Shortly after Johnson implemented a first variant of its Skunk Works idea, an experimental shop where a small team of engineers, mechanics and business people was co-located to solve a problem . | Privacy Policy Instead of giving the SR-71 weapons, Johnson designed the SR-71 to travel at Mach 3.32, making it the fastest aircraft ever. Dave Reichert, Being transgender, like being gay, tall, short, white, black, male, or female, is another part of the human condition that makes each individual unique, and something over which we have no control. UFO accounts are journalists' stuff of dreams. We have lost something in the aerospace engineering world. Clarence Kelly Johnson is the Babe Ruth of aerospace design. Honest to God, there will never be another like him., We became the most successful advanced projects company in the world by hiring talented people, paying them top dollar, and motivating them into believing that they could produce a Mach 3 airplane like the Blackbird a generation or two ahead of anybody else. Strong but small project offices must be provided both by the military and industry. Rudolf Steiner, One person is always too many around me. When I was working with the Skunkworks with Kelly Johnson, we signed an agreement with the government to keep very quiet about this. However, this wasnt easy, especially given the role and the other specifications the P-38 needed to have. The design for the fighter was submitted on the 26th of June, only 30 days into the project, and the first prototype was delivered to Muroc Army Airfield on the 16th of November, just 143 days later. "There must be a monthly cost review covering not only what has been spent and. By that, his employees should never delay a contract, or overrun on costs, and/or never deliver a product that is subpar. 4.7 out of 5 stars 455. Helen Fisher Beyond being a brilliant aerospace engineer and larger-than-life character, he was able to successfully navigate the pitfalls of the Pentagons crushing bureaucracy and the military brasss need to meddle in every good design. Lockheed prevailed. We had the specks lab tested, and they turned out to be organic materialinsects that had been injected into the stratosphere and were circling in orbit around the earth with dust and debris at seventy-five thousand feet in the jet stream. There is an error in the equations. 4. He can and must test it in the initial stages. Theirs is the official Lockheed Skunk Works story: . Funding a program must be timely so that the contractor doesn't have to keep running to the bank to support government projects. They are working on over 500 projects, from radar coatings to war . Find flight for cheapWith its premium plus plan, youll be able to browse flight deals going for up to 90% off in business, premium economy, and economy class. Whilst at University, Johnson helped out on the wind tunnel testing of the Lockheed Model 10 Electra, Lockheeds answer to the Boeing 247. Kelly johnson, the founder of the lockheed skunk works, established fourteen basic operating principles to govern his talented personnel and top secret projects. Our Multi-Domain Operations/Joint All-Domain Operations solutions provide a complete picture of the battlespace and empowers warfighters to quickly make decisions that drive action. But with. He also worked on the F-104, U-2, SR-71, A-12, and F-22 among others, many of which are still classified. That was the credo of Clarence L. (Kelly) Johnson, the aeronautical innovator who founded Lockheed's supersecret "Skunk Works" where he designed the world's fastest and highest-flying aircraftthe SR-71 Blackbird. Contact the author at Tyler@jalopnik.com. Directors Jeff Cvitkovic Rory Karpf Writer Rory Karpf Stars George Bush (archive footage) The Black Budget Anti-Gravity Craft You Are Not Supposed to Know About! Kelly Johnson, byname of Clarence Leonard Johnson, (born Feb. 27, 1910, Ishpeming, Mich., U.S.died Dec. 21, 1990, Burbank, Calif.), highly innovative American aeronautical engineer and designer. 7. Countless medals and honors followed, including Collier Trophies, the Medal of Freedom, National Medal of Science and National Security Medal. It is amazing to think that one man did so much to advance mankinds aerospace capability. However, the US military was pressured into the sale by the CIA who preferred the aircraft for their own missions. According to a CNI News report by Colorado resident Michael Lindemann, the design information was derived from forensic illustrations and numerous witness testimonies about the Roswell UFO, provided by William L. Bill McDonald. But neither Lockheed nor the government had any resources to spare because of the total war effort going on. That was the credo of Clarence L. (Kelly) Johnson, the aeronautical innovator who founded Lockheed's superse-cret "Skunk Works" where he designed the world's fastest and highest-flying aircraftthe SR-71 Blackbird. Before Rich died of cancer, Andrews took my questions to him. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Outlets that have called him this include: International Aviation HQ, Aviation Week and Flying Magazine. Friedrich Nietzsche, I'd like to say this was our worst game. 10. Unfortunately, I can't. Children still haven't closed themselves off with fear of the unknown, fear of revolution, or the scramble for security. All rights reserved. He should report to a division president or higher. As such, by the end of 1933, Lockheed promoted Johnson to Aeronautical Engineer, before becoming the chief research engineer in 1938. His parents were Swedish immigrants from Malmo. These are the basic operations rules enunciated by founder Kelly Johnson in 1954, as cited in his successor Ben Rich's book: I marvel more and more at what enterprising engineers were able to do with slide rules and drafting tables so long ago. Privacy Terms of Use EU and UK Data Protection Notice Cookies. CLARENCE LEONARD (KELLY) JOHNSON February 27, 1910-December 21, 1990 BY BEN R. RICH B E QUICK, be quiet, be on time. The Constellation was the first aircraft with pressurization, which made the cabin much quieter. Following the introduction of the U-2, both the USAF and CIA loved the aircraft. Let's go bwaa ha ha. BY BEN R. RICH. Now that legendary Lockheed engineer and chief model kit designer for the Testor Corporation, John Andrews, is dead, I can announce that he personally confirmed the design connection between the Roswell Spacecraft and the Lockheed Martin Unmanned Combat Air Vehicles (UCAVs), spyplanes, Joint Strike Fighters, and Space Shuttles. Top Kelly Johnson Skunkworks Quotes That's what a Congressman or a Senator is for to see that too much money don't accumulate in the national Treasury. He was one of seven children, as well as the child of an immigrant, finances were naturally quite tight. BE NOTIFIED BY EMAIL WHEN A NEW ARTICLE IS POSTED - ENTER YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE BOX BELOW AND HIT SUBSCRIBE! February 27, 1910-December 21, 1990. You dont need Harvard to teach you that its more important to listen than to talk. 2. Designed to help the U.S. and allies leverage emerging technologies to create a resilient multi-domain network. Kelly Johnson left an impact on both Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin) and aircraft design. 16 results for "kelly johnson skunk works" RESULTS. KISSKeep It Simple, Stupid. $21.95 $ 21. This principle, an acronym of Keep It Simple Stupid was pioneered by Johnson at Lockheed. Siddiq Saunderson Moved to L.A. and Immediately Bought a Prius, Millennials and Zillennials Can't Get Enough of Manual Transmissions, Dollar Flight Club Premium Plus (Lifetime Subscription), Tesla Investor Day 2023 Was Pretty Great if You Ignored Elon. There are conflicting observations about the birth of Skunk Works. Below stretched hundreds of miles of California coastline in the early morning light. Join Facebook to connect with 'Kelly Johnson and others you may know. Lockheed Martin's Advanced Development Projects (ADP), known officially as Skunk Works, was a secret aeronautical research facility in Burbank, California. During this time, almost by accident, one of the Skunk Works mathematicians finds a copy of a Soviet . Kelly's Rules. The final thing youll need to know is dont half-heartedly wound problemskill them dead. 2. No, it wont take someones lifetime to do it. 12. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER , OR SUBSCRIBE TO OUR BLOG SO YOU NEVER MISS NEWLY POSTED ARTICLES OR IMPORTANT ALERTS! He should report to a division president or higher. His favorite maxim? He is an AIAA Fellow and recipient of the AIAA Aircraft Design Award, the SAE Clarence L. Kelly Johnson Aerospace Vehicle Design and Development Award, The Engineers Council Clarence L. Kelly Johnson Skunk Works Award, and the Lockheed Martin Aero Star Award. 95. This was all in an era before pressurization, meaning it was very chilly. Kelly Johnson's Skunk Works responded with a design that they claimed could fly as high as 73,000 feet with a range of 1,600 miles, based on the Lockheed XF-104 Starfighter, a slender and supersonic intercept fighter. Price and other details may vary based on product size and color. These were based on Johnsons personal work ethics and experiences. Walt Whitman, Avast talking about me as though I were not standing here. That damn Swede, Hibbard said, can actually see air., 2023 Lockheed Martin Corporation. Rich, Ben. CLARENCE LEONARD (KELLY) JOHNSON. Following his graduation, he enrolled at Flint Junior College (now Mott Community College) where he graduated a few years later. The founder and first director of Skunk Works was Clarence "Kelly" Johnson, who was the designer of a U.S. spy plane called the U-2. AND BE SURE TO JOIN OUR FORUM TOO! What I was given was the thing you can't earn, and can't keep, and often don't even recognize at the time; I mean joy. . Kelly: More Than My Share of It All by Clarence L. Johnson 605 ratings, 4.20 average rating, 56 reviews Open Preview Kelly Quotes Showing 1-26 of 26 "Listen; you'll never learn anything by talking. Arming U-2s wasnt an option- this would decrease the service ceiling of the U-2 and make it easier for Soviet radars to detect. In 1995, Lockheed merged with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin, the present incarnation of the company. I asked my backseater, who said, Dont worry about it. Instead, Johnson was tasked with developing new military aircraft. And thus, revolutionary aircraft after revolutionary aircraftincluding perhaps Johnsons greatest achievement, the SR-71 Blackbird, still the worlds fastest aircraft fifty years after its first flightrolled off the Lockheed line under Johnsons watch. As Tony LaVier, Lockheeds former chief test pilot and a frequent Kelly arm-wrestling opponent, said, it was Johnsons planes that kept us out of World War III.. Kelly Johnson, the Skunk Works founder, with a test pilot in the early stages of the division. His father, ran a construction company and his mother was a homemaker. And if the ship was totally invisible, it looked like a blank spotlike a hole in the doughnutthat was a dead giveaway, Kelly began receiving all kinds of complaints and threats of lawsuits from communities claiming the Blackbird had shattered windows for miles around. Even though the engine was running fine I slowed down and lowered our altitude and made a direct line for England. Working isolated, under rules of tight security, instilled a camaraderie probably unique in the American workplace. They are still familiar with the inborn vocabulary of myth Madeleine L'Engle, I wonder why people wanted someone very badly, I wonder why someone comes in your life and life begins to change, every good happens to you, and you just want that person to never go from your life, remain there for you" Kelly Johnson spent over 50 years in the industry, designing some of the worlds most ambitious aircraft. NASA can not deny secrets discovered by UK hacker Gary McKinnon and many astronauts if it expects full funding from the Obama White House administration. There must be a monthly cost review covering not only what has been spent and committed but also projected costs to the conclusion of the program. The majority of the F-86 pilots wanted an aircraft that was much simpler, smaller and was faster than contemporary Soviet jets. It was Ben Richs opinion that the public should not be told [about UFOs and extraterrestrials] . 12. In February 1937, the US Army Air Corps wanted a fighter-bomber that didnt require a fighter escort. Don Mattingly, The person who does not decide to love forever will find it very difficult to really love for even one day. Explore Skunk Quotes by authors including Abraham Lincoln, G-Dragon, and Michael Paterniti at BrainyQuote. "If you want us to keep pretending that you're sorting old books whenever we come by to chat, you shouldn't slam them on the table. That includes both domestic and international flights. 9. Due to Johnsons previous experiences pushing how high an aircraft could fly, Johnson worked extensively on pushing the aircrafts service ceiling. Lockheed Skunkworks Engineer USAF, and CIA Contractor Admitted : UFO Are Real I pushed out to Mach 3.3., Over the years we had developed the concept of using existing hardware developed and paid for by other programs to save time and money and reduce the risks of failures in prototype projects., My years inside the Skunk Works, for example, convinced me of the tremendous value of building prototypes. Even our drawings bore the logo C & Jthe word Lockheed never appeared. There must be a monthly cost review covering not only what has been spent and committed but also projected costs to the conclusion of the program. There was hell to pay., Another weird thing was that after a flight the windshields often were pitted with tiny black dots, like burn specks. When Johnson returned to the US, he began working on a jet to fit what the F-86 pilots wanted. Alya Kulikova is a Russian avgeek who loves nothing more than learning about new aircraft, and sharing that with her fellow avgeeks! We have invested in developing and demonstrating hypersonic technology for over 30 years. 8. If they dont, they rapidly lose their competency to design other vehicles. The Russians never had an inkling of how they were actually contributing to the creation of the airplane being rushed into construction to spy on their homeland., Control is the name of the game and if a Skunk Works really operates right, control is exactly what they wont get., He backed me even though he insisted that it would be a complete waste of my time. Customers who viewed this item also viewed The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing. During the Apollo landing, Neil Armstrong says, Theyre here.They are right over there and looking at the size of those ships., it is obvious they dont like us being here. Access by outsiders to the project and its personnel must be strictly controlled by appropriate security measures. Many of these sub-divisions are working on Lockheed Martins next generation fighters! We couldnt figure out what in hell it was. One of our colleagues named our walled-in compound Fort Robertson because the guy and the place seemed perfectly mated, and the name stuck. They should report to a division president or higher. Restrict access to outsiders. 2. His extraordinary leadership of the Lockheed "Skunk Works" cemented his reputation as a legendary figure in American aerospace management. There must be a minimum number of reports required, but important work must be recorded thoroughly. He was so powerful that simply by going along on his plans and schemes, the rest of us helped to produce miracles too. His work was instrumental in preventing a Soviet win during the Cold War. At one point in time, the F-104 was operated by 15 different militaries. There must be mutual trust between the military project organization and the contractor, the very close cooperation and liaison on a day-to-day basis. Some Navy brass who saw her clenched their teeth in disgust at the sight of the most futuristic ship ever to ply the seas. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. I didn`t see the craft, nor did I see the bodies, but I certainly know some of the people that did. How in hell did they get lifted up there? The Skunk Works practice of having a specification section stating clearly which important military specification items will not knowingly be complied with and reasons therefore is highly recommended. Happiness has to do with reason, and only reason earns it. The young engineers name was Clarence Johnson, but ever since hed trounced a local bully in grade school, he went by the more defiant nickname: Kelly, which suited his fierce and pugnacious personality. This aircraft later became one of the best aircraft of WWII, flying the longest sortie in the entire war. There is also the Secrecy aspect. During the 1960s, the US Navy implemented something now known as the KISS principles. By applying the most commonsense methods to develop new technologies, we saved tremendous amounts of time and money, while operating in an atmosphere of trust and cooperation both with our government customers and between our white-collar and blue-collar employees. The carrier task force people didnt like the stealth ship because it reminded everyone how vulnerable their hulking ships really were., One of the biggest problems we had to overcome was our own extreme invisibility! There was no question that there were beings from outside the planet. The term "skunk works" comes from a tiny Lockheed Martin facility run by chief engineer Kelly Johnson in the 1940s, which started in a tent next to a malodorous manufacturing plant. All Rights Reserved. Even the way they financed the operation was highly unconventional: using secret contingency funds, they back-doored payment to Lockheed by writing personal checks to Kelly for more than a million bucks as start-up costs. Rule Number 3. Kelly Johnson's Skunk Works was a revolt against the formalities of conventional industry. In 1964, Johnson was awarded 6 awards, and five in 1965. Johnson and his team developed the A-12 for the CIA. The venerable U-2 'Dragon Lady' is a spy plane born from Cold War necessity that soldiered on. Kelly Johnson Skunk Works Quotes & Sayings Happy to read and share the best inspirational Kelly Johnson Skunk Works quotes, sayings and quotations on Wise Famous Quotes. Her lips curved in a wicked smile. His record of design achievement in aviation is both incomparable and virtually incredible. As such, LBJ decided to reveal the A-12 program and the fact that the USAF was implementing a variant of the A-12, called the SR-71. He came up on our frequency and asked us for our Diplomatic Clearance Number. The book Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed by Ben Rich and Leo Janos (1996, Little Brown & Company) covers their historic achievements in great detail. Many of the principles that Johnson implemented have since become a standard in the industry, and for Lockheed Martin in particular. 11. Naturally, Johnson received his fair share of awards for these designs. Johnson hand-picked a small team to attack the problem and delivered the XP-80 in only 143 days. Harvey Fierstein There's biology in everything, even when you're feeling spiritual. The history of Skunk Works, the top-secret division of Lockheed that specialised in extreme, highly classified military aircraft design. In 1983, Lockheed formally recognized Johnsons 50 years of service to the company. Although amazed by the new designs precision, Air Ministry officials asked if they could entrust the future of their air force to someone so young. Has the story of Kelly Johnson inspired you? The Skunk Works manager must be delegated near complete control of his program in all aspects. He should report to a division president or higher. From that day on, the boy and his friends stopped calling him Clara, instead calling him Kelly after a popular song at the time. An historical documentary about Kelly Johnson and Skunk Works, a division of Lockheed and the makers of many American iconic aircraft, such as the SR-71 Blackbird, U-2 Dragonlady, F-104. Documentary History War The history of Skunk Works, the top-secret division of Lockheed that specialised in extreme, highly classified military aircraft design. Yes, it is time. This aircraft could fly at 80,000ft (24,000m), far out of the reach of Soviet radars and interceptors of the time. Andrews was a close personal friend of "Skunk Works" CEO Ben Rich the hand-picked successor of Skunk Works founder Kelly Johnson and the man famous for the F-117 Nighthawk "Stealth" fighter, its "half-pint" prototype the "HAVE BLUE", and the top-secret F-19 Stealth Interceptor. First, you have to understand that we will not get to the stars using chemical propulsion. He worked on almost all of Lockheeds projects in this time, either as an engineer, consultant or was the lead engineer. Shortly after being hired by Lockheed six years earlier, Johnson had walked into his new bosss office, pointed to the companys promising new aircraft, the Electra, revealed a critical instability and then proceeded to correct the errors to the companys amazement. Kelly Johnson's 14 Rules and Practices. Bullshit. In 1928, Johnson graduated from Flint Central High School. Hall Hibbard told the Lockheed management about Johnsons contributions. This cuts down misunderstanding and correspondence to an absolute minimum. The specifications applying to the hardware, including rationale for each point, must be agreed upon well in advance of contracting. I took off with my backseat navigator, Lt. Col. Joe Vida, at 4:30 in the morning from Palmdale, just outside L.A., and despite the early hour, a huge crowd cheered us off. We cannot evangelize until we have been evangelized. Whilst this works out at just over one a year for his entire career, naturally, some years were better than others. When Kennedy was shown the site constructions, he asked, How do we know these sites are being manned? They showed Kennedy a picture taken from 72,000 feet, showing a worker taking a dump in an outdoor latrine. As such, the CIA contracted Lockheed to develop a new, undetectable spy plane. 2. I lit the afterburners and left that Mirage standing still. And the first time Dr. Scott paid us a visit and saw the three tanks of liquid hydrogen holding hundreds of gallons under storage, his knees began to shake. This job was as a tool designer, earning $83 ($1,600) per month. The Korean War saw first generation F-86 Sabres and MiG-15s fighting one another. "It became obvious that we would have to design better wings and tails," Johnson wrote in his autobiography, Kelly: More Than My Share of It All, "but that if we wanted higher performance we would have to get rid of the propeller." "The Ship that Never Was" from "Skunk Works" by Ben R. Rich Dont come with this it was UFO technology all this time. Just what the F-86 pilots had asked for. Anything you can imagine, we already know how to do., 3 : We now have the technology to take ET home. The Air Force rejected his design but it caught the attention of America's secretive spy agency, the CIA. Then she looked at the table stacked with books. He was the lead designer on several of Lockheed's greatest aircraft in the Cold War, as well as being the first leader of Lockheed's infamous Skunk Works division. The Lockheed Electra, P-38 Lightning, Constellation, P-80 Shooting Star, F-104 Starfighter, C-130 Hercules, U-2 Dragon Lady, Jetstar, and of course the almost supernatural A-12 Oxcart and its SR-71 Blackbird successor are just a few of the nearly 50 designs Johnson worked on during his 50 year career with Lockheed. In 1952, Johnson became the chief engineer of Lockheeds plant in Burbank, California. A very simple drawing and drawing release system with great flexibility for making changes must be provided. 7. What he said might be new to many people today, but he revealed the information before his death in January 1995. In total, Johnson was awarded a whopping 52 awards! The beauty of a prototype is that it can be evaluated and its uses clarified before costly investments for large numbers are made., Overnight, however, he apparently had second thoughts, or did some textbook reading on his own, and at the next meeting he turned to me as the first order of business. The team (and its leader) must earn this trust. " Skunk Works " by Ben R. Rich is a worthy sequel to Kelly Johnson's " Kelly: More Than My Share of It All ." It brings the story of the Lockheed Skunkworks, founded by Johnson, up to 1995. www.lockheedmartin.com. Are these ET people hostile? The number of people having any connection with the project must be restricted in an almost vicious manner. His work thrust the aviation industry several decades into the future, going from traveling only a couple of hundred miles per hour to several times the speed of sound! Due to Johnson designing the F-104 to be better than any other aircraft, many other countries were interested in the F-104. Following Eisenhower becoming president, he chose two Lockheed Constellations to enter service as the first ever Air Force One. | Sitemap |. From the development of the U-2 to the Stealth fighter, Skunk Works is the true story of America's most secret and successful aerospace operation. Then he delivered the immortalConstellation, which revolutionized commercial aviation. The phrase; "keep it simple, stupid" is thought to have been coined by the late Kelly Johnson, who was the lead engineer at the Lockheed Skunk Works (a place responsible for the S-71 Blackbird spy plane amongst many other notable achievements). The phrase; "keep it simple, stupid" is thought to have been coined by the late Kelly Johnson, who was the lead engineer at the Lockheed Skunk Works (a place responsible for the S-71 Blackbird spy plane amongst many other notable achievements). If he doesnt, he rapidly loses his competency to design other vehicles. Johnson officially retired from Lockheed in 1975, where he was succeeded by his close friend, Ben Rich. The checks arrived by regular mail at his Encino home, which had to be the wildest government payout in history. Funding a program must be timely so that the contractor doesnt have to keep running to the bank to support government projects. 2023 Lockheed Martin Corporation. Only in the last months of his decline did he begin to feel that the international corporate board of directors dealing with the Subject could represent a bigger problem to citizens personal freedoms under the United States Constitution than the presence of off-world visitors themselves.. I doubt it would be pretty, as i seems to go against almost every single one of his commandments and it definitely is not quick, quiet and quality.. He told this boy that his was not Clara and if he persisted, he do it again. John Michael Talbot Lockheed tasked Johnson with creating the perfect fighter-bomber that would decimate the German and Japanese forces. The mesure of an intelligent person is the ability to change his mind." Clarence L. Johnson, Kelly: More Than My Share of It All 2 likes Like Any workernot just a supervisor or a managercould send back a part that didnt meet his or her standards. Clarence L. (Kelly) Johnson, creator of Lockheed's secret "Skunk Works" research and development division and legendary designer of aircraft, died . 10. I, Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed, Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years of Lockheed. The late Ben Robert Rich was the second director of Lockheed Corp.'s top-secret research and development unit known as the "Skunk Works." Founder and . Lisa Norato, I certainly wasn't happy. This cuts down misunderstanding and correspondence to an absolute minimum. Despite this, Johnson spent a lot of his free time consulting on new Lockheed aircraft, until his death in 1990. Kelly Johnson lived a comfortable life with his family. To this day, Kelly Johnsons resume of accomplishments reads like a list of the most iconic airplanes in aviation history. Lockheed's Skunk Works may be one of the earliest models for sustaining innovation inside an organization - never mind the nefarious mission of making flying machines to kill people. Kelly Johnson worked on several of Lockheeds projects between the 1930s and the 1980s. Meghan O'Rourke, Many a good man I have seen go under. 8. In 1958, Kelly Johnson was appointed the Vice President of Advanced Development Projects (ADP). Kelly Johnson is known for a lot of things. Strong but small project offices must be provided both by the military and industry. In an e-mail, dated July 29, 1999, apparently addressed to Lindemann, McDonald referenced an excerpt of a discussion with Harold Puthoff, founder of the highly classified U.S. remote viewing program. 2. 3. Another opponent was Ed Martin, who thought that anyone who hadnt been building airplanes since the propeller-driven days wasnt worth talking to, much less listening to. by Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson and Maggie Smith | Dec 17, 1989. My God in heaven, he exclaimed, youre gonna blow up Burbank., The CIA had been covering Cuba with U-2 flights for years.