Douglas F4D Skyray The Douglas F4D Skyray ( later redesignated F - 6 Skyray ) was an American carrier - based supersonic fighter / interceptor built by the Douglas Aircraft Company . Although it was in service for a relatively short time and never entered combat , it was notable for being the first carrier - launched aircraft to hold the world ' s absolute speed record , at 752 . 943 mph , and was the first United States Navy and United States Marine Corps fighter that could exceed Mach 1 in level flight . It was the last fighter produced by the Douglas Aircraft Company before it merged with McDonnell Aircraft and became McDonnell Douglas . The F5D Skylancer was an advanced development of the F4D Skyray that did not go into service . Design and development . The Skyray was designed to meet a Navy requirement issued in 1947 for a fighter aircraft that could intercept and destroy an enemy aircraft at an altitude of 50 , 000 ft ( 15 , 240 m ) within five minutes of the alarm being sounded . The Navy also wanted an aircraft that followed the designs and research of the German aerodynamicist Alexander Lippisch , who moved to the U . S . after World War II . The F4D Skyray was a wide delta wing design with long , sharply swept , rounded wings . The design was named for its resemblance to the manta ray . The thick wing roots contained the air intakes feeding a single turbojet engine . Fuel was contained both in the wings and the deep fuselage . Leading edge slats were fitted for increased lift during takeoff and landing , while the trailing edges were mostly elevon control surfaces . Additional pitch trimmers were fitted inboard near the jet exhaust , and were locked upward on takeoff and landing . The Westinghouse J40 turbojet was the intended power plant , but Douglas took a conservative view and designed in contingency options for other power plants . The J40 proved troublesome and was eventually cancelled , and the Skyray was fitted instead with the Pratt & Whitney J57 , a more powerful but larger engine . Production aircraft were not delivered until early 1956 , while the U . S . Marine Corps received their first in 1957 . In total , 419 F4D - 1 ( later designated F - 6 in the unified designation system ) aircraft were produced . Its unique design also played a part in making the Skyray one of the best - known early jet fighters . Affectionately known as the " Ford " ( after the " Four " and " D " of its designation ) . In 1953 , Edward H . Heinemann was awarded the Collier Trophy in recognition of his design work on the F4D . Operational history . In April 1956 , VC - 3 was the first squadron operational with the F4D - 1 . This unit was later redesignated VFAW - 3 and assigned to NORAD , as the only U . S . Navy fighter squadron in what was predominantly a U . S . Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force organization . VFAW - 3 was permanently based at NAS North Island in San Diego . The U . S . Marine Corps also flew the Skyray . When the Department of Defense adopted a uniform aircraft designation system patterned on the USAF aircraft designation system in September 1962 , the F4D was redesignated as the F - 6A Skyray . In addition to multiple Navy and Marine Corps squadrons , Naval Air Reserve and Marine Air Reserve squadrons VF - 881 , VF - 882 and VMF - 215 also flew the Skyray . The last operational squadron was VMF ( AW ) - 542 , which flew the Skyray until February 1964 . The Skyray was designed exclusively for the high - altitude interception role with a spectacular rate and angle of climb . The Skyray set a new time to altitude record flying from a standing start to 49 , 221 ft ( 15 , 000 m ) in 2 minutes and 36 seconds , all while flying at a 70° pitch angle . As a dedicated interceptor , the F4D was unsuited to the multi - mission capabilities soon in demand , so it had a short career in Navy and Marine Corps service , the last aircraft being withdrawn from service in 1964 . Four aircraft were used by NACA ( soon to be NASA ) until 1969 . Under the new 1962 United States Tri - Service aircraft designation system , the F4D - 1 was redesignated the F - 6A . The F4D ( old designation ) should not be confused with the F - 4D ( new designation ) – the latter being the " D " variant of the McDonnell Douglas F - 4 Phantom II operated by the U . S . Air Force . F5D Skylancer . The F5D Skylancer was derived from the F4D and intended to be a Mach 2 capable successor to the Skyray . Although four prototypes were built and flown , the project was cancelled as being too similar in mission parameters to the Vought F8U Crusader and also to reduce dependence upon Douglas Aircraft , which was also producing several other aircraft for the U . S . Navy .