The McDonnell FH Phantom Was America’s First Naval Jet
The finished Phantom served as proof of concept that a jet could indeed operate from an aircraft carrier. Yet the Phantom itself underperformed.
The McDonnell FH Phantom was the first purely jet-powered aircraft to ever land on a U.S. aircraft carrier. Designed during the twilight of World War II, the Phantom was a twinjet fighter—among the “first generation” of jet fighters”—that helped to signal the advent of a new era in aviation technology.
Only 62 Phantoms were ever developed, and the original Phantom’s design was seen most clearly in the later, third-generation F-4 Phantom II during its extensive service in Vietnam. However, the original Phantom remains an important segue for the then burgeoning aerospace giant, McDonnell, and the industry at large.
The Phantom in Flight
During World War II, the Navy took notice of a still-new aerospace company, McDonnell, and their ambitious experimental aircraft, the XP-67 Bat. While the Bat never panned out as expected, the program was technically impressive enough to attract the Navy to McDonnell, with the former inviting the latter to cooperate in the development of something totally new: a carrier-based jet fighter.
McDonnell set to work, building the Navy their new jet fighter, with special attention to the engine configuration. Various configurations were considered for the new fighter, with the final design settling upon two 19-inch engines buried in the wing root. The engines, which were the lightest and simplest configuration considered, were placed in a manner that kept the intake and exhaust ducts short, thus improving aerodynamic performance. The engines were also angled slightly, helping to blow their hot exhaust fumes outwards and away from the fuselage.
Aside from the jet engines, which were still a novelty in the mid-1940s, the rest of the aircraft was fairly conventional for the era—straight wings, a standard empennage, and aluminum monocoque with flush riveted aluminum skin. Like other Navy fighters of the era, the Phantom’s wings were foldable, to improve stowage aboard space-limited aircraft carriers.
Performance Issues Doomed the First Phantom
The finished Phantom served as proof of concept that a jet could indeed operate from an aircraft carrier. Yet the Phantom itself underperformed. Its speed and rate of climb were only marginally better than propeller-driven aircraft, and fell well short of other first-generation jets like Lockheed’s P-80 Shooting Star. Moreover, the Phantom suffered from a short range and an inability to carry bombs, meaning the aircraft’s application was limited—a real problem for a service branch with a preference for versatile fighter-bombers. Further design problems including, low-quality avionics, an inability to accommodate ejection seats, and a machine gun placement in the upper nose that caused muzzle flash to interfere with the pilot’s vision.
Recognizing the shortcomings of the Phantom, and recognizing the advent of more powerful jet engines, the team at McDonnell began working on a replacement to the Phantom before the first aircraft was even finished. The updated replacement would be known as the F2H Banshee. Derived directly from the Phantom, the Banshee was larger, more heavily armed, and significantly more powerful. The Banshee went on to distinguished service in Korea, while the Phantom was retired in 1949 and faded from view. Yet a measure of credit is owed to the Phantom, for establishing precedent—demonstrating the viability of a carrier-based jet fighter.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a senior defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
