Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, born in 1910, was one of the most prolific and revered Aerospace Engineers not just of his era but of all time. Joining Lockheed Martin in 1933, his aeronautics skills were quickly recognized when he found evidence of instability on the company’s Model 10 Electra, which resulted in his proposal for a twin vertical tail configuration to be implemented as a solution, and would remain a characteristic of several Lockheed planes that followed.
Johnson continued at Lockheed for many years, heading the famous Skunkworks division for advanced development, becoming responsible for many of Lockheed’s most famous aircraft, including a multitude which already make appearances in War Thunder at least once:
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The F-104 Starfighter
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The P-38 Lightning
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The Lockheed Hudson (Hudson Mk V)
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The Lockheed Ventura (PV-2D)
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…and, the first American production jet-fighter, the F-80 Shooting Star
As well as many other world-famous and iconic aircraft not present in-game, such as:
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The SR-71 Blackbird
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The U-2 Dragonlady
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The Lockheed Constellation
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…and, a plane that itself could make a good addition to War Thunder, the F-94 Starfire
Johnson retired from Lockheed Martin in 1975 as a senior vice president and passed away in 1990, but his contributions to aerospace remain the stuff of legend.
Given that there is already precedent in-game for aircraft designers as Pages of History events (R.J. Mitchell, lead designer of the Supermarine Spitfire), his addition is not only worthy but long overdue.
Photos, Potential Reference Images
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