36 photographs. Three prints show an interior aircraft lounge while 29 prints depict a Boeing cargo system. There is a small number of assorted photographs and photocopies of photographs which depict a variety of aircraft, including the Boeing XB-52 Stratofortress, a model of a Boeing Model 307 Stratoliner in Military Air Transport Service livery, and a profile pressure helmet for the B-52.

There are also 33 photographic reproductions of concept art, a highlight of the collection. The art was created by the Boeing Company to support a 1976 exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum titled "Air Transportation 2076." The exhibit was a look at what air and spacecraft may look like by the year 2076. There are 11 different concept air and space craft; each with three panels of specifications, uses, and design. For example, the "Electric Commuter jet" was imagined as a "flying bus" that would operate from building rooftops to help alleviate commuter traffic. Its specifications include a gross weight of 66,000 pounds, a speed of 465 miles per hour, and a passenger capacity of one hundred people. The design of the aircraft body is a somewhat triangular shape. The interior includes a wide open seating area and what appears to be a bar in the middle of the passenger area.

Engineering work and technical drawings includes Bailey's original 1948-1949 employment offer letter from Boeing and work from various projects he was assigned to, such as the Boeing B-52 and Boeing Model 757. Materials include technical drawings for various parts, including instrument panels, light plates, a cargo system, and observers seat. Also included are related notes, photographs, nomenclature and parts lists, and work assignment and summary sheets.

Photographs in the collection are a mix of color and black-and-white. The prints are generally modern reprints and were likely created for publicity or presentations. Sizes vary although most are 8x10-inches and the majority include Boeing Company stamps or print numbers.