McDonnell XF-88 Voodoo

The McDonnell XF-88 Voodoo was a prototype fighter‑bomber developed by McDonnell Aircraft Corporation in the immediate post‑World War II era. Authorized in 1945, the aircraft first flew on 20 April 1948 as a response to the United States Army Air Forces’ need for a long‑range, high‑speed escort that could protect bomber formations against emerging jet threats. Powered by two Westinghouse J34‑22 turbojet engines mounted beneath the fuselage, the slim, shoulder‑winged airframe reached a maximum speed of roughly 760 km/h (470 mph) and a service ceiling over 12,000 m. Its all‑metal construction incorporated a tricycle landing gear, a pressurized cockpit with bubble canopy, and provisions for up to 2,000 kg of internal bombs or rockets, making it a true fighter‑bomber hybrid.

Although flight testing demonstrated excellent handling and performance, shifting strategic priorities and the rapid advancement of newer jet designs led the USAF to cancel the program in 1949 after only three prototypes were built. The XF‑88’s design, however, directly influenced the later development of the successful McDonnell F‑101 Voodoo interceptor, and it remains a notable example of transitional jet engineering that bridged propeller‑era concepts and the supersonic age.