Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame

Declaration of Enshrinement

 November 6, 2010

Clarence “Kelly” Johnson

During WW II, Lockheed engineer Clarence Leonard “Kelly” Johnson established what became known as the Lockheed Skunk Works that in eight months and under budget produced the first U-2 reconnaissance aircraft for the Central Intelligence Agency, CIA. The U-2 flew above 70,000 feet with a range of 4,000 miles. In April 1955, Kelly and CIA chose Area 51, aka Groom Lake, Nevada as the location for the U-2 flight testing.  The first “official” flight took place on August 4, 1955. On January 26, 1960, the CIA authorized Kelly Johnson and the Skunk Works to design, build, and test the Lockheed A-12, the first plane with stealth technology.  The first flight occurred at Area 51 on April 26, 1962, followed by first flights of the YF-12A, M-21, and D-21, members of the Blackbird family of aircraft that developed the Air Force’s the SR-71 Blackbird.

For his creative management skills as well as his designs of advanced aircraft requiring the invention of new technologies, Clarence Leonard “Kelly” Johnson earned his place in the Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame.

___________________________________

TD Barnes, Executive Director

Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame