Strong but small project offices must be provided both by the military and industry. Lockheed Skunk Works former CEO knew the Roswell extraterrestrial UFO influenced designs of Testor model kits for Roswell UFO models, and U.S. top secret aircraft. During the 1964 Presidential Election, Republican Barry Goldwater and Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson were having a televised debate. His take on the F-35 program in particular, which the Skunk Works has had its hands in, would be amazing to hear. , , , . Children still haven't closed themselves off with fear of the unknown, fear of revolution, or the scramble for security. This happens most powerfully through solitary prayer. He has tied the knot with Althea Louise Young in 1937. This resulted in Irv Culver, answering the internal phone lines as Skonk Works in reference to a comic strip in the local newspaper. While Lockheed was working on the XP-80 project, access to, and even knowledge of, the design facility was rigidly controlled. Since his death, Johnson has frequently been called one of the most influential aviators of the 20th century. 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. We created a practical and open work environment for engineers and shop workers, forcing the guys behind the drawing boards onto the shop floor to see how their ideas were being translated into actual parts and to make any necessary changes on the spot. Lisa Norato, I certainly wasn't happy. . 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. Rule Number 3. We know what it is. Push more basic inspection responsibility back to subcontractors and vendors. "You all know ? 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. ""Well, I don't think any of the boyos have figured it out, but all of the coven knows. In the later years, many of these aircraft were to do with the concept of stealth. 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. Johnson resigned from the corporate board of directors in 1980, but continued on as a senior advisor until his death. Ill teach you all you need to know about running a company in one afternoon, and well both go home early to boot. "There must be a minimum number of reports required, but important work must be recorded thoroughly," Johnson wrote. Nearing the time of his retirement, Johnson was a legend at Lockheed, with people dying to having a conversation with him. Between 1933 and 1975, Johnson worked on most of Lockheeds aircraft. His record of design achievement in aviation is both incomparable and virtually incredible. 2. The contractor must be delegated the authority to test his final product in flight. He called the Hopeless Diamond Richs Folly. Some said that Eds bark was worse than his bite, but those were guys who didnt know him., That primitive Skunk Works operation set the standards for what followed. The article was written by Tom Keller, an aerospace engineer who has worked as a computer systems analyst for NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 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 Let's go bwaa ha ha. We finally figured it out: they were hoisted aloft from the atomic test explosions in Russia and China., The biggest bang, which knocked us four feet backwards, came when we mixed liquid oxygen with an equal amount of liquid hydrogen. Lindemann added that Bill McDonald received the above information from Andrews from 1994 until their last phone call near Christmas in 1998. Lindemann also noted It should also be known that Dr. Ben R. Rich attended a public aerospace designers and engineers conference in 1993 before his illness overwhelmed him in which he stated in the presence of MUFON Orange County Section Director Jan Harzan and many others that We (i.e., the U.S. aerospace community/military industrial complex) had in its possession the technology to take us to the stars. 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. For his work in the Skunk Works division, Lockheed promoted Johnson to its board of directors in 1964, where hed serve until 1980. Don't duplicate so much inspection. , , , , , ., Dave Robertson, one of Kellys original recruits and aerospaces most intuitively smart hydraulic specialist, ridiculed our design by calling it a flying engagement ring. Dave seldom minced words; he kept a fourteen-inch blowgun he had fashioned out of a jets tailpipe on his desk and would fire clay pellets at the necks of any other designers in the big drafting room who got on his nerves. Search for jobs related to kelly johnson skunk works quotes or hire on the world's largest freelancing marketplace with 19m+ jobs. I shall use my time. We develop laser weapon systems, radio frequency and other directed energy technologies for air, ground and sea platforms to provide an affordable countermeasure alternative. The Skunk Works. A born engineerI knew I wanted to design airplanes since I was twelve years old, he once saidKelly was offered the position of company president an unprecedented three times, but declined each time to oversee Skunk Works, where he remained a senior advisor even after his formal retirement in 1975. If you've got the gold, you make the rules. 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. 2. The Skunk Works manager must be delegated practically complete control of their program in all aspects. The Constellation was the first aircraft with pressurization, which made the cabin much quieter. What we have to do is find out where Einstein went wrong., 4 : When Rich was asked how UFO propulsion worked, he said, Let me ask you. One Lockheed engineer, the Skunk Works founder Kelly Johnson, had an idea for how they could beat the Nazis' groundbreaking plane. Even though the engine was running fine I slowed down and lowered our altitude and made a direct line for England. Upon introduction, the F-104 was used in large quantities, to supplement the North American F-100 in USAF service. He should report to a division president or higher. The final thing youll need to know is dont half-heartedly wound problemskill them dead. I marvel more and more at what enterprising engineers were able to do with slide rules and drafting tables so long ago. 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. It is worth noting that Kelly's version of the phrase had no comma and was written "keep it . All rights reserved. Planes like the F-117, SR-71 and U-2 were designed by humans, using something called a brain. Happiness has to do with reason, and only reason earns it. 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. Whilst at Lockheed, Johnson pioneered stealth technology, with some claiming he invented it. He should report. First, you have to understand that we will not get to the stars using chemical propulsion. CLARENCE LEONARD (KELLY) JOHNSON February 27, 1910-December 21, 1990 BY BEN R. RICH B E QUICK, be quiet, be on time. Access by outsiders to the project and its personnel must be strictly controlled by appropriate security measures. During the 1960s, the US Navy implemented something now known as the KISS principles. Top Kelly Johnson Skunk Works Quotes It would be nice to redefine ourselves - at the moment we are drowning in diversity. The local postmaster got curious about all the crates and boxes piling up in his bins and looked up C & J in the phone book and, of course, found nothing. Clarence L. (Kelly) Johnson, creator of Lockheed's secret "Skunk Works" research and development division and legendary designer of aircraft, died . 4.7 out of 5 stars 455. 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. Our design engineers had the keen experience to conceive the whole airplane in their minds-eye, doing the trade-offs in their heads between aerodynamic needs and weapons requirements. 11. When Kelly rolled up his sleeves, he became unstoppable, and the nay-sayers and doubters were simply ignored or bowled over. We got these things that are handhold scanners that scan the body and determine what the condition is. We made it almost across, when I looked out the left window and saw a French Mirage III sitting ten feet off my left wing. Today, Lockheed Martin is still at the forefront of stealth technology, mostly due to Johnsons earlier work. 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. The Botes Void: Is This Evidence Of An Alien Civilization? 'Secret Base' Being Built for 'Man-Eating Aliens' Revealed by US Official Records, The Brooklyn Bridge UFO - The Weirdest Story You'll Ever Hear, Two Suns Theory, Kali Yuga Cycle Completes 2025, Lockheed CEO Ben Rich Declared On His Death Bed: Extraterrestrial UFO Are Real. "Kelly Johnson and the products of his famous Skunk Works epitomize the highest and finest goal of our society, the goal of excellence. From there the reader is taken back to 1975 where the chief of the Skunk Works, Kelly Johnson, has asked Rich to replace him as he prepares to retire. How in hell did they get lifted up there? 35 years later, in 1975, Johnson was awarded the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy for his service to military aircraft design. 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. I asked my backseater, who said, Dont worry about it. The majority of the F-86 pilots wanted an aircraft that was much simpler, smaller and was faster than contemporary Soviet jets. Alya Kulikova is a Russian avgeek who loves nothing more than learning about new aircraft, and sharing that with her fellow avgeeks! 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. 7. The Fort Robertson complex was located less than a thousand yards from the Municipal Airports in-bound runway. Kelly Johnson spent over 50 years in the industry, designing some of the worlds most ambitious aircraft. Learn how we are strengthening the economies, industries and communities of our global partner nations. Restrict access to outsiders. I just gave it to him. What he had given him was the bird with his middle finger. February 27, 1910-December 21, 1990. The Skunk Works manager must be delegated near complete control of his program in all aspects. Many of the principles that Johnson implemented have since become a standard in the industry, and for Lockheed Martin in particular. 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. The contractor must be delegated the authority to test their final product in flight. 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" Johnson ran the Skunk Works with what was known as Kellys 14 Rules. Johnson officially retired from Lockheed in 1975, where he was succeeded by his close friend, Ben Rich. Kelly Johnson was always fanatical about security. In the east and above, the hint of a red sunrise and the bright twinkling lights from Venus, Mars, and Saturn. This aircraft also flew higher than any other jet before it. "Come on, Papa. 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. But it was Hall Hibbard, Kellys boss, who summed up his abilities best. This airliner would go on to be one of Lockheeds most successful projects. The number of people having any connection with the project must be restricted in an almost vicious manner. Lockheed wanted to find out what pilots wanted for a second generation jet fighter. Following Eisenhower becoming president, he chose two Lockheed Constellations to enter service as the first ever Air Force One. Due to the P-38s incredible speed and maneuverability, one of these P-38s shot down the aircraft carrying Isoroku Yamamoto, killing him. These became known simply as Kellys Rules, which were basically operating laws for Johnson and those working on his projects. 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.. Due to this, the Model 10 was a major success. Aircraft programs under Johnson were so cutting edge and historically influential, and his cult of personality and management strategy so effective, that he and Lockheeds Skunk Works (which he also founded) are forever enshrined in mankinds technological hall of fame. As such, by the end of 1933, Lockheed promoted Johnson to Aeronautical Engineer, before becoming the chief research engineer in 1938. What Was Barnstorming? Enjoy reading and share 15 famous quotes about Kelly Johnson Skunkworks with everyone. Outlets that have called him this include: International Aviation HQ, Aviation Week and Flying Magazine. Call it whatever you want., We completed our pass over Beirut and turned toward Malta, when I got a warning low-oil-pressure light on my right engine. This also enabled the Constellation to fly higher, and therefore faster than most contemporary aircraft. The inspection system as currently used by the Skunk Works, which has been approved by both the Air Force and Navy, meets the intent of existing military requirements and should be used on new projects. Following his graduation from Flint Junior College, Johnson enrolled at the University of Michigan. Kelly Johnson, the legendary founder of the Skunk Works, sought to recruit only the best person in each specialty the project required (Disney tried to do the same). 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. "The Skunk Works manager must be delegated practically complete control of his program in all aspects. We used a mail drop out at Sunland, a remote locale in the San Fernando Valley, for suppliers to send us parts. As a child, he was bullied due to his name being Clarence. I don't have time to complain. A very simple drawing and drawing release system with great flexibility for making changes must be provided. Although it was a commercial failure, it was a technological marvel. I had no idea what he was talking about, so I told him to stand by. Robertson hated having anyone look over his shoulder at his drawing and reacted by grabbing a culprits tie and cutting it off with scissors. This was all in an era before pressurization, meaning it was very chilly. The result was an airliner better than Howard Hughes couldve asked for. He founded the legendary 'Skunk Works' department for Lockheed that designed under his command innovative and revolutionary aircraft like the U-2, F-104, SR-71 (photo . The project was highly secret, very high priority, and time was of the essence., Inside the Skunk Works, we were a small, intensely cohesive group consisting of about fifty veteran engineers and designers and a hundred or so expert machinists and shop workers., I enjoyed the goodwill of my colleagues because most of us had worked together intimately under tremendous pressures for more than a quarter century. 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. Learn how we are strengthening the economies, industries and communities of our global partner nations. Instead of giving the SR-71 weapons, Johnson designed the SR-71 to travel at Mach 3.32, making it the fastest aircraft ever. Don Mattingly, The person who does not decide to love forever will find it very difficult to really love for even one day. Lockheed Martin's Advanced Development Projects (ADP), known officially as Skunk Works, was a secret aeronautical research facility in Burbank, California. | About Us In 1970 Johnson was awarded theSpirit of St. LouisMedal by theAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers. 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. Use a small number of good people (10% to 25% compared to the so-called normal systems). On one of these sorties, a P-38 attacked a Japanese Navy air convoy. The young Kelly Johnson, a brilliant engineer, led a team of only 28 people into the top secret project. 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. . He was the lead designer on several of Lockheeds greatest aircraft in the Cold War, as well as being the first leader of Lockheeds infamous Skunk Works division. As such, they wanted an aircraft that could spy on them. Due to Johnson designing the F-104 to be better than any other aircraft, many other countries were interested in the F-104. That way we reduced rework and scrap waste. As such, they sent Johnson to South Korea to ask. , . Nearly all biomorphic aerospace designs were inspired by the Roswell spacecraft from Kellys SR-71 Blackbird onward to todays drones, UCAVs, and aerospace craft, 3. Another of our pilots got in engine trouble over Utah and flamed out. On December 22, 1990 Kelly Johnson, the founder of Skunk Works died at the age of 80. . 6. Now, go on home and pour yourself a drink., Everything about this project was dark alley, cloak and dagger. He should report to a division president or higher. You dont need Harvard to teach you that its more important to listen than to talk. Now you can run this goddam place. Despite his volatile approach, Johnson earned unparalleled loyalty from his highly skilled team. We have invested in developing and demonstrating hypersonic technology for over 30 years. The checks arrived by regular mail at his Encino home, which had to be the wildest government payout in history. This certainly helped Johnsons career and reputation in the industry. The number of people having any connection with the project must be restricted in an almost vicious manner. To this day, Kelly Johnsons resume of accomplishments reads like a list of the most iconic airplanes in aviation history. CHECK OUT OUR EDITOR'S LIST OF MUST READ ARTICLES. Kelly Johnson had three simple management principles supporting a single fundamental belief: don't build something you don't believe in. His parents were Swedish immigrants from Malmo. Almost all major US aircraft manufacturers submitted designs to the US military. Kelly Johnson left an impact on both Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin) and aircraft design. Both Imperial Japanese Navy and Luftwaffe pilots were afraid of this aircraft due to its incredible speed. He also worked on the F-104, U-2, SR-71, A-12, and F-22 among others, many of which are still classified. Documentary History War The history of Skunk Works, the top-secret division of Lockheed that specialised in extreme, highly classified military aircraft design. 3. He has received the Collier Trophy twice, for his works on the YF-12 (a variant of the SR-71) and the F-117 Nighthawk. Barack Obama 10. How does ESP work? The questioner responded with, All points in time and space are connected? Rich then said, Thats how it works!, Ben Rich Lockheed Former CEO knew of extraterrestrial UFO visitors. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more. During one of the wind tunnel tests, Johnson discovered a flaw with the Electras directional stability. There is an error in the equations. Kelly Johnson is known for a lot of things. But some complaints were for real. Strong but small project offices must be provided both by the military and industry. This item: Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years of Lockheed $2375 Kelly: More Than My Share of It All $2495 Failure Is Not an Option: Mission Control From Mercury to Apollo 13 and Beyond $2178 Total price: $70.48 Add all three to Cart Some of these items ship sooner than the others. Here, he managed to convince him that the Model 10 was unstable, with Johnson leading the tails redesign. His professor told him it was negligible and chose to only report the positives to Lockheed. These are the basic operations rules enunciated by founder Kelly Johnson in 1954, as cited in his successor Ben Rich's book: Johnsons work on the Constellation was stored for several years, until Lockheed decided to develop the L-1011 TriStar. 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. These include: Kelly Johnson had spent his entire career working for Lockheed. At the age of only 13, Johnson was designing his own aircraft. There are conflicting observations about the birth of Skunk Works. IT WASNT. 13. Kelly Johnson was born on February 27 1910 in Ishpeming, Michigan, a remote mining town. One of the purposes I had for founding my technology corporation in 1998 was to bring forth these technologies that can clean the air and can help get rid of the toxins, and help reduce the need for so much fossil fuel. As recounted by Ben Rich, the operation's brilliant boss for nearly two decades . He was the kind of enthusiastic visionary that bulled his way past vast odds to achieve great successes, in much the same way as Edison, Ford, and other immortal tinkerers of the past. Our stealth ship might be able to blast out of the sky a sizable Soviet attack force, but in terms of an officers future status and promotion prospects, it was about as glamorous as commanding a tugboat. His work was instrumental in preventing a Soviet win during the Cold War. During World War II, he designed the speedyP-38 Lightning, which pummeled destroyers and intercepted enemy fighters and bombers from Berlin to Tokyo; late in the war his team developed Americas first operational jet fighter, the P-80, in less than six months. He banked the funds through a phony company called C & J Engineering, the C & J standing for Clarence Johnson. 2. He came up on our frequency and asked us for our Diplomatic Clearance Number. After a 1969 Nixon purge, administration was handled by an international board of directors in the private sector The Reptilian Alien Race: Living Among Humans For Centuries. The Blackbird's technology though built in the 1960s is still leading edge in the twenty-first century. And we have ones that can diagnose and cure cancer. All Rights Reserved. Will Rogers, It is vitally important that we implement immigration reform. We knew each other from what we call an unseen industry. He believed they could not handle the truth ever. BY BEN R. RICH. Even our drawings bore the logo C & Jthe word Lockheed never appeared. As such, the Lockheed management ordered Kelly Johnson to rename the division to Skunk Works in order to avoid legal issues. Today, these are commonplace on almost all airliners, including those designed by both Airbus and Boeing. We couldnt figure out what in hell it was. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Will Rogers It is vitally important that we implement immigration reform. We already have the means to travel among the stars, but these technologies are locked up in black projects, and it would take an act of God to ever get them out to benefit humanity. Naturally, Johnson received his fair share of awards for these designs. We learned from both crash retrievals and actual hand-me-downs. The Government knew and until 1969 took an active hand in the administration of that information. The History of Barnstorming Explained! So Kelly approved my idea of painting the airplane black, and by the time our first prototype rolled out the airplane became known as the Blackbird.