Was the Boeing C-17 originally a Boeing design or a McDonald Douglas design?

Question

I had heard from a friend that worked for Boeing in the early 70's that the Big 3 had a fly off over a replacement for the C-141 and the C-130. The Boeing design won hands down and it looked a lot like the current C-17. I was just wondering if it was.

Answer 1

It was originally a McDonnell Douglas design, before the Boeing buyout (this is why it carries the 'Globemaster III' name--the original Globemaster was the C-74 and the Globemaster II was the C-124; both were Douglas products).

The C-17 project started in the 1980's (not the 70's) but you are correct that it was intended as a replacement for the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter.

Answer 2

This is a pre-merger ALL DOUGLAS airplane - otherwise the would not have been a "wings-falling off" fiasco.. maybe a sex scandle & trade secret misappropriation - but no design issues - Opps - I stand corrected - all those sex scandles and trade secret misappropriations were post merger Douglas people - a better question to ask is why there is an MD12 landing gear on the AIRBUS A380 & Why Boeing has a design patent on the external configuration of the AIRBUS A380 ? You dont think they are in cahoots do you ?

Answer 3

The C17 came from the USAF's new mid-range airlifter to replace the C141.
McDonnell Douglas' prototype was the YC17, while Boeing's was a engine-over-the-wing YC15. The YC15 is now at the boneyard at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ. The Russians copied it and produced a version to replace the AN-123.

Answer 4

It was designed and flown by McDonnell Douglas at the Long Beach Plant. This all occurred prior to the merger with Boeing.

Answer 5

boeing