McDonnell F3H Demon

The McDonnell F3H Demon was the United States Navy’s first carrier‑based jet fighter developed after World War II. Designed by McDonnell Aircraft Corporation, its prototype first flew on 25 July 1949 and entered operational service in 1953, replacing the piston‑engine F4U Corsair and early straight‑wing jets such as the FH‑1 Phantom. The Demon featured a swept‑wing layout, an all‑metal fuselage, and a powerful Westinghouse J40 turbojet originally promised to deliver 7,000 lbf thrust. When the J40 proved unreliable, the aircraft was re‑engineered with the General Electric J47, which lowered performance but allowed the type to see combat in Korea and later in the early Cold War. Key features included a six‑gun armament of 20 mm cannons, provision for AIM‑9 Sidewinder air‑to‑air missiles, and an advanced (for its time) radar fire‑control system that gave Navy pilots their first true all‑weather interception capability. Although only 548 Demons were built and the type was quickly superseded by the McDonnell F4H Phantom, the aircraft served as a vital stepping stone, teaching engineers valuable lessons in jet propulsion, swept‑wing aerodynamics, and carrier operations that shaped the design of future supersonic Navy fighters.

McDonnell Aircraft Corporation

Classification

Production & History

Design & Classification