Model Aircrafts and Ships

February 01 1981 - Donald Wills Douglas, Sr., American aircraft manufacturer died (b. 1892)

Douglas Wills Douglas, Sr. was born on the 6^th of April 1892 in Brooklyn, New York. He was the second son of an assistant cashier of the National Park Bank. He started his education at Trinity Chapel School in New York City. At the age of 17, he entered the US Naval Academy where he spent much of his time building and testing model airplanes but in 1912 he left the Naval Academy and look for aeronautical engineering works.

Donald Wills Douglas, Sr.

Donald Douglas later realized that he needed to learn more about it and so he completed a four-year bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in only two years and he was immediately hired as an assistant professor in aeronautics in MIT due to his academic performance.

Work History:

1915 – Consultant to the Connecticut Aircraft Co.

August 1915 – Joined Glenn L. Martin Co. as chief engineer.

1916 – Served briefly as chief civilian aeronautical engineer for the Army Signal Corps Aviation Section in Washington, D.C.
- Chief Engineer in charge of building the MB-1 twin-engine bomber for the US Army.

1920 – He worked as a laborer, hoeing potatoes, and washing cars.
- Davis-Douglas Co. was formed

1921 – Davis lost interest and sold out the company to Douglas and the Douglas Co. was founded.

The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer. It was founded in July 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas Sr. The Company was most famous for their Douglas Commercial much known as the DC series of commercial aircraft which includes the DC-3, a transport aircraft where the C-47 Skytrain was developed from.

Douglas DC-3

In 1967, due to quality and cash flow problems plus the combined shortages due to the Vietnam War, Douglas agrees to a merger with McDonnell Aircraft Corporation and form the McDonnell Douglas. In 1997, the McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeing.

Some Aircrafts built by Douglas Aircraft Company:

TBD-1 Devastator

A Torpedo Bomber used by the United States Navy.

A-26 Invader

A-1H Skyraider

It was an attack aircraft used by the US Navy.

Douglas DC-6B

It was a piston-powered airliner and transport aircraft.

C-124 Globemaster

A-4 Skyhawk

It was an attack aircraft used by the US Navy.