The company was founded on July 6, 1939 by James Smith McDonnell, and was best known for its military fighters, including the F-4 Phantom II, and manned spacecraft including the Mercury capsule and Gemini capsule.
A compañía fundouna o 16 de xullo de 1939 James Smith McDonnell, e foi coñecida sobre todo polos seus cazas, como o F-4 Phantom II, e as súas naves espaciais tripuladas, como as cápsulas Mercury e Gemini.