Close
The page header's logo
Boeing Images 
Cart (0)
Login / Register
0
Selected 
Invert selection
Deselect all
Deselect all
 Click here to refresh results
 Click here to refresh results
Go to Login page
 Hide details
play button
Linked assets
Photo Upload
Photo Upload 
Action button
Conceptually similar
James S McDonnell Piloting his Doodlebug
James S McDonnell Piloting his Doodlebug 
McDonnell XP-67 Bat in Flight
McDonnell XP-67 Bat in Flight 
James S McDonnell and Crew Pose by the Doodlebug
James S McDonnell and Crew Pose by the Doodlebug 
McDonnell Doodlebug Takes Off
McDonnell Doodlebug Takes Off 
McDonnell XP-67 Bat in Flight
McDonnell XP-67 Bat in Flight 
McDonnell Whirlaway in flight
McDonnell Whirlaway in flight 
Model 220 in front of McDonnell Aircraft Factory
Model 220 in front of McDonnell Aircraft Factory 
McDonnell Model 119 in Flight
McDonnell Model 119 in Flight 
McDonnell XP-67 Bat in Flight
McDonnell XP-67 Bat in Flight
McDonnell Model 119/220 in Flight
McDonnell Model 119/220 in Flight 
McDonnell XH-20 "Little Henry" In Flight
McDonnell XH-20 "Little Henry" In Flight 
James S. McDonnell at Top Step of Model 220
James S. McDonnell at Top Step of Model 220 
McDonnell Model 220 Landing in St. Louis
McDonnell Model 220 Landing in St. Louis 
McDonnell Model 120 Helicopter in Flight
McDonnell Model 120 Helicopter in Flight 
McDonnell Whirlaway leaders pose
McDonnell Whirlaway leaders pose 
McDonnell XP-67 Bat
McDonnell XP-67 Bat 
McDonnell Model 119 on Test Flight
McDonnell Model 119 on Test Flight 
McDonnell XP-67 Bat in Assembly
McDonnell XP-67 Bat in Assembly 
McDonnell Model 119 Lifts Off
McDonnell Model 119 Lifts Off 
McDonnell Chief Test Pilot Ed Elliot with McDonnell XP-67 Bat
McDonnell Chief Test Pilot Ed Elliot with McDonnell XP-67 Bat 
Action button
Similar tones
similar-image
similar-image
similar-image
similar-image
View images with similar tones
Action button

McDonnell Doodlebug in Flight

The Doodlebug was the first airplane James McDonnell both designed and built, but it was doomed by its timing -- it was produced just before the Great Depression.

The Doodlebug was a two-seat, low-wing monoplane that was pleasant to fly and fun to watch. It had spectacular takeoff and landing capabilities, and it seemed to have a good chance of winning McDonnell the stake he needed to start his aircraft-building business.

On April 20, 1927, the Daniel Guggenheim Fund for the Promotion of Aeronautics sponsored an International Safe Aircraft competition. The prize for the winning design that demonstrated a real advance in the safety of flying was $100,000.

James McDonnell and his two engineers, Constantine Zakhartchenko and James Cowling, entered and, despite a shortage of funds, built the Doodlebug in a hangar provided by the Hamilton Aero Manufacturing Co.

Lack of funds and bad luck slowed production. The Doodlebug missed the Oct. 21, 1929, deadline, but was granted an extension. However, during a test flight on Nov. 21, 1929, the horizontal tail of the Doodlebug folded, and the plane crashed. McDonnell rode the airplane to the ground and suffered severe damage to his back. But the airplane showed so much promise that it got a second extension. However, the engine failed as the Doodlebug was being ferried to New York for the competition, and the plane was damaged again. It never had the chance to compete for the Guggenheim purse.

McDonnell did not give up. He took the Doodlebug around the country, flying for various air shows. Then the Depression eliminated the private market, and nobody could afford to buy the airplane. Finally, in 1931, McDonnell sold the Doodlebug to the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA -- now NASA), which used it as a test airplane. McDonnell would not get to produce another airplane of his own design until 1945. 
 Add to lightbox
 Add to cart
Unique identifier BI41973 
Boeing ID 2d4-2451 
Type Image 
Size 2992px × 2288px   6MB 
License type RM 
Keywords
1920s
aerial views
air to air
airplanes
day
flying
full body views
historic production status
historic significance
left rear views
monoplanes
one of a kind aircraft
piloting
propeller planes
research/experimental
two people
viewed from above
wing struts
Restrictions