History of McDonnell Douglas

Major United States aircraft manufacturer, James S. McDonnell (1899-1980) founded the company in 1939 after working several firms including Stout, Hamilton and Martin.

The company was intended to focus on military production of aircraft and parts.

Donald Douglas Wills graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology with aeronautical engineering founded the Davis-Douglas Company in California in 1920 to built an aircraft.

He renamed the company Douglas Aircraft Company and in 1924 a team of US Army personnel made the first round the world flight in specially designed Douglas World Cruisers, a feat which boosted Douglas’s reputation.

Douglas Aircraft Company’s heritage began in 1925 with the delivery of the C-1, the first United States aircraft designed as a logistic transport, to the Army Air Service.

Both McDonnell and Douglas contribute to the war effort, but were short of work with the end of hostilities.

McDonnell took over Douglass aircraft in 1967, becoming McDonnell Douglas. The company produced fighter aircraft – such as F-4 Phantom II and later the F15 Eagle for combat as well as missile technology and civilian aircraft – such as MD series of commercial airliners.

McDonnell Douglas MD-80 and MD-90 is the fascinating story of the family of airliners which has served with over 40 airliners around the globe.

In 1975, McDonnell was selected over E-System as the contractor for guidance systems for the forthcoming cruise missile , a contract which will generate substantial income for the 1980s.

McDonnell also entered into cooperation with Northrop to develop a lightweight fighter, the F-18 for the Navy.

McDonnell Douglass designed, developed and produced the industry’s first military transports and the first tanker aircraft.

After the takeover of MacDonnell Douglass by Boeing in August 1997, both are continuing to operate as divisions of the Seattle based manufacturer.
History of McDonnell Douglas