Discover the MD 12 aircraft, McDonnell Douglas’ proposed double-deck, four-engine widebody jet designed to compete with the Boeing 747 and Airbus A380. Learn about its design, specifications, and why it was never built. MD 12 What Is the MD-12 Aircraft? The MD-12 aircraft was a proposed long-range, double-deck, four-engine widebody jet developed by McDonnell Douglas in the early 1990s. The aircraft was intended to compete directly with the Boeing 747 and later concepts similar to the Airbus A380. ad Although the MD-12 generated significant interest during its announcement, the project was ultimately cancelled before production began. Background and Development of the MD-12 Origin of the Concept The MD-12 evolved from an earlier concept called the MD-11X, which was a stretched version of the MD-11 tri-jet. McDonnell Douglas later shifted focus toward a completely new aircraft design — the MD-12. The goal was to: Enter the high-capacity, long-haul market Compete with Boeing’s domina...