The Douglas Aircraft Company was founded in 1921.
McDonnell Aircraft Corporation was founded in1939.
In 1967 McDonnell Aircraft Corporation merged with Douglas. The combined company was called the McDonnell Douglas Corporation (MDC), with headquarters at St Louis.
The main divisions were, McDonnell Aircraft Company (MCAIR), and Douglas Aircraft Company (DAC), while Douglas Missiles & Space Systems Division became the McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company (MDAC).
In 1984 MDC purchased Hughes Helicopters and formed the McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company (MDHC).
The parent MDC was later subdivided into DAC, McDonnell Douglas Aerospace (MDA), comprising MCAIR, MDHC and MD Space and Electronic Systems, and Military Transport Aircraft (MTA), a separate company for the production of the C-17.*
In 1997 most of MDC was purchased by Boeing. All aircraft remaining in production becoming Boeing products. The only part not purchased was McDonnell Douglas Helicopters, which was sold to a specially formed Dutch group called MD Helicopter Co. They continue the MDHC products in Mesa, Arizona.
* Along the way, we had McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company (MDA), McDonnell Douglas Transportation Company (MDTC), McDonnell Douglas Finance Corporation (MDFC), McDonnell Douglas Technical Services Company (MDTSCO) and the McDonnell Douglas Automation Company (McAUTO), to name a few.
For a good Douglas Aircraft history, go here
Some of the Douglas Aircraft Corporation logos:
Some of the McDonnell Aircraft/McDonnell Douglas Corporation logos:
3 comments:
Do you happen to have a street address for any of the McAuto locations in St. Louis near Lambert. I'm trying to find out where it was in about 1971 then in 1975 or soon after with a new building.
Not sure of the number but McAuto (McDonnell Douglas Automation Company was located on James S. McDonnell Blvd in Berkley, MO
During World War 2 McDonnell bought an interest in Platt-LePage Aircraft, and have some of their engineering staff work at Platt-LePage Aircraft to learn helicopter design.
McDonnell Aircraft would later purchase the design and engineering data of the Platt-LePage Aircraft PL-9 twin engine helicopter, which would become the McDonnell XHJD-1 "Whirlaway".
When Platt-LePage Aircraft closed down McDonnell aquired a number of PL-LP patents, and personnel to work on the XHJD-1.
Jay Hendrickson
Platt-LePage Aircraft Archives
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