Demon for friend and foe, alike — the McDonnell F3H

Demon for friend and foe, alike — the McDonnell F3H

Beginning with the FD Phantom, then followed by the F2H Banshee, McDonnell Aircraft earned a solid reputation with the U.S. Navy for fighter aircraft design early in the jet age. The U.S. Navy, late in coming to the jet age — largely due to carrier flight deck limitation overcome with the advent of the angled flight deck — stepped in the future with the F3H Demon by designing a fighter around an air-to-air intercept missile, the then new AIM-7  Sparrow. Later, the Navy would do the same with the F-14 Tomcat and AIM-54 Phoenix.

Throughout its career the Demon had its own demons, the most dangerous being insufficient power. McDonnell just did not get the proper engine paired to the Demon so the F3H was soon out-competed by the Vought F8U Crusader, though 23 squadrons flew the Demon ultimately.

The story does not end there, however, as various Demon characteristics are ancestral to one of the most successful fighter designs made — the McDonnell F-4 Phantom II. Looking at the wing plan, the jet intakes and the cockpit profile one can clearly see the lineage. The Demon had good and stable flying qualities as well as excellent visibility all round outside the cockpit — but insufficient power to weight ratio and high fuel consumption made its use challenging.

More information on the McDonnell F3H Demon is available at the National Naval Aviation Museum, where the aircraft pictured is displayed, on this fact sheet.

McDonnell’s Demon — photo by Joseph May

The McDonnell F3H Demon at the National Naval Aviation Museum — photo by Joseph May

The Demon’s lines precurse the Phantom II’s — photo by Joseph May

Aside from AIM-7 Sparrow missiles the F3H also had 4 x 20mm cannon — photo by Joseph May