Skunk Works: Advancing Aviation | Kelly Johnson And 'His Engineering Marvels | Complete Documentary

The complete Skunk Works story and Kelly Johnson's biography. Full documentary.
Skunks Works is the Company that Gave Us The F-104 Starfighter, SR-71 Blackbird, The U-2 Dragonlady, the P-80 Shooting Star, the F-22 Raptor, and many other amazing Aircraft. Learn about Kelly Johnson, Ben Rich, and witnesses of the birth of the California company.

The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace manufacturer. Lockheed was founded in 1926 and merged in 1995 with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin. Its founder, Allan Lockheed, had earlier founded the similarly named but otherwise unrelated Loughead Aircraft Manufacturing Company, which was operational from 1912 to 1920.

Allan Loughead and his brother Malcolm Loughead had operated an earlier aircraft company, Loughead Aircraft Manufacturing Company, which was operational from 1912 to 1920. The company built and operated aircraft for paying passengers on sightseeing tours in California and had developed a prototype for the civil market, but folded in 1920 due to the flood of surplus aircraft deflating the market after World War I. Allan went into the real estate market while Malcolm had meanwhile formed a successful company marketing brake systems for automobiles.

On December 13, 1926, Allan Lockheed, John Northrop, Kenneth Kay, and Fred Keeler secured funding to form the Lockheed Aircraft Company in Hollywood (spelled phonetically to prevent mispronunciation). This new company utilized some of the same technology originally developed for the Model S-1 to design the Vega Model. In March 1928, the company relocated to Burbank, California, and by year's end reported sales exceeding one million dollars. From 1926 to 1928 the company produced over 80 aircraft and employed more than 300 workers who by April 1929 were building five aircraft per week. In July 1929, majority shareholder Fred Keeler sold 87% of the Lockheed Aircraft Company to Detroit Aircraft Corporation. In August 1929, Allan Loughead resigned.

The Great Depression ruined the aircraft market, and Detroit Aircraft went bankrupt. A group of investors headed by brothers Robert and Courtland Gross, and Walter Varney, bought the company out of receivership in 1932. The syndicate bought the company for a mere $40,000 ($660,000 in 2011). Ironically, Allan Loughead himself had planned to bid for his own company but had raised only $50,000 ($824,000), which he felt was too small a sum for a serious bid.

In 1934, Robert E. Gross was named chairman of the new company, the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, which was headquartered at what is now the airport in Burbank, California. His brother Courtlandt S. Gross was a co-founder and executive, succeeding Robert as chairman following his death in 1961. The company was named the Lockheed Corporation in 1977.

The first successful construction that was built in any number (141 aircraft) was the Vega first built in 1927, best known for its several first- and record-setting flights by, among others, Amelia Earhart, Wiley Post, and George Hubert Wilkins. In the 1930s, Lockheed spent $139,400 ($2.29 million) to develop the Model 10 Electra, a small twin-engined transport. The company sold 40 in the first year of production. Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, flew it in their failed attempt to circumnavigate the world in 1937. Subsequent designs, the Lockheed Model 12 Electra Junior and the Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra expanded their market.

#Lockheed #skunkworks #aircraft

[georgemartin]

This is an amazing documentary. SO MUCH information is in here combined with archival footage. Very well done.

[karlicia_lakatalina]

I just watched the time go from 1:59 am to 3am
Happy spring !

[barryklinedinst]

Lockheed made so many great aircraft. And Kelly Johnson was such a great engineer and leader. Now days it takes so long to produce an aircraft even with the help of computers. The Blackbird and so many other planes we produced in such a short time its almost impossible.

[crazyralph]

The Blackbird was Kelly Johnson’s Mona Lisa.

[Dark_Knight_USA]

Greetings: Thx, Kelly, 4 Yr dedication and contributions. Ur R appreciated. RIP

[williamlloyd]

Interesting that reconnaissance photos that have been declassified are now being used to find archeological sites.

[haroldmclean]

Skunk Works and Lockheed make Dreams Come True 😴💭

[samueljoejr]

Dude, you're a great teacher, I learn so much in these videos. Once again, thank you.

[TCWTitan]

@dronescapes I appreciate you're responsiveness to the community comments. I've had just as much fun reading the replies and answers as I have watching your films. A rare sight to see such civility and discussion in lieu of the typical degeneracy found in comment sections. This is the first time I've ever felt prompted to comment myself. A positive reflection on your team and your viewers

[MrMaxyield]

Absolute banger of a video, but i have to ask, is this a re-upload of a previously made video..?? It seems very familiar...??

[barrywhite]

Be Quiet…Be Thorough…Be On Time!
Anybody Seen Kelly?❤️

[davidmckee]

Have you seen the short comedic video called "LA Speed check"?

[davidfisher]

To show the beautiful design of the A12 airframe, there is a vid on u tube of a jet scale model, very good flight characteristics.

[mattykauer]

Thank you for your service to humanity

[John-wmxk]

Went 2 nights at Starwood shows .... crushing !!!! Was in very front

[manfromks]

Johnson announced it as the A-11. With pictures of the YF-12. The A-12 came first. Set records first. Was silver/dark gray. Never a "so-called" Blackbird.

[mudhead]

I grew up in Dayton, and could see WPAFB from my bedroom window. Dad was in the AAC in WWII. Love of airplanes is a passion.
Growing up, close friend of our family worked with Kelly Johnson.
I taught his project management methodology is still the best, most efficient and let teams work miracles no other methodology can. I applied it in R&D PM since the 70s. He is an American treasure.
FUN FACT: (secret) SkunkWorks was funded by hand carried untraceable bags of cash. Idk now.

[SteelyPaw]

My buddy built a 1/4 scale RC replica of the Vega, which he flew once with great success.

[simplicitydesigns]

My own video recommend this, and I really enjoyed it. Thanks.

[JerrodleeJax]

Enjoyed . Alright for a throne together , YouTube video . JK, this was absolutely fantastic !