Any early-McDonnell history experts out there?

[stepwilk]

The XP-67, about which I'm writing for Air & Space Smithsonian, was the first design actually built by the new McDonnell Aircraft Corp., first filght early in 1944. James McDonnell was an MIT-trained aeronautical engineer (and a pilot), and it would be nice to assume that he himself designed and engineered the surprisingly advanced blended-wing/body airplane. (It was a failure because of its dreadful engines, but that's another story.)

Does anybody know if McDonnell did design the XP-67, or did he by that time have a staff of competent engineers who did that sort of thing while he ran the company?

[Atcham Tower]

Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1945 has only one entry for McDonnell - the XP-67. There is no information on its designer but as the company only built types such as the Fairchild AT-21 under sub-contract, it seems unlikely that a design team existed. Not proof of course, but maybe James McDonnell did design the XP-67 himself!

[Ian Corrigible]

Wasn't the genesis of the Moonbat the work done by McDonnell on blended-wing designs while at Martin?

I/C

[stepwilk]

Hey, tell me about it. All I know is that he worked on the Martin B-10. You may be on to something.

[Ian Corrigible]

A Google search comes up with this: XP-67 Moonbat on Secret Projects (http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=5992.0)

I/C

[Noyade]

I've read that it was the head of the company's "design team", Garrett C. Covington, that stated off what would become the XP-67, although I'm sure McDonnell wasn't just standing by the water cooler yelling "work faster guys!" Covington had been working on the project since 1939 in response to the USAAF specification R-40.

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/6370/designteam.jpg (http://img218.imageshack.us/i/designteam.jpg/)

[stepwilk]

Does anybody have a photo, or further information, on the Martin Model 178? I can't find a damn thing other than a mention on the secretprojects forum. First time a search has turned up zero for me.

[RZRob]

So I was Googling my grandpa's name and ran across this thread. My grandpa Covington (Gary II) is in the picture above on the left (with the tie). His son, my father (Gary III) lives in southern California. My brother (Gary IV) retired from McDonnell Douglas in Long Beach probably 10 years ago and now works for the military.

RZ Rob

[ronjoe]

I'm a former McAir employee and happen to have an old picture from the company newspaper that shows your grandpa Garrett Covington. If you'd like a copy send me an email, as I don't check the form often, and I'll scan what I have and send it to you.

Ron Lauber, [email protected]

[IGh]

From the first slot:
"... the first design actually built by the new McDonnell Aircraft Corp., first flight early in 1944..."
It is surprising to observe the evolving ownership of that FACTORY, on the south side of the Wabash tracks: It was owned by the largest airplane manufacturer of the early 1940's: Curtiss-Wright Corportation.
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/mo/county/stlouis/aviation/1947lambert-full.jpg

McDonnell's ownership of that big FACTORY appears suddenly after the decline of Curtiss-Wright:
"... But even in times of war, Congress and the public were bothered by shoddy contract performance and possible profiteering. The Truman Committee was established in 1941 to investigate contractors and programs for graft and waste. One major investigation focused on Curtiss-Wright ... A 1943 report criticized the company for having poor management policies and inferior products. This set the stage for a lasting lack of confidence between the company and the government ... affected the company's decline ... after the war. Curtiss-Wright remained the largest aircraft firm through the war period in terms of total business...." http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Aerospace/Curtiss_wright/Aero9.htm
(http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Aerospace/Curtiss_wright/Aero9.htm)

It is surprising that at the end of WWII, McD' had only a tiny building just west of the big Curtiss-Wright factory.

"... Despite this huge contribution to the war effort, the sudden end of the war had far-reaching effects on Curtiss-Wright. The firm found itself without a coordinated postwar corporate plan. ... after the war Curtiss-Wright paid huge dividends to its stockholders rather than investing in engineering to develop new models ... By 1947 the Curtiss-Wright Corporation had shut down 16 of its 19 factories nationwide. ... The Curtiss-Wright Corporation, one of the major manufacturers of aviation products for decades, became an investment firm ..."

Somehow, McD' suddenly did a takeover of the former Curtiss-Wright FACTORY.

The development of this real estate, the FACTORY site, can be watched via various unlabeled photo's on the "Globe-Democrat" archive. The property was near that of start-up of C.A.M Route #2, in Apr'1926 [Lindbergh's first job after graduation from Army's flight training].