Key dates in Skunk Works history

Antelope Valley Press ^ | August 11, 2003 | No By-Line

[BenLurkin]

Sixty years ago, Clarence "Kelly" Johnson pirated an elite group of engineers and mechanics from Lockheed. He forged the team into a separate organization, called Skunk Works, with a mission to develop America's first production jet fighter, the Air Force P-80 Shooting Star. The team developed this quickly, quietly and on time - in 143 days.

The origin of the Skunk Works name can be traced back to 1943 - 40 years after the Wright brothers' first flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C.

Since developing the Shooting Star, Skunk Works has given shape to many firsts in flight.

F-104 Starfighter -- the first Mach 2 aircraft.

U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft -- still the highest-flying single-engine airplane.

SR-71 Blackbird -- the first to fly at speeds in excess of Mach 3, remains the highest-flying and fastest jet aircraft ever developed, even after its retirement from Air Force service.

F-117 stealth fighter -- the first operational stealth aircraft, like many of its predecessors, developed and built in strict secrecy.

YF-22 advanced tactical fighter -- the first to combine stealth, supercruise, super maneuverability and highly integrated avionics.

Joint strike fighter prototypes, X-35 A, B and C -- with origins in the Skunk Works, the first next-generation, multinational, multimission fighter.

[BenLurkin]

"60 YEARS OF FLIGHT - Clockwise from top left are the P-80, SR-71, F-117, X-35C, X-35A, YF-22, U-2 and the F-104."

Images courtesy www.lmaeronautics.com, TONIJA ALLMAN/Valley Press photo illustration

[Atchafalaya]

F-104, a beautiful airplane.

[PokeyJoe]

Look at what I found in the sand box?

[Lancey Howard]

ping

[Nik Naym]

I always wonder what they are working on now. After all, they came up with very advanced aircraft with lots of "gee wizardry" in complete secrecy so many times in the past it is reasonable to assume they are working on (or even have completed) aircraft projects that would stun and amaze us.

So, how long before they fire all the engineers and move the design process to India? (ducking)

Nik

[RedBloodedAmerican]

SR-71 Blackbird -- the first to fly at speeds in excess of Mach 3, remains the highest-flying and fastest jet aircraft ever developed, even after its retirement from Air Force service.

...and still flying :o)

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Considering ATF design, testing and flight began in the early 80s, what is public knowledge now is obsolete, or better yet, has already been replaced. But they'll never, ever duplicate the Blackbird.

[Blue Leader]

That's actually an early Foxbat A idol from an ancient Babylonian dynasty. A reincarnated later heathen idol was called Foxhound. Both were believed to be unbelievably fast but it was learned that they only carried enough life giving serum to reach altitude, make rude gestures at foreign armies and return directly to their tomb. While originally thought to be made of precious metals, they were really an iron age concept. Ashes to ashes, dust unto dust.

[Pro-Bush]

Cool post.

[stboz]

But the Titanium Age does not rust

[Hugin]

My sister-in-law's late husband flew P40s in North Africa, P47s in in Europe and F104s in Korea. He was offically "too old" to fly jets and was assigned to transports flying supplies from Japan to Korea. But his old buddies in the fighter squadrons would ask him to fly unofficially as their wingman due to his experience. He shot down 2 migs even though they were superior aircraft. Lots of interesting stories. He loved the 104, as well as the P47.

[Atchafalaya]

Two Migs with a P47, that is outstanding!

[Hugin]

No, the migs were shot down in an F104. He was WWII ace, and flew the P47s in Europe. I actually have read about one fighter pilot who shot down a mig in a P51 though. Although a jet, the 104 was inferior to the migs. The F86 Sabre jet replaced the F104 and was a match for the migs. The communist pilots were never a match for ours though. I believe our kill ratio in Korea was something like 14 to 1.

I'm not sure he was ever credited with shooting down the Migs since he was flying the missions unofficially at the behest of his (younger) fighter pilot buddies. He was probably in his late-thirties in Korea, which was considered too old to fly jets though he obviously wasn't. He went on to fly for Pan Am for another twenty years after Korea, and also ran for governor of NY on the Conservative Pary ticket.

[Hugin]

Oops--I goofed. I refered to the F104 Starfighter, I was should have said the P80 Shooting Star, which was replaced by the F86 Sabre. My mistake.