Kelly Johnson

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Kelly Johnson

Portrait of Clarence Leonard "Kelly" Johnson (Lookheed Skunk Works chief engineer and vice president) — Portrait of Clarence Leonard "Kelly" Johnson (Lookheed Skunk Works chief engineer and vice president) Photo: CIA · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons

Type	Person
Also known as	Clarence "Kelly" Johnson
On the Timeline	2 events, 1953–1968

Clarence "Kelly" Johnson (1910–1990) was an American aeronautical engineer who led Lockheed's Advanced Development Projects, the Skunk Works, from 1943 to 1975. He designed more than 40 aircraft, including the P-38, the U-2 spy plane and the SR-71 Blackbird.

UFO sighting

Clarence L. “Kelly” Johnson, chief designer at Lockheed’s secret “Skunk Works” facility, initially designed the U-2 around the F-104 Starfighter… — Clarence L. “Kelly” Johnson, chief designer at Lockheed’s secret “Skunk Works” facility, initially designed the U-2 around the F-104 Starfighter… Photo: U.S. Air Force photo · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons

In December 1953, Johnson and his wife saw a dark, elliptical object over the Pacific from their ranch in California, while a Lockheed test crew flying a Navy aircraft nearby saw the same object. Johnson wrote a report, which went to Project Blue Book. Analyst Martin Shough later reconstructed the sighting and found it hard to explain. Johnson's statement is often cited because of his expertise.

On the UAP Timeline

Lyndon Johnson: Lyndon B. Johnson, photo portrait, color (3x4 cropped)(2) — Lyndon Johnson: Lyndon B. Johnson, photo portrait, color (3x4 cropped)(2) Photo: Arnold Newman · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons

Lockheed–Kelly Johnson sighting (1953) (18 December 1953) — Lockheed test crew members flying a Navy aircraft follow a flying saucer over the Pacific.
Lyndon Johnson's informal UFO study (1968) — A study for President Johnson reportedly says UAP are real and under intelligent control.

Connected articles

References

Kelly Johnson (engineer) — Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · archived copy

Categories: Lockheed martin | Person | Project blue book | Unidentified flying object | Us navy

This page was last edited on 29 October 2026. Articles are written in our own words from the sources listed under References; disputed claims are attributed to the people who made them.

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