Product of the join of the companies founded by James S. McDonnell
and Donald W. Douglas , Mc Donnell Douglas was
a leader manufacturer in commercials, military, helicopters and space aircrafts.
The WW II 's C-47/DC-3, the military jets A-4 Skyhawk, F-4 Phantom, AV-8 Harrier,
F-15 Eagle, F-18 Hornet, and the DC family of civilian jets are examples of
the success of this corporation.
Mc Donnell Douglas was great involved in the helicopter market when in 1984
acquired the Hughes Helicopters Company founded by Howard Hughes .
Notice :
The helicopter 's history of Mc Donnell Douglas is being considered in this
page with the early firms Mc Donnell and Hughes.
April 27, 1946 :
Mc Donnell Whirlaway (XHJD-1)
The first helo of the company was designed for the US Navy.
The engine were 2 Pratt & Whitney R-985 of 450 Hp each
One unit built.
See Platt-LePage XR-1 in Pioneers
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May 5, 1947 :
Mc Donnell "Little Henry" (XH-20)
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First world's ram-jet helicopter
It was powered with ram-jets mounted at the tips of the rotor blades.
It had no tail rotor and weighed only 280 pounds.
Was cancelled due the heavy consumption of fuel
A proposed H-29 improved version was cancelled
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August 1948 :
Hughes acquired Kellett projects
1952 :
Hughes "Flying Crane" XH-17
First project of the Hughes company, the XH-17 had a two-bladed main rotor
system with a diameter of 40.8 m, and was capable of flying at a gross weight of more than 18600 kgs
One unit built.
The H-28 was a derivate with a max weight of 47.000 Kg but the program was cancelled and therefore none built.
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July 14, 1954 :
Mc Donnell Model 86 (XV-1)
[H-35]
Was a convertiplane compound helicopter for the US Army
on April 29, 1955 :
made the first successful conversion from vertical rotor lift
to horizontal winged flight
It engine was a Continental R-975 of 525 hp and was capable of
reach a max speed of 322 km/h
Two units built.
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First designation was H-35
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1956 :
Hughes 200 / 269 / 300 (TH-55 Osage)
First military aircraft production of the Hughes Company
An observation version called YHO-2 was cancelled.
792 units of the military Osage were built.
See TH-55 Video Clip
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300C
Rotor diameter: 8.18 m
Length: 9.40 m
Height: 2.67 m
Weight: 480 kg - Max: 930
Engine: 1 Avco Lycoming
HIO-360 of 190 hp
Speed: Max: 150 km/h
Range: 370 km
Service Ceiling: 3100 m
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November 13, 1957 :
Mc Donnell Model 120
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A private project of the company that uses the XV-1 concept,
the model 120 was a flying crane that was also cancelled
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February 27, 1963 :
Hughes 369 Cayuse (OH-6)
1964 :
Hughes "Hot Cycle" (XV-9)
Was an experimental design, where the engine exhaust was
ducted through the rotor hub and the blades, and expelled
from the rotor tips.
One unit built
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1966 :
Hughes 500
Commercial version of the OH-6 Cayuse
April 28, 1967
Merger of
McDonnell and Douglas
1968 :
Hughes OH-6 Cayuse 's peak production, during the Vietnam War, as many
as 100 OH-6As were built a month.
August 1970
Last deliveries of OH-6A, 1434 units completed.
Continue
Mc Donnell Douglas Helicopters Part II
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