McDonnell F3H-2N (F-3B) Demon

McDonnell F3H-2N (F-3B) Demon. . , The Demon was a swept-wing all-weather fighter equipped with cannons and air-to-air missiles. It was ordered in 1949, and the first flight of the prototype took place on August 7, 1951. It was designed and built by the McDonnell Aircraft Corporation (now Boeing) of St. Louis, Missouri. It was primarily intended to counter the Soviet's new swept-wing fighter, the MiG-15, which the Soviet's was supplying to North Korea., The early 1950s was a period of rapid design growth and experimentation in airframes and engines. Initially, the Demon was powered with a single Westinghouse J40 jet engine. The J40 never lived up to expectations in both power output and reliability, and the U.S. Navy deemed it totally unacceptable. The Demon was redesigned to accept the Allison J71 jet engine, delaying its entry into service until 1956 and thereby missing the Korean War (1950-1953). The J71 was an improvement, but performance still never lived up to expectations. However, the pilots that flew it took great pride in the aircraft and called themselves "Demon Drivers." The maintenance crews shared this pride and referred to themselves as "Demon Doctors." The Demon remained in service until 1964., In addition to the internally mounted 20mm cannons, the Demon was fitted to carry AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missiles. It could also carry two 262-gallon drop tanks, extending its range. Though never used in actual combat, the Demon was deployed during the Cold War (1947-1991) when a show of force was required., Most notably, the Demon was a design link to its eventual replacement, the McDonnell's phenomenal F-4 Phantom II, which became operational in 1960. The Phantom II started as a major redesign of the Demon. It had a second engine and aerodynamic refinements that would allow it to reach speeds of 1,500 miles per hour (2,414 kph). Though the Phantom II is a vastly superior airplane, its family resemblance to the Demon is unmistakable.,

Length: 59 feet (17.98 m) , Wingspan: 35 feet 4 inches (10.8 m) , Height: 14 feet 7 inches (4.4 m) , Empty Weight: 21,133 pounds (9,585 kg) , Max Weight: 33,900 pounds (15,377 kg) , Top Speed: 647 miles per hour (1,041 kph) , Ceiling: 35,050 feet (10,683 meters) , Crew: One , Armament: Four 20mm cannons, four AIM-9 Sidewinder or four AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missiles or 6,000 pounds (2,720 kg) of bombs

, [Captions:] , Three fighter jets in flight, circa 1959, all built by McDonnell, illustrate the evolution of design. The F3H-2 Demon, in the center, is flanked by the older F2H-3 Banshee at top and newer F4H-1 (F-4) Phantom II at bottom., The Demon has large broad wings that provided generous lift at low speeds for safe carrier landings and smooth handling at high speeds and altitudes.