Customer Reviews

Lockheed Aircraft Since 1913

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Lockheed has produced more than its share of great aircraft and this book is the definitive source for learning about them.

Starting with a flying boat on the California coast, the Loughead Brothers formed serveral aircraft companies in the pre and post World War One aircraft boom.
By 1927 and working with Jack Northrop, they had developed the classic Vega, a fast plywood transport favored by record setters of aviation's "Golden Age".
All the greats of that period: Post, Earhart, Lindbergh...all flew Lockheeds.
From there is was a short jump to fast all-metal airliners...the Electras (one flown into history by Earhart) and the larger Lodestars which found military use in the early days of World War Two. In their spare time, they made thousands of B-17s under license.
The twin boom P-38, America's first successful jet fighter (the P-80) and trainer (T-33) came fromm Burbank as did the triple-tailed Constallation airliner and the Mach 2 Starfighter all came from the company that seemingly could produce anything. Turning to turboprops, they produced the C-130 Hercules, a military transport that has remained in production for the last five decades. The 60s saw them win a hard-fought battle with Douglas and Boeing to build the world's largest aircraft, the C-5 military transport.
Their secret "Skunk Works' prduced the high flying U-2 and the world's fastest jet, the SR-71, before becomming a pioneer in "Stealth" technology with the F-117.

Francillon, an aeronatical enginner, tells all their stories here.
In typical Putman style it combines, detailed histories of each type along with three-view drawings, performance specifications and construction/serial numbers.
In short, if you need to know about any Lockheed aircraft, you need this book.