Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works The Official History.pdf

Lockheed Martin's

Skunk Works

Jay Miller

Aerofax

an imprint of

Midland Publishing Ltd.

in Memory of Alvin H. Parker

This revised edition published 1995 by:

Midland Publishing Ltd.

24 The Hollow, Ear! Shilton

Leicester, LE97NA, England

ph.:(01455)847815 fax.: (01455) 841805

First published in 1993 by:

Aerofax, Inc.

708 Viewside Circle

Arlington, TX 76011

United States trade distribution by:

Specialty Press Publishers & Wholesalers Inc.

11481 Kost Dam Road

North Branch, MN 55056 USA

ph.: 612 583-3239; toll free ph.: 800 895-4585

fax.: 612 583-2023

ISBN: 1-85780-037-0

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 93-90693

Revised Edition 1995

mitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,

without the express written permission of the publisher and copyright holder.

Printed in Hong Kong

A NASA ER-2 has recently been equipped with a dorsal antenna

and associated radome to allow imagery transmission to ground

receiving stations in real time via Tracking Data and Relay

Satellites (TORS) using NASA's new Star/ink system. This equip-

ment is similar in most respects to theSenior Span U-2S systems

operated by the Department of Defense.

TTieSkunk Works is presently studying a new airship that could

lead to a new global transportation system. The proposed heavy

lifter, with a length of 1,160 feet and a diameter of 290 feet, would

have a speed of 75 knots, a pay load of 1.1 million pounds, and a

range of 4,000 to 6,000 n. miles. It's interesting to note the dirigi-

ble Hindenberg was 804 feet long and 135 feet in diameter.

Lockheed Martin's

Skunk Works

by Jay Miller

Contents

Acknowledgements

Preface

A Note on Sources

Chapter 1: Lockheed Before the Skunk Works

Chapter 2: Skunk Works Prelude

Chapter3: Birth of a Legend

Chapter 4: The In-Between Years

Chapter 5: The XF-104 Starfighter

Chapter 6: Aquatone and the U-2...The Skunk Works Reborn

Chapter7: The JetStar

102

Chapter 8: Hydrogen Fuel and Suntan

106

Chapter 9: Gusto, Oxcart, and the YF-12

112

Chapter 10: Senior Bowl and Tagboard

134

Chapter 11: SR-71...The Senior Crown

142

Chapter 12: The Lightweight Fighters

152

Chapter 13: Have Blue

158

Chapter 14: F-117...The Nighthawk

164

Chapter 15: The F-22

174

Chapter 16: Today and Tomorrow

182

Glossary

188

Skunk Works Color Portfolio

189

Appendix A: Production, Specification, and Performance Tables

197

Appendix B: Miscellaneous Lockheed and Skunk Works

Design Studies and Projects

201

Appendix C: Skunk Works Name Origins

206

Appendix D: Skunk Works Facilities at Burbank and Palmdale Locations

206

Appendix E: Skunk Works Personalities

207

Appendix F: Principles of the Skunk Works

210

Appendix G: Some Develpment Aspects of the YF-12A Interceptor Aircraft

211

Appendix H: The Lockheed Designation System

213

Appendix I: CL-282 High Altitude Aircraft: Lockheed Report LR9732

213

AppendixJ: Log of XFV-1 BuNo.138657 Flights (Complete)

214

Appendix K: XP-80 First Flight (January 8,1944) Log

214

Appendix L: Bibliography

215

Index

216

Acknowledgements

As I noted in the first edition of this book, Skunk Works was the result of

one man's efforts more than any other...Richard Abrams, then Director of

Flight Test for Lockheed's Advanced Development Company (LADC— which

is better known to the lay-world as the Skunk Works). Dick, whose own cred-

its—both as a flight test engineer and as an author—were lengthy and

notable, was one of those rare individuals who combined a love of work with a

love of history. ..particularly in the field of aerospace. This book was essentially

Dick's idea, and without his perseverance and foresight, it almost certainly

would never have come to pass.

Less than a year following the publication of Skunk Works, Dick Abrams

died. It was a sudden and tragic loss for us all. We who had been privileged to

be his friends and co-workers were stunned and frustrated. I can only hope

that Skunk Works, in some way, perpetuates the legacy of skill, wisdom, and

dedication to craft Dick so unerringly represented.

Not long after Dick's demise, another close friend-and one of Lockheed's

most notable helmsmen-was lost when the great engineer Ben Rich died dur-

ing early 1995. Ben, a man whose friendship I treasured and whose knowl-

edge I greatly admired, was a rarity among corporate aerospace leaders; he

was one of the few who could lay claim to a long legacy of hands-on involve-

ment with the hardware with which he was so closely associated. He was a

legend among legends...and I will be a long time in missing those crack-of-

dawn phone calls and the sound of Ben's mildly raspy, but always upbeat

voice.

Among the many aerospace companies this author has had the privilege

of working with over the years, Lockheed—now Lockheed Martin—stands

head and shoulders above its peers in terms of responsiveness to its public

and its relationship with the media. In the case of this book in particular, there

were many Lockheed employees and associates who assisted without hesita-

tion at every turn. They include: Ed Baldwin, ADP (ret.—special thanks); Ward

Beman, Lockheed (ret.); Ellen Bendell, Communications, LADC; Keith

Beswick, Director of Flight Test, LADC (ret.); Buddy Brown, LADC; Debbi

Burch, Administrative Services, LADC; Dick Burton, Flight Test, LADC; Fred

Carmody, Manager, LADC Field Operations, Beale AFB; Irv Culver,

Lockheed (ret.); Rus Daniell, ADP (ret.); Cal Davis, Flight Test, LADC; Terri

Day, Flight Test, LADC; Bob Driver, Graphic Arts Coordinator, LADC; Jim

Eastham, Test Pilot, ADP (ret.); Hal Farley, Jr., Chief Test Pilot, LADC (ret.);

Jim Ghezzi, Program Security, LADC; Jack Gordon, now President, LADC;

Gary Grigg, Director-Program Development; Pete Harrigan, Director-

Employee Communications, Lockheed Corporation; Willis Hawkins,

Lockheed Corporation (ret.); Eric Hehs, Editor, Code One; Sherrie Laveaux,

Flight Test, LADC; Tony LeVier, Lockheed Chief Test Pilot (ret.); Denny

Lombard, Public Information Photographer, LADC; Sol London, Employee

Communications Editor, LADC (ret.); April McKettrick, Lockheed Corporation;

Sherrn Mullin, President (ret.), LADC; Bob Murphy, ADP (ret.); Bill Park, Chief

Test Pilot, ADP (ret.); Tom Pugh, Flight Test, LADC; Jim Ragsdale, Director of

Communications, LADC; Jeff Rhodes, Public Relations Representative,

LASC; John Rowett, Coordinator, Administrative Services, LADC; Lou

Schalk, Test Pilot, ADP (ret.); James Sergeant, Lockheed Martin, Ft. Worth;

Steve Shobert, Program Security, LADC; Eric Shulzinger, Lockheed

Corporation; Gene Souza, Program Security, LADC; Rich Stadler, Manager of

Public Information, LADC (ret.); and Denny Thompson, V.P. Business

Management, LADC.

Others, of course, have given generously of their time and materials.

Among those deserving of special mention are: Shelly Abrams, Dick's wife;

Holmes Anderson; David and Krin Anderton; Joyce Baker, History Office, Air

Force Flight Test Center, Edwards AFB; Bob Baldwin; Glen Best; Walter

Boyne, Director of the National Air & Space Museum (ret.); Tom Copeland,

President, Aerofax, Inc.; Tim Cullum; Ronnie Day; Al Dobyns; Bill Esquilla,

Global Group; Jeff Ethell; Jay Everett, Vice President, Aerofax, Inc.; Charles

Fleming (special thanks for drawings); Rene' Francillon, Ph.D.; James

Goodall (special thanks); Mike Haggerty, USAF; Dick Hallion, Ph.D., USAF

Historian, Boiling AFB; Chuck Hansen; Nancy Johnson, widow of Clarence L.

"Kelly" Johnson; Randy Jolly, Aero Graphics; Harry Kent; Tony Landis (special

thanks); John Mallozzi; J. C. "Cam" Martin, Chief, External Affairs, NASA

Dryden; Frank McCurdy, C-130 specialist; Jerry Moore (cover designer);

Carol Osborne, Osborne Publisher, Inc.; Ed Petrushka; Chris Pocock (special

thanks); Mick Roth; Pat Sharp, Dept. of the Air Force; Earl Shellner, Maj.,

USAF, Chief, Public Affairs, 49th FW, Holloman AFB; James Stevenson; Jim

Wolf, Global Group; and James Young, Ph.D., Chief Historian, Air Force Flight

Test Center, Edwards AFB.

ToSusan, Anna, and Missy, mythankswith love...

Jay Miller

August, 1995

Perhaps the most celebrated attack aircraft in history, the Skunk Works' precedent-setting F-117A embodies virtually all contemporary com-

bat aircraft disciplines. Optimised to meet various low-observables criteria, it is a bizarre, yet practical design.

Preface

"/'// try to use at least 17 percent nouns and verbs, which I have found over a long period of time means

you're saying something. And I'll try to control the use of personal pronouns, to which I'm addicted."

Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson

Having authored more than a few books and over a thousand arti-

cles about a myriad collection of esoteric aviation subjects, I've come to

a point in my professional career wherein it is difficult for me to get excit-

ed writing about anything but the most extraordinary. Aerospace jour-

nalism is a time-consuming and laborious process, and it becomes ever

more tedious as the subjects of greatest interest are slowly eliminated

from a long list of preferences.

However, over the course of what now is many years work, there

has remained for me one subject of exceptional intrigue, and one about

which I have often aspired to write...Lockheed's enigmatic and historically

significant Advanced Development Company (LADC)...world-renowned

as the Skunk Works. Undeniably the most famous operation of its kind

ever, it has become a symbol, both real and imagined, of all that is good

about the US aerospace industry and its extraordinary technology.

But writing about the Skunk Works was not something undertaken

casually. In fact, over a period of many years' observation, I had con-

cluded...accurately...that no worthwhile description of the Skunk Works

and its fabled management, engineering staff, and hardware could be

successfully accommodated without the direct intercession of the Skunk

Works itself.

This was not, after-all, your average aircraft company. The Skunk

Works had for decades immersed itself in the blackest of "black" world

projects and its reputation for such involvement automatically curtailed

the writing of an accurate history without their assistance. Too much of

what the company had done in the past remained covered in a veil of

secrecy. No matter how intense or persevering the research, there

simply was no recourse but to depend upon hearsay and rumor unless

LADC and its various "customers" agreed to cooperate.

Fifty years is a long time for a corporate entity to remain not only

functional, but financially viable. It was just this type of milestone, to be

celebrated during 1993, that led LADC and several of its "customers" to

a decision permitting the Skunk Works access I needed. Discussions

with the company resulted in a commitment to make this book happen,

and within weeks, I was on my way to California for the initial research

effort.

Within the constraints of security, I was given privileges which, to

my knowledge, had never previously been permitted anyone from the

"white" world. As I discovered, LADC's long-hidden legacy was far more

profound than anything I had imagined. It immediately became apparent

that, given the mid-year deadline of this project, much of the hardware

insights and technical data at my disposal would have to be set aside for

use at a later date. Accordingly, related books on noteworthy Skunk

Works aircraft will be forthcoming as time permits.

Regardless, the book you now hold in your hands is a testament to

an extraordinary body of work, perhaps unmatched in the history of avia-

tion, and certainly unmatched by any other sub-division of a. major US

aerospace company. It does not represent production quantities of vast

proportions, nor a single performance spike in the time line of aerospace

history, but rather a high level of business acumen and technology that

remains the standard by which all other aerospace companies and their

products are judged. This, then, is the story of the Skunk Works —from its

inception during 1943, to the present—and with some insight into its

future.

Jay Miller

September 1993

A Note on Sources

This book describes the history of an institution that has been inti-

mately involved in many projects directly or indirectly associated with

national security interests. Accordingly, many of the Skunk Works' early

aircraft programs have only recently arrived at a point in time wherein it is

finally possible to discuss them in public...and with any degree of authori-

ty. Other programs, particularly those of a more recent vintage, remain

sensitive, and therefore beyond the scope of this book to describe.

In order to accommodate the author's request for access to previ-

ously unpublished information, a number of unique documents were

released for reference for the first time ever. Among these were "logs"

kept by "Kelly" Johnson and other intimates describing the day-to-day

activities inside the Skunk Works and, in particular, the trials and tribula-

tions of individual aircraft programs. Excerpts from these logs, coupled

with miscellaneous other declassified hardware documents, represent the

majority of the previously unpublished textual material found in this book.

Their insights are, without doubt, the most detailed yet unveiled for public

consumption.

Readers are asked to understand that most, if not all of the "log"

quotes are the entries as they were written. No grammatical, technical,

or historical changes of any kind have been made that would effect the

import of the wording.

Finally, it should be mentioned for the benefit of the more astute

readers—and Lockheed employees who were intimately involved with

select Skunk Works projects—that there are minor omissions and pur-

poseful oversights in select chapters. Items of continuing sensitivity

either have been selectively edited or consciously deleted at Lockheed's

request. Noteworthy among the latter is U-2 production data. Due to

continuing US Government security restrictions, the Lockheed Advanced

Development Company is unable to verify the accuracy of the U-2 pro-

duction information in this book.

Any mistakes or errors of fact are totally the responsibility of the

author.

Jay Miller

The Skunk Works was born as a result of the XP-80. Test pilot Tony LeVier

(right) sits on Lulu Belle's wing with ground crew at Muroc.

The most recent aircraft the Skunk Works has been involved with is the YF-

22A...a technology demonstrator for the forthcoming F-22A.

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