Learning Center Our Enshrinees

Clarence “Kelly” Leroy Johnson

• Joined the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation in 1933.
• Appointed Chief Research Engineer in 1938.
• Helped develop the P-38 “lightning” interceptor, the model 18 “Lodestar, the B-37, “Ventura, and PV-1 Bombers, and the “constellation” airliners.
• Created the P-80 “Shooting Star”, the first U. S. jet fighter in service.
• Developed the XFV-1, vertical takeoff plane and the T2V “Seastar” jet trainer after being named Chief Engineer in 1952.
• Received the Collier Trophy in 1958 for his Mach 2 F-104 “Starfighter” which was created to combat Soviet MiGs.
• As Vice President of Research and Development, he created the C-130 “Hercules” turbojet transport, the high altitude U-2, and the C-140 “Jetstar” transport.
• Promoted to Vice President-Advanced Development Projects in 1958 and helped develop the Agena D space satellite, and then created the Mach 3-YF-12A interceptor and SR-71 reconnaissance “Blackbird” aircraft.
• Awarded the Collier Trophy a second time for the USAF A-11 Mach 3 Aircraft in 1963 (the precursor to the YF-12 and SR-71)
• Became a member of Lockheed’s Board of Directors in 1964 and Senior Vice President in 1969.