McDonnell's ambitious business jet project failed despite innovative design

During this period, the US Air Force announced a competition for a new utility jet that could serve multiple roles beyond executive transport. Manufacturers sought to meet these requirements through innovation in their designs.

The Model 119 was designed with this competition in mind. It performed well in tests conducted in 1959 but ultimately lost out to Lockheed's JetStar due to its more conventional design. The loss of this contract sealed the fate of the Model 119 as McDonnell couldn't justify large-scale production without sufficient market demand.

McDonnell faced tough competition from other manufacturers like Lockheed and North American Aviation. After losing the Air Force competition, McDonnell couldn't secure enough commercial interest to sustain the Model 119 program.

Despite not reaching mass production, the McDonnell Model 119 holds historical significance as an example of ambitious design that couldn't overcome market conditions or competing designs' success. Its unusual configuration demonstrated McDonnell's willingness to innovate but may have worked against it in both military and civilian markets.

McDonnell Aircraft continued focusing on military aircraft after this venture into business aviation. The company's attempt through the Model 119 is remembered as bold yet commercially unsuccessful.

Today, only aviation enthusiasts and historians remember the McDonnell Model 119 as an intriguing "what-if" story in aircraft development history.