1899 - 1980
He stood 5 feet, 8 inches tall, but was larger than life - a man who dreamed hypersonic dreams in the biplane era, whose life spanned the horse-and-buggy era and the space age. Born in Denver on April 9, 1899 - four years before the first flight of the Wright Brothers, Mr. Mac, as his teammates and friends fondly called him, had a personality that was a blend of integrity and wide-ranging curiosity, of tenacious attention to detail, reflectiveness and humor. Mr. Mac passed away on August 22, 1980, at the age of 81. His "pilgrimage on the spaceship of Earth", as he put it, was a rich tapestry of innovation and exploration, of vision, service and dedication. His contributions, now part of the fabric of The Boeing Company, continue to inspire and enrich the industry, the community and his beloved teammates. On this page are a few highlights from his astonishing career.
A Lifelong Love of Flying
After graduating from Princeton University in 1921 with an honors degree in physics, Mr. Mac decided on a career in aviation and enrolled at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A member of a class of four, he received his master's degree in 1925. Meanwhile, Mr. Mac had joined the Army Air Service and earned his pilot's wings in 1924. After serving in the military, he worked as a test pilot and engineer with several East Coast aircraft companies.
A "Flivver" For the Everyman
In 1928, Mr. Mac hit upon the idea for a economical single-engine plane that he hoped would bring flying within the reach of the average citizen. The Doodlebug was his everyman's plane, highly maneuverable and able to take off and land in much shorter spaces than any other aircraft of its day.
The Dream Takes Off
His goal was to start his own aircraft company by time he was 40. So in July 1939, Mr. Mac and his secretary Lou Ritter opened the doors of the McDonnell Aircraft Corporation in a suite of rooms at the Chase-Park Plaza Hotel in St. Louis. Three months later, he moved its operations to an office near Lambert Field. The fledgling company's first year ended with zero sales, zero backlog and negative earnings. Among his first contracts were work for the Douglas and Boeing companies, whose wartime production was at a peak.