No reliable, independently documented net worth figure exists for Donald Douglas Sr., who died in 1981; net-worth databases generally do not track historical estimates for industrialists of his era. His lasting legacy is instead measured by the company he founded: Douglas Aircraft Company, whose planes made up roughly 80% of all commercial aircraft in service at the start of World War II, and which merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas.
Douglas was an aeronautical engineer who became one of the most influential figures in early American aviation, best known for developing the DC-3 airliner and its military counterpart, the C-47 transport.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Donald Wills Douglas Sr. |
| Born | April 6, 1892, Brooklyn, New York |
| Died | February 1, 1981, Palm Springs, California (age 88) |
| Education | U.S. Naval Academy (attended); B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering, MIT (1914) -- MIT's first graduate in that field |
| Company | Founded Davis-Douglas Company in 1921 with partner David Davis ($40,000 in capital); became Douglas Aircraft Company; president 1921-1957, chairman 1957-1967 |
| Known For | The DC-3 airliner and C-47 military transport |
| Honors | Collier Trophy (1926); Guggenheim Medal (1939); Franklin Medal (1958); National Aviation Hall of Fame (1969) |
| Estimated Net Worth | Not documented (historical figure, deceased since 1981) |
Early Life and Education
Donald Wills Douglas Sr. was born on April 6, 1892, in Brooklyn, New York, of Scottish descent. He entered the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1912 but resigned to pursue aeronautical engineering, enrolling at MIT and earning a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering in 1914 -- the first degree of its kind awarded by the school. He stayed on for a year as an assistant to Professor Jerome Hunsaker before entering the aircraft industry.
Founding Douglas Aircraft Company
In 1921, Douglas founded the Davis-Douglas Company with partner David Davis, starting with $40,000 in capital. After Davis left the business, it became the Douglas Aircraft Company, with Douglas serving as president from 1921 to 1957 and chairman from 1957 to 1967. The company's early Cloudster aircraft was the first to carry a payload greater than its own weight, and Douglas went on to develop the DC-3 airliner and its military counterpart, the C-47 transport -- aircraft so dominant that Douglas planes made up roughly 80% of all commercial aircraft in service at the start of World War II.
Honors and Later Life
Douglas received the Collier Trophy in 1926, the Guggenheim Medal in 1939, and the Franklin Medal in 1958, and was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1969. In 1967, Douglas Aircraft merged with McDonnell Aircraft Corporation to form McDonnell Douglas, where he served as honorary chairman until his death. He died on February 1, 1981, in Palm Springs, California, at age 88.
Personal Life
Douglas married Charlotte Marguerite Ogg in 1916, and the couple had four sons and one daughter, including Donald Wills Douglas Jr. He was not related to actor Kirk Douglas, whose birth name was Issur Danielovitch and who came from an unrelated immigrant family.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Donald Douglas Sr.'s net worth?
No reliable, independently documented figure exists. He died in 1981, and net-worth databases generally do not cover historical industrialists from that era.
When did Donald Douglas Sr. found his company?
In 1921, as the Davis-Douglas Company with partner David Davis; it became the Douglas Aircraft Company after Davis's departure.
Was Donald Douglas Sr. related to actor Kirk Douglas?
No. Kirk Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch to an unrelated family; the shared surname is coincidental.