916 Starfighter

Clarence „Kelly“ Johnson showing the YF-104A to Rudy Thoren (chief flight test engineer) and Herman 'Fish' Salmon (Lockheed engineering test pilot) 1956

Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson came to Lockheed in 1932 hunting a job. He was turned down for insufficient experience. Johnson went back to school and obtained a Master's Degree in Aeronautical Engineering.
He came to Lockheed again in 1933 and was hired as a tool designer. His salary was $83.00 per month and became the sixth Engineer working for the fledgling Lockheed Company.
Then, as World War II approached, he helped the Company design the P-38, America's first 400 mph airplane. After assignments as flight test engineer, stress analyst, aerodynamicist, weight engineer,
he became chief research engineer in 1938. In 1952, Johnson was named chief engineer of Lockheed's Burbank, California plant which later became the Lockheed-California Company.
When the office of corporate vice president-research and development was established in 1956, he was chosen for the post. He became vice President-Advanced Development Projects (ADP) (Skunk Works) in 1958,
a member of the board of directors in 1964 and a senior vice president of the corporation in 1969. He officially retired from Lockheed in 1975 but continued as a consultant to the Skunk Works and the Lockheed projects.
Kelly left the Board of Directors in 1980. In June of 1983, the name of the 500 acre Lockheed Rye Canyon Research facility was renamed Kelly Johnson Research and Development Center, Lockheed-California Company,
in his honor for 50 years of service to Lockheed..

Johnson has played a leading role in the design of 40 world renowned aircraft. Of these more than half were of his original design. Among them the F-80, America's first production jet; the double-sonic F-104 Starfighter;
the high altitude U-2 and the spectacular 2,000 MPH YF-12A and the SR-71. He contributed to the design of the first plane with power controls, the F-90 Interceptor.

President Nixon presents the Collier Trophy to Kelly