Reddit reviews Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years of Lockheed

I highly recommend reading this book on the Skunk Works. It goes really in depth into how the F117, U2, and SR-71/A-12 programs came about. There are a few short sections in it by people associated with the skunk works, and IIRC Dyson wrote one.

https://www.amazon.com/Skunk-Works-Personal-Memoir-Lockheed-ebook/dp/B00A2DIW3C

The story of The Skunk Works is a great book if you are looking to read similar stories.

Edit: a word

I second his recommendation. It's a great book and a really interesting read. I've been thinking about giving it another read recently.

This is the book.

You and I both, cheers. - Cockpit walkthrough by an SRO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj9UwKQKE3A

Highly recommended book about the skunkworks https://www.amazon.com/Skunk-Works-Personal-Memoir-Lockheed-ebook/dp/B00A2DIW3C

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A2DIW3C/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Awesome book. Definitely worth the read.

We're also still flying the U-2 which was first flown in 1955 (3 years later than the first flight of the B-52). I'm reading a book about Skunk Works now and it's been one of the most rewarding reads as a civilian aviation enthusiast.

Probably less safe to fly at a lower altitude over the USSR with a proper landing system than the method they ended up with.

If you want to read more about the programs skunk works did, this was a fun read.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A2DIW3C/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

> skunkworks

Ben Rich

You might find this interesting also. Actually more about the stealth program IIRC but a great read nonetheless.

There's some info in Ben Rich's biography Skunk Works. It was very highly classified and considered too dangerous for CIA or other US pilots to undertake. Because of these shootdowns they developed the D-21 drone to continue overflights.