Almost all major US aircraft manufacturers submitted designs to the US military. Top Kelly Johnson Skunk Works Quotes It would be nice to redefine ourselves - at the moment we are drowning in diversity. Due to Johnsons previous experiences pushing how high an aircraft could fly, Johnson worked extensively on pushing the aircrafts service ceiling. 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. I had no idea what he was talking about, so I told him to stand by. Clarence L. (Kelly) Johnson, creator of Lockheed's secret "Skunk Works" research and development division and legendary designer of aircraft, died . View the profiles of people named 'Kelly Johnson on Facebook. Today's Skunk Works employs 3,700 employees at facilities in Palmdale, California, Marietta, Georgia, and Fort Worth, Texas. 12. He should report. These were based on Johnsons personal work ethics and experiences. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Lockheed elected not to enter the jet airliner market following the introduction of the first jet airliners. Above, Kelly Johnson, who founded and run Skunk Works for decades, stands beside the F-104 Starfighter in a photo taken in 1958 Kelly Johnson was the larger-than-life figure that founded and ran . 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. Johnson contributed much to the early stealth designs of the F-117 and SR-71, as well as the high altitude spy plane, the U-2. 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). While Lockheed was working on the XP-80 project, access to, and even knowledge of, the design facility was rigidly controlled. Thats all there is to it. 1. Benjamin Robert Rich (June 18, 1925 January 5, 1995) was the second director of Lockheeds Skunk Works from 1975 to 1991, succeeding its founder, Kelly Johnson. 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. The History of Barnstorming Explained! That's not a bad thing, its just going to take a while before we refocus. 2. 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 . In 1970 Johnson was awarded theSpirit of St. LouisMedal by theAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers. Lockheed tasked Johnson with creating the perfect fighter-bomber that would decimate the German and Japanese forces. 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. Lockheed tasked Kelly Johnson with designing an aircraft that fit the specifications laid out by the US military. Kelly Johnson and Lockheed Story The Film Gate 72.1K subscribers Subscribe 3.4K Share Save 259K views 3 years ago #stockfootage #lockheed #history https://www.thefilmgate.com/. I do not know but the Major Pharmaceutical companies would lose a lot of money if there was a cure. They are working on over 500 projects, from radar coatings to war . He should report to a division president or higher. Planes like the F-117, SR-71 and U-2 were designed by humans, using something called a brain. This aircraft later became one of the best aircraft of WWII, flying the longest sortie in the entire war. 12. All Rights Reserved. Kelly Johnson was born on February 27 1910 in Ishpeming, Michigan, a remote mining town. Countless medals and honors followed, including Collier Trophies, the Medal of Freedom, National Medal of Science and National Security Medal. The final thing youll need to know is dont half-heartedly wound problemskill them dead. 9. We all know you wouldn't do that to a book that was truly ancient and fragile. If you've got the gold, you make the rules. He believed they could not handle the truth ever. That's all there is to it. A very simple drawing and drawing release system with great flexibility for making changes must be provided. Kelly Johnson, the Skunk Works founder, with a test pilot in the early stages of the division. | Contact Us Imperious, passionate, and demanding, Johnson was just as likely to deliver a kick to someones pants as a compliment to his face. 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. Skunk Works produced such revolutionary planes as the U-2, SR-71 Blackbird and FB-117 Nighthawk. 2. 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. In total, Johnson was awarded a whopping 52 awards! He should report to a division president or higher. 4. Strong but small project offices must be provided both by the military and industry. 13. In the east and above, the hint of a red sunrise and the bright twinkling lights from Venus, Mars, and Saturn. This principle, an acronym of Keep It Simple Stupid was pioneered by Johnson at Lockheed. The Blackbird was designed by the genius of Lockheed Skunk Works, Kelly Johnston who would lead its development team for over four decades. . We have invested in developing and demonstrating hypersonic technology for over 30 years. Don Mattingly, The person who does not decide to love forever will find it very difficult to really love for even one day. Privacy Terms of Use EU and UK Data Protection Notice Cookies. One of these designs won him a prize of several hundred dollars. Eventually, the local newspaper caught on to that name. There are conflicting observations about the birth of Skunk Works. There are a number of lessons for technology entrepreneurs. While in Lockheed's case the reason was the national security nature of the projects, in . We can also treat from the same scanner. The team (and its leader) must earn this trust. "Skunk Works" is the official nickname of the Lockheed Martin's Advanced Development Programs. Are these ET people hostile? Lockheed wanted to find out what pilots wanted for a second generation jet fighter. We develop laser weapon systems, radio frequency and other directed energy technologies for air, ground and sea platforms to provide an affordable countermeasure alternative. 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. In total, Johnson shepherded some forty military and civilian aircraft into production. He received a Bachelors degree in Aeronautical Engineering and later a Masters degree in Aeronautical Engineering. They should report to a division president or higher. According to article published in May 2010 issue of the Mufon UFO Journal - Ben Rich, the Father of the Stealth Fighter-Bomber and former head of Lockheed Skunk Works,had once let out information about Extraterrestrial UFO Visitors Are Real And U.S. Military Travel To Stars All Rights Reserved. Anything you can imagine, we already know how to do.. This cuts down misunderstanding and correspondence to an absolute minimum. I don't have time to complain. Whilst this works out at just over one a year for his entire career, naturally, some years were better than others. Johnson also helped on the construction of several air bases during his time at the Skunk Works, most notably, the one atGroom Lake, Nevada, now known asArea 51. Ben Rich may very well have asked for the device to cure him but They refused his request. | About Us 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. 16 results for "kelly johnson skunk works" RESULTS. Here, Goldwater accused Lyndon Johnson of allowing the Soviets to out compete the US. That may be our most enduring legacy as well as our source of lasting pride., When Congress approved the decision to retire the SR-71, the Smithsonian Institution requested that a Blackbird be delivered for eventual display in the Air and Space Museum in Washington and that we set a new transcontinental speed record delivering it from California to Dulles. 6. On December 22, 1990 Kelly Johnson, the founder of Skunk Works died at the age of 80. 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. In February 1937, the US Army Air Corps wanted a fighter-bomber that didnt require a fighter escort. Instead of giving the SR-71 weapons, Johnson designed the SR-71 to travel at Mach 3.32, making it the fastest aircraft ever. All Rights Reserved. Well, if they were hostile, with their weaponry they could have destroyed us a long time ago. So he decided to have one of his inspectors follow our unmarked van as it traveled back to Burbank. . He was one of seven children, as well as the child of an immigrant, finances were naturally quite tight. 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. Price and other details may vary based on product size and color. The provisions of the Secrecy agreements these people must operate under may be so onerous that using the cancer cure device may have posed a threat to the secret getting out. His father, ran a construction company and his mother was a homemaker. Two minutes later, we were crossing the Channel.. Push more basic inspection responsibility back to subcontractors and vendors. . Kelly Johnson had designed the fly higher than the U-2, at 85,000ft (26,000m). Lockheed Martin's Advanced Development Projects (ADP), known officially as Skunk Works, was a secret aeronautical research facility in Burbank, California. Designed to help the U.S. and allies leverage emerging technologies to create a resilient multi-domain network. We couldnt figure out what in hell it was. A lot of Lockheed Martins company slang has its origins with Johnson, or are about his impeccable skills. 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. 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. His work was instrumental in preventing a Soviet win during the Cold War. We knew each other from what we call an unseen industry. The ocean waves showed up on radar like a string of tracer bullets. Now, go on home and pour yourself a drink., Everything about this project was dark alley, cloak and dagger. Strong but small project offices must be provided both by the military and industry. 3. 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. Following his graduation, he enrolled at Flint Junior College (now Mott Community College) where he graduated a few years later. Upon introduction, the F-104 was used in large quantities, to supplement the North American F-100 in USAF service. In 1928, Johnson graduated from Flint Central High School. 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. Now, go home and pour yourself a drink. How The de Havilland Dove Became a British Aviation Icon. The Skunk Works manager must be delegated practically complete control of their program in all aspects. Our supplier, Titanium Metals Corporation, had only limited reserves of the precious alloy, so the CIA conducted a worldwide search and, using third parties and dummy companies, managed to unobtrusively purchase the base metal from one of the worlds leading exportersthe Soviet Union. By 1955, Johnson and his secret division of engineersdubbedSkunk Workslaunched the worlds first dedicated spy plane, theU-2, just nine months after receiving an official contract. I asked my backseater, who said, Dont worry about it. You can get straight As from all your Harvard profs, but youll never make the grade unless you are decisive: even a timely wrong decision is better than no decision. These became known simply as Kellys Rules, which were basically operating laws for Johnson and those working on his projects. 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 . Harvey Fierstein There's biology in everything, even when you're feeling spiritual. February 27, 1910-December 21, 1990. CHECK OUT OUR EDITOR'S LIST OF MUST READ ARTICLES. After Ben completed the program and returned to Skunk Works, Kelly asked him for his appraisal of the Harvard Business School. Don Phillips, These UFOs were huge and they would just come to a stop and do a 60 degree, 45 degree, 10 degree turn, and then immediately reverse this action. Johnson lived by the simple motto: Be quick, be quiet, and be on time. This influenced his management style at Lockheed, which was subsequently adopted by several other members of the Lockheed management. The Reptilian Alien Race: Living Among Humans For Centuries. Following the success of the P-38, Lockheed tasked Kelly Johnson with working on a family of airliners that could replace the earlier Lockheed Model 18 Lodestars. I just gave it to him. What he had given him was the bird with his middle finger. Now you can run this goddam place. 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 Lockheed Skunk Works, led by Kelly Johnson, was responsible for its Advanced Development Projects - everything from the P-80, the first U.S. jet fighter plane, to the U-2 and A-12 spy planes. Today, these are commonplace on almost all airliners, including those designed by both Airbus and Boeing. But it was Hall Hibbard, Kellys boss, who summed up his abilities best. 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. Outlets that have called him this include: International Aviation HQ, Aviation Week and Flying Magazine. Unfortunately, I can't. Join Facebook to connect with 'Kelly Johnson and others you may know. Strong but small project offices must be provided both by the military and industry. Due to Johnson designing the F-104 to be better than any other aircraft, many other countries were interested in the F-104. In the video, Speed Racer launches from a Beech 1900, a civilian aircraft the U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine Corps fly as the C-12 Huron. The number of people having any connection with the project must be restricted in an almost vicious manner. In time, it proved to be one of the most important decisions in the companys history. Although initially hesitant, the USAF grew to rely on the U-2, eventually becoming an almost indestructible tool. Refresh and try again. Kelly Johnson was always fanatical about security. Rich, Ben. After WWII, the Germans were no longer the enemy, but the US was skeptical of the Soviets. 6. We cannot evangelize until we have been evangelized. One day, he got tired of being called Clara and tripped one of the other boys, breaking his leg. Whilst at Lockheed, Johnson pioneered stealth technology, with some claiming he invented it. 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. He should report to a division president or higher. 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. 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. 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. We used a mail drop out at Sunland, a remote locale in the San Fernando Valley, for suppliers to send us parts. I didn`t see the craft, nor did I see the bodies, but I certainly know some of the people that did. We are who we are in the deepest recesses of our minds, hearts and identities. 2. 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. 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. In the end, Lockheeds Skunk Works demonstrated the awesome capabilities of American inventiveness when free to operate under near ideal working conditions. Ben Rich Lockheed Skunk Works CEO had admitted in his Deathbed Confession that Extraterrestrial UFO visitors are real and the U.S. Military travel among stars. IF YOU ENJOY THIS SITE PLEASE TELL OTHERS ABOUT USSHARING IS CARING. At one point in time, the F-104 was operated by 15 different militaries. Strong but small project offices must be provided both by the military and industry. There must be a minimum number of reports required, but important work must be recorded thoroughly. Restrict access to outsiders. A small airplane, a bomber, an aircraft carrier, all with the same shape, will have identical radar cross sections., Frankly, I don't think you could have driven a needle up my sphincter using a sledgehammer., Viewed from head-on the ship looked like Darth Vaders helmet. Johnsons work awarded him almost every major aviation award possible. What he said might be new to many people today, but he revealed the information before his death in January 1995. Robertson hated having anyone look over his shoulder at his drawing and reacted by grabbing a culprits tie and cutting it off with scissors. These include: Kelly Johnson had spent his entire career working for Lockheed. Kelly also had a unofficial 15th, 16th, and 17th rules, which he is known to have stated repeatedly to his subordinates: 16. Yes, it is time. In the later years, many of these aircraft were to do with the concept of stealth. $21.95 $ 21. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. With many Lockheed aircraft entering service with the US military, engineers used it with test pilots, who then taught US Navy pilots. Search for jobs related to kelly johnson skunk works quotes or hire on the world's largest freelancing marketplace with 19m+ jobs. Kelly Johnson spent over 50 years in the industry, designing some of the worlds most ambitious aircraft. Second, we have to devise a new propulsion technology. He worked on almost all of Lockheeds projects in this time, either as an engineer, consultant or was the lead engineer. Although slight variations exist, they go something like this: 1. Taking action to help you protect what matters most. His statements helped to give credence to reports that the U.S. military has been flying vehicles that mimic alien craft. '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. . Let's go bwaa ha ha. Many of the principles that Johnson implemented have since become a standard in the industry, and for Lockheed Martin in particular. Dr. Ben R. Rich former Lockheed Skunk Works CEO confirmed: 1. He was so powerful that simply by going along on his plans and schemes, the rest of us helped to produce miracles too. Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed by Ben Rich and Leo Janos. 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. In the summer of 1938, a twenty-eight-year-old farm boy from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan found himself holed up in a London hotel room. McDonnell Douglas DC-10: Your Ultimate Guide. These are the basic operations rules enunciated by founder Kelly Johnson in 1954, as cited in his successor Ben Rich's book: 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. 8. CLARENCE LEONARD (KELLY) JOHNSON February 27, 1910-December 21, 1990 BY BEN R. RICH B E QUICK, be quiet, be on time. 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. Now its 2021. Ursula K. Le Guin, She looked at him. The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing. Today, Lockheed Martin is still at the forefront of stealth technology, mostly due to Johnsons earlier work. Will Rogers It is vitally important that we implement immigration reform. Anne Bishop, All we do is work to maximise our consumption privileges and to be able to tell people at parties that we're a lawyer, an artist or a police officer. There are 2 types of UFOs the ones we build and ones they build. , , , , , ., 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. The Blackbird had as much gliding capacity as a manhole cover, and it came barreling in over Salt Lake, just as our pilot got a restart and hit those afterburners right above the Mormon Tabernacle. As a child, he was bullied due to his name being Clarence. Johnson hand-picked a small team to attack the problem and delivered the XP-80 in only 143 days. Following Eisenhower becoming president, he chose two Lockheed Constellations to enter service as the first ever Air Force One. 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. | Privacy Policy Kelly Johnson's 14 Rules and Practices. During the 1964 Presidential Election, Republican Barry Goldwater and Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson were having a televised debate. The Skunk Works manager must be delegated practically complete control of his program in all aspects. 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. 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. IT WASNT. He lived by the motto Be quick, be quiet, be on time. So, while in London to finalize the sale of the new Hudson bomber, the British Air Ministry requested numerous design changes, and Johnson took on the challenge over three nearly sleepless days. 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. Then he delivered the immortalConstellation, which revolutionized commercial aviation. 3. 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! Any one of his many airplane designs would have honored any individual's career." President Lyndon B. Johnson. It was a rare win. Bullshit. However, the US military was pressured into the sale by the CIA who preferred the aircraft for their own missions. 35 years later, in 1975, Johnson was awarded the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy for his service to military aircraft design. , Skunk Works, , . We have lost something in the aerospace engineering world, and I wish we has leaders like Kelly Johnson around so that we could somehow get it back. This classic history of America's high-stakes quest to dominate the skies is "a gripping technothriller in which the technology is real" (New York Times Book Review). I had the honor of piloting that final flight on March 6, 1990, for its final 2,300-mile flight between L.A. and D.C. Clare Boothe Luce, The history of our spiritual life is a continuing search for the unity between ourselves and the world.