Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed

edge17 · 2021-01-13 · Original thread

I'm just going to plug this book because it's so good and adds a lot more color to these comments -

https://www.amazon.com/Skunk-Works-Personal-Memoir-Lockheed/...

For context, this book covers history on the development of these UFOs and was written by Ben Rich, who worked at and eventually led the Lockheed division that developed these planes. If nothing else, it's a fascinating account of many historical events from a totally different vantage point.

Judgmentality · 2020-11-11 · Original thread

As much as I appreciate what you're saying, the answer to your question is

> the aircraft architect

because that's the guy who really built it. He could not have done it alone or without the help of everyone you mentioned, but let's not pretend like everyone was equally important here.

As a tangent, this is one of my favorite books detailing the creation of some of Skunkworks' projects, including the SR-71:

https://www.amazon.com/Skunk-Works-Personal-Memoir-Lockheed/...

vvanders · 2020-04-03 · Original thread

Yeah, one of the things that struck me when reading about the development of the SR-71 and F-117[1] was how a lot of what we consider "start-up" culture has already existed in one form or another.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Skunk-Works-Personal-Memoir-Lockheed/...

ElMono · 2019-11-20 · Original thread

That looks interesting; adding that to my to-read list. Related to stealth, but less technical, is Ben Rich's "Skunk Works":

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0751515035/

strictnein · 2017-11-21 · Original thread

If you like the SR-71, and are interested in other Skunk Works projects like the U-2 and F-117, the book Skunk Works is a great read (and also a great audio book).

https://www.amazon.com/Skunk-Works-Personal-Memoir-Lockheed/...

Inconel · 2017-02-04 · Original thread

I have a copy of "Skunk Works" and it is indeed a great book. Amazon still has it for under $12[1]. And seeing as it's quite popular, most large libraries should have a copy as well.

It's great that you brought up "Sled Driver", I'm actually currently saving up to buy a copy. Brian Shul still has new copies available on his website for $250[2]. I think the copies that go for very high prices on eBay are the first editions or some of the special commemorative versions.

May I ask your opinion on the print quality of "Sled Driver"? I know Shul is a photographer, in addition to being a former SR-71 pilot, so I assume the photographic print quality is quite high. Have your read his companion book "The Untouchables"?

[1]https://www.amazon.com/Skunk-Works-Personal-Memoir-Lockheed/...

[2]http://galleryoneimages.com/Hangar/index.php?cPath=22

jayjay71 · 2017-01-12 · Original thread

A large part of why the original Skunk Works was so successful is because Kelly Johnson, and later Ben Rich, did not care about outward appearances. They had a job and they did it (and they made it profitable). Here's a great book on the subject.

https://www.amazon.com/Skunk-Works-Personal-Memoir-Lockheed/...

hga · 2016-05-03 · Original thread

There's great coverage of all that in: http://www.amazon.com/Skunk-Works-Personal-Memoir-Lockheed/d...

In particularly, they patched together their prototype in a way which all hackers will appreciate.

Spooky23 · 2015-03-21 · Original thread

Nearly everything you do with computer tech was seeded by government/large corps.

For a military contracting specific account: http://www.amazon.com/Skunk-Works-Personal-Memoir-Lockheed/d...

dangoldin · 2015-01-18 · Original thread

Also not on the list and doesn't take place in SV but I loved it and the culture is very SV like - http://www.amazon.com/Skunk-Works-Personal-Memoir-Lockheed/d...

hga · 2014-10-21 · Original thread

But they continued that with e.g. the F-117 stealth fighter(-bomber), after Kelly Johnson was no longer running the show. The story of the prototype's development is stunning, see e.g. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316743003/

As for the F-35, the TFX like requirements are its biggest problem (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Dynamics_F-111_Aardvar... see also The Strategy of Technology if you want the whole picture).

pcorliss · 2014-03-14 · Original thread

I just read an interesting book about Lockheed's skunkworks program. It covers a bit of WWII, Korea, Vietnam, but mostly the post-Vietnam era.

http://www.amazon.com/Skunk-Works-Personal-Memoir-Lockheed/d...

melling · 2014-03-07 · Original thread

The world's fastest plane was built before we landed on the moon. We're spoiled in tech by Moore's Law but the difficultly in making advances in commercial and military aviation is disappointing. In the 1970's everyone probably though NY to London in 2 hours was a given by now.

Here's a great book to read about the SR-71.

http://www.amazon.com/Skunk-Works-Personal-Memoir-Lockheed/d...

incision · 2013-06-26 · Original thread

I thoroughly enjoyed Masters of Doom.

At the time, I recall a number of people who read the book bemoaning 1991 as a bygone era of opportunity, as if all the good ideas and opportunities to invent had been "used up". Interesting how different people take the same text as self-defeating vs inspiring.

Also, on the topic of inspirational books, I always have to mention Skunk Works[0], one of my all-time favorites.

0: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0316743003

nobody31415 · 2011-10-21 · Original thread

Twas ever thus. Ben Rich was Kelly Johnson's assistant at the original Lockheed Skunkworks (creator of the U2, SR71, etc) - he was regularly approached to leave and create skunkworks for every other aerospace company.

As soon as he talked to them they enthused about the Skunkworks setup and how their version would be better since it would be in the main plant, with it's own set of VPs to supervise it and be properly intergrated into the main business etc.

ps. Read his biography http://www.amazon.com/Skunk-Works-Personal-Memoir-Lockheed/d... if you think any of this Silicon Valley stuff is new

icegreentea · 2010-11-22 · Original thread

The Blackbird is full of amazing stories. Skunkworks - Ben Rich's memoirs [1] is full of ridiculous stories, both of making the SR-71 as well as stories from pilots (as well as a lot of other projects).

Not every thing in there can be taken at face value (his rant against the paint locker on the Sea Shadow for example... it's really the 'toxic solvents and chemicals locker'), but still full of gold.

For example, they had into all sorts of problems wielding titanium for the first time. Chlorine would wreck all sorts of havoc on the plates they used, which they discovered when someone drew on a plate with a ball-point pen. And then they completely ripped their hair out when the municipality increased the chlorination in the water they were using to clean the plates.

[1] http://www.amazon.com/Skunk-Works-Personal-Memoir-Lockheed/d...

chwolfe · 2010-09-21 · Original thread

I highly recommend Ben Rich's autobiography to anyone interested in the engineering and business practices behind Skunk Works:

http://www.amazon.com/Skunk-Works-Personal-Memoir-Lockheed/d...

papaf · 2010-06-19 · Original thread

For those that don't know about it, this book on skunk works is a wonderful read:

http://www.amazon.com/Skunk-Works-Personal-Memoir-Lockheed/d...

johnswamps · 2010-05-11 · Original thread

I've been reading "Skunk Works" (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0316743003), which talks about the development of the SR-71 and other planes (such as the U-2 and the stealth bomber) at Lockheed's Skunk Works facility. It's a good read. I think it may have been suggested by another HNer.

zandor · 2010-04-07 · Original thread

If anyone is interested in a bit more of the history behind the aircraft (also the U-2 and the F-117), do check out Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir... by Ben Rich

It's a great read!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0316743003

ISBN: 9780316743006