McDonnell

Mc Donnell Aircraft Corporation

James Smith McDonnell, born on April 9th, 1899, was the fourth child of a family living has Little Rock in Arkansas, the United States. After the end of its second school cycle it returned with MIT (Massachusett Institut off Technology) in Aeronautical Engineering.

Its name remains associated with largest the numbers of planes embarked within the US Navy.

Beginnings in aviation

After having served one year in U.S. Army Air Service or it becomes Pilote, it started at Huff-Daland Airplane Company in Ogdenburg, New York as an engineer and pilot.

In 1931 it joined for one short period Great Lakes Aircraft Corporation, but resigned for a post of chief engineer at Glenn-Martin.

He also worked on the concept of B-10/-12 that on other military apparatuses intended for export.

But it wished to assemble its own company as fast as possible. He gave his resignation in 1938 and on July 6th, 1939 created Mc Donnell Aircraft Coporation.

The first year was very difficult and Mc Donnell lost much money, but the the United States preparing the Guerre McDonnell received these first contracts as under treating.

Whereas it signed its first contract for the development of the XP-67 Bat (program of a fighter plan with long operating range), that was abandoned within sight of the performances of the plane. In same time the new technology of the Réacteurs was profiled and McDonnell thought of integrating its new engines into the planes of the future, and made its priority research orientation of it.

Rise

As the whole of the manufacturers were occupied manufacturing planes which the army needed, the team of McDonnell decided its to concentrate on the study of a jet. March 7th, 1945, Mc Donnell received its first order of 100 FH-1 Phantom of the US NAVY. This order was quickly brought back to 60 at the end of the war. But thanks to the FH-1 Phantom, McDonnell returns in the court of large, and becomes at the same time the 1st company required jets to the US NAVY.

In spite of the reduction of the initial order, McDonnell decided to develop a more powerful version of the FH-1, the F2H Banshee, which itself was followed by F3H Demon.

In same McDonnell time was also interested in the Hélicoptères and the needs of the USAAF and took part in two other major programs the XF-85 Goblin (without continuation) and the XF-88 which gave thereafter the F-101 Voodoo.

Dedication

Always in 1953, McDonnell received a ordering of the US NAVY, for an embarked interceptor, program which gave rise to the F-4 Phantom II the combat apparatus more built western world with 5195e built.

In 1962 McDonnell wanting to develop approached Douglas, and offered to him to amalgamate, which rejected Douglas.

Despite everything the contracts the Douglas one, this company was quickly in difficulty, mainly with the delays of delivery of DC-9 and new DC-10. McDonnell renewed its offer, which this time was accepted. The two entities amalgamated on April 28th, 1967, to form McDonnell Douglas.

Principal Achievements

Soldiers

FH-1 Phantom

F2H Banshee

F3H Demon

F4H-1 more known Phantom II under McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II

F-101 Voodoo

PROTOTYPE XF-85 Goblin

XF-88 Voodoo

Missiles

Talos

FGM-77 Dragon

GAM-72/ADM-20 Quail

Space

Capsule Gemini

Civilians

See

McDonnell Douglas MD-80

McDonnell Douglas DC-10

Reference: Francillon, Rene J. McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Since 1920. London: Putnam, 1979.

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