The US Navy was probably the most dominant air force in the world within its sphere of influence. Wildcat, Hellcat and Corsair went down as legendary piston engined fighters. Bearcat was one of the best ever made.

But as early as 1944 the Navy knew that it needed to get into the jet game if it was to continue to dominate the air space at sea and over land. With their other suppliers already tied up with war work, they turned to the little-known McDonnell Corporation to design and build their first carrier jet fighter.

Although it launched a dynasty, the original McDonnell Phantom is barely mentioned nowadays. It was a pioneering aircraft in a number of respects and, despite its early appearance, was much more capable for its mission than people give it credit for.

This video is a homage to the first US jet to land on a carrier deck and the start of a series on early jet-powered carrier aviation. I had fun making it and I hope you enjoy watching it.